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List of Very Short North American Railroads

When I was about 15 years old, it occurred to me that the longest model railroad main line would likely be very short in prototype size. An HO scale mile is about 60 feet, so a 600 foot main line -- very long for a home layout, even in the US -- would be only about 10 scale miles long. This led to a curiosity about prototype railroads whose main lines would be short enough to model in their full length.

I began to look in various places, such as the copies of Poor's Manual of Railroads in the public library, for information on such very short railroads. I made handwritten notes at the time, supplemented later by other information I found in my college library and other reference sources. After a while, this interest waned.

It rekindled when I visited the former Youngstown and Northern facilities in McDonald, Ohio, as part of the Erie Lackawanna Historical Society's 2003 annual meeting. The Youngstown and Northern, 4.80 miles long, served steel mills in the Youngstown area, and was in fact a US Steel railroad like the Bessemer and Lake Erie or the Duluth, Missabe, and Iron Range. As I looked for more information on the Youngstown and Northern, I remembered the appeal that such very short lines once had for me, and I decided to revive the long-dormant work I had been doing on my list of very short railroads. Sites like Carl Arendt's Micro Layout Design Gallery and Emrys Hopkins's LayoutDesigns.com show track plans for very small layouts, but they don't fully cover the range of possible prototypes and other inspiration available, especially in North America. (Carl has since e-mailed me that I don't pay enough attention to prototypes like the Monongahela Connecting Railroad that he features on his site, and I recognize that he has plans based on several such lines. But he also shows layouts at the North Pole or on the moon.)

The point of this list is to serve as inspiration and a starting point for people who would like to look to the real world for small railroads with character. The examples here show a wide variety of locations, types of business, and rosters, though there is a bias toward "critter" type, very small diesel and gasoline locomotives or standard railroad switchers. Some railroads serve a single industry (and there is a surprising number of steel-related railroads), while others are general-traffic short lines.

My criteria for including a railroad on this list are:

• Located in North America (US, Canada, and Mexico)
• Standard gauge and connected to the main rail network
• Ten miles long or less for some significant part of its history
• Listed in the Official Railroad Equipment Register (ORER) or the Official Guide

This list is not exhaustive. I've made a start, but I'm sure there are many omissions and some errors in what's included here. If you have information you can contribute to making this list more accurate and complete, please e-mail me at j.bruce(at)gte.net (replace the "(at)" with an at-sign). Any information on web sites, articles in the railroad or model railroad press, or books that would make the entries more complete will be most welcome.

Acknowledgements

Help has started to come in from visitors: I would like to express my thanks to Frank Barry, Jack Bridge, Trent Dowler, Randall Gustafson, Tim Locke, Tom Matoff, Harold Reeve, and Linda Miller Wilson.

General References

The List

Alameda Belt Line

Alamo Gulf Coast

4.5 miles of former SP trackage near San Antonio, TX. Web site.

Angelina & Neches River Railroad Co.

Freight Equipment (July 1968 ORER)

XM	Box, Steel, Stagg. Doors	201 to 206		6
	Pulpwood						10
	Coal							9
	Caboose							2

Appalachian Railway Company

Appanoose County Community Railroad

Aransas Harbor Terminal Ry.

Arkansas Central Railway

Aroostook Valley Railroad

Ashland Railway Company

Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson Railroad

Atlantic and Western Railway Company

Augusta Railroad

Baltimore & Annapolis Railroad

Bath and Hammondsport Railroad

Bauxite & Northern Ry. Co.

According to the Railroad Magazine rosters, this line had one Alco S2 numbered 9, an EMD SW9 numbered 10, an EMD SW1200 numbered 11, two Alco RS-3s numbered 12 and 13, and an Alco RS-2 numbered 14.

On September 9, 2005, the railroad was purchased by holding company RailAmerica from Alcoa.

Bay Point and Clayton Railroad Company

The Bay Terminal Railroad

Beaufort and Morehead Railroad Company

8	GE		50 Ton
45	GE		45 Ton
65	Whitcomb	65 Ton
85	Whitcomb	85 Ton

Beech Mountain Railroad

Belton Railroad Company

Freight equipment (July 1968 ORER)

XM	Box, all steel	1
XM	Box, all steel	31263

Benwood & Wheeling Connecting Railway Co.

