Views of the abandoned Rock Island right-of-way are really beginning to disappear in western Arkansas on this Saturday (Feb 28) in 2004.


In Howe, Oklahoma, the old Rock Island tracks (now belonging to the A-OK RR) looking to the east from downtown. It ends at the the KCS crossing about a half mile in the distance.


Looking to the west.


Looking east from old Highway 59 in Howe. The flat cars go right up to the KCS, where the old Rock Island (now A-OK) tracks end, then the old roadbed continues to the east and enters Arkansas.


Closeup of the old Rock Island signals in Howe, lookng to the east from old Highway 59.


A KCS mixed freight crosses the old Rock Island roadbed in Howe, Oklahoma. The flat cars are on the A-OK Railroad, which runs on former Rock Island tracks in Oklahoma - the tracks are long-gone on the other side of the KCS train.


Hartford, Arkansas, looking to the west at the old Rock Island roadbed. Tracks were taken up in the early 1980s.


About a mile east of Hartford on Arkansas 96 was this old Rock Island trestle.


Mansfield, Arkansas just past the school. I guess these Rock Island concrete piers were too expensive to remove.


Taken from a street crossing in Mansfield.


This blue barn was put right in the center of the old roadbed in Mansfield.


Booneville, Arkansas, Feb 28, 2004. The Rock Island tracks were to the right of the concrete platform. The Rock Island depot burned about 3 years ago. There's a Post Office just on the other side.


This is the only remnant of the Booneville depot that still has a part of the roof and design.


Havana, Arkansas, looking to the east.


Amazingly, this street in Belleville, Arkansas still has the original gated crossing signals that still 'protects' the crossing from the imaginary Rock Island, about 22 years after the tracks were taken up in the early 1980s. If I remember, there were 4 tracks here.


Looking to the east in Booneville. The next town down the line to the east is Danville, Arkansas, which the Little Rock & Western RR goes to from Perry and Little Rock on the former Rock Island tracks.