Freight equipment

Flat, steel. 100,101
Flat, wood. 205 to 208
Flat, wood. 210
Flat, wood. 99
Gondola, wood. 200 to 204
Gondola, wood. 209,211
Pig iron dump, steel 1 to 10
Scale test

Black Mountain Railway

Brandywine Valley Railroad

Bristol Railroad

Brookings & Peach Orchard R.R.

BSDA Railroad

Buffalo Creek Railroad

Burlington Junction Railway

Cadiz Railroad Company

Cadiz to Gracey, KY. Miles of Road Operated: 10.46. Equipment -- Locomotives -- Diesel-electric, 3. Other: flat, 1, caboose, 1, total, 2. (ORER) According to the Railroad Magazine rosters, the line operated one GE 45 ton locomotive numbered 7. Two Alco S-1s numbered 8 and 9 later came from the Tennessee Central.

Canton Railroad

Cape Fear Railways, Inc

Carbon County Railway Company

This railroad served coal mines connected with the U.S.Steel Geneva Works.

Carolina Western Railroad

Central Indiana & Western Railroad

The Chaffee Railroad Company

Chalchicomula Railway

Charles City Rail Line

Chattahoochee Valley Railway Company

Miles of Road Operated: 9.51. Equipment: diesel-electric, 3. Other: caboose, 1. flat, maintenance-of-way, 1. Total, 2. (1974 ORER) Web site. According to the Kalmbach Diesel Locomotive Rosters (Third Edition), the line owned an EMD SW1500 numbered 101 and an SW1001 numbered 102.

Chestnut Ridge Railway Company

Chicago-Chemung Railroad

Claremont-Concord Railroad

Coe Rail

Columbia & Cowlitz Railway Company

Conemaugh & Black Lick Railroad

Cotton Plant-Fargo Railway Co.

Cotton Plant-Fargo Ry Plymouth 1 at Cotton Plant, AR. George Elwood photo, used by permission.

The Dansville & Mount Morris Railroad Co.

Dardanelle & Russellville Railroad Co.

Shop at Dardanelle, AR. George Elwood photo, used by permission.

Delta Valley & Southern Railway Co.

Doniphan, Kensett & Searcy Railway

Equipment

FM	Flat	59

The sawmill of the Doniphan Lumber Company is at Doniphan, Ark., at the northern end of its tap line, known as the Doniphan, Kensett & Searcy, which connects with the Iron Mountain 1-1/2 miles to the south at a point known as Kensett. The lumber company and the tap line are identical in interest, their stock being held by the same individuals. The tap line is also indebted to the lumber company in a sum exceeding $35,000. The track from Doniphan to Kensett was constructed in 1906, when the mill was erected, the steel being leased from the Iron Mountain. Doniphan is a mill town with about 75 houses belonging to the lumber company; and the track from Doniphan to Kensett is used exclusively for the traffic of the lumber company and its employees.

In 1907 about 5 miles of track was constructed from Kensett westward to Searcy, a county seat with a population of about 3,000, where a connection was effected with the Rock Island lines and the Missouri & North Arkansas Railroad. Although this track is used chiefly for the movement of logs for the lumber company, there is some outside traffic over it; and it runs parallel to the line of the Missouri & North Arkansas. It appears that there was formerly a line from Kensett to Searcy operated by mule power, and known as the Merchants Transportation Company, by means of which freight was transferred from the Iron Mountain to the town of Searcy; but this mule line was abandoned when the Doniphan, Kensett & Searcy was opened for operation. The Missouri & North Arkansas was after-wards built in through Searcy to Kensett and beyond, and the tap line enjoys trackage rights over it for a considerable distance north-ward from Searcy to the timber of the Doniphan Lumber Company. Utilizing this trackage right, for which a wheelage charge of $1 per train-mile is apparently paid, the tap line hauls the logs to Searcy, and thence over its own rails through Kensett to the mill at Doniphan. For this movement it charges the lumber company 2 cents per 100 pounds. When the lumber is shipped out the tap line switches the cars to the Iron Mountain at Kensett, a distance of 1-1/2 miles, or removes them 6 miles to Searcy, where they are de-livered to the Rock Island. In either case it receives a division of 3 or 4 cents per 100 pounds out of the joint rates. It also participates in through class rates to certain destinations, including Memphis and St. Louis, out of which it is allowed by the trunk lines 20 per cent or 25 per cent as a division. It does not carry passengers. More than 85 per cent of the whole traffic of the tap line for the fiscal year 1910 was supplied by the lumber company. While the country through which the tap line passes has largely been cleared of timber, the forest of the lumber company being located along the Missouri & North Arkansas as heretofore stated, the agricultural products handled by the tap line for the year 1910 aggregated only 662 tons.

The equipment of the tap line consists of 2 locomotives, 21 flat cars, and 2 cabooses, all having safety appliances. The lumber company has neither rolling stock nor unincorporated logging spurs, at least in the vicinity of the tap line. The employees of the tap line include two train crews, one section gang, two station agents, and two general officers. The officers and the agent at Doniphan are jointly employed by the tap line and the lumber company. Through bills of lading and through waybills for the movement of lumber are issued by the agent of the tap line at Doniphan. While apparently no dividends have been paid, there was a surplus on June 30, 1910, of $14,265.14, indicating that the operation of the tap line under its allowances has been a profitable one.

For its service in switching to or from the mill, a distance of 11 miles, to the Iron Mountain at Kensett, the latter may allow this tap line a switching charge of $2.50 a car; for its service in switching the products of the controlling mill through Kensett, a distance of 6 miles, to the Rock Island at Searcy, the latter may allow the Doniphan, Kensett & Searcy a division out of the rate of 1 cent per 100 pounds.

Depew, Lancaster & Western Railroad

Dunn-Erwin Railway

East Jersey Railroad and Terminal Company

East Portland Traction Company

East Texas and Gulf Railway Co.

Edgemoor and Manetta

This line was covered in an article by Jim Boyd in the March, 1972 Railroad Model Craftsman. At that time the railroad was operating with an 0-4-0T number 5, which it had acquired in 1941. An additional flat car number 400 was on the property.

El Dorado & Wesson Railway

Elwood, Anderson & Lapelle RR Co

Etna & Montrose Railroad Co

Ferdinand Railroad

Flemingsburg & Northern R.R. Company

Fore River Railway

Georgetown Railroad Company

Golden Triangle Railroad

Greenville & Northern Railway

Hannibal Connecting Railroad

Hartwell Railroad

Hickory Valley Railroad

Hutchinson & Northern Railway

Illinois Northern Railway

Proto 2000 Mather box car lettered for Illinois Northern.

Indian Creek Railroad

Iowa Traction Railroad

The Ironton Railroad Company

J&J Railroad

Jaxport Terminal Railway

Kane and Elk Railroad Company

Equipment (January 1928 ORER)

XM	Box		301`
FM	Flat		121 to 125
FM	Flat		127, 155
GA	Gondola	201

Kelly's Creek & Northwestern Railroad

Knox Railroad Company

Lake Champlain and Moriah Railroad Company

The Lake Terminal Railroad Company

Freight equipment (July 1968)

GB	Gond, Stl sides, fixed ends, Flat bot., stl. flr	2000-2199
GB	Gond, Stl sides, fixed ends, Flat bot., stl. flr	2500-2549
GB	Gond, Stl sides, fixed ends, Flat bot., stl. flr	4000-4099
GB	Gond, Stl sides, fixed ends, Flat bot., wood  flr	5000-5022
GB	Gond, Stl sides, fixed ends, Flat bot., wood  flr	6000-6046
GB	Gond, Stl sides, fixed ends, Flat bot., wood  flr	19082-19978

Landisville Railroad

L'Anguille River Railway Company

Hello, I have in hand an original stock certificate for the L'Anguille River Railway Company. It is signed February 14, 1917, and is issued to my grandfather Max D. Miller who owned the railroad. The railroad was used to move lumber from his mill in Marianna, Lee County, Arkansas, to the Missouri Pacific line for transportation out of the area. The certificate is for 48 shares. I do not know how many shares were issued, but I might be able to find out if you are interested. My grandfather is listed as the president of the company. There was a large saw mill on the banks of the L'Anguille in Marianna that once employed more people than anyone in the area. I was raised there, but the railroad was long gone before I was born. Linda Miller Wilson

Lee County Central

While I haven't found this line in the ORER or Official Guide, Jim Boyd had an article on this line in the February 2004 Railroad Model Craftsman. The line began in 1910 as a country trolley line, and purchased its first small steam loco in 1911 for freight service. In 1929, the line purchased the first of a series of 4-wheel internal combustion switchers. It ceased operation in 1972.

Lewisburg & Buffalo Creek

Little Kanawha River Railroad

Little Rock Port Railway

Livonia, Avon & Lakeville Railroad

Longview, Portland & Northern Railway

Lowville & Beaver River Railroad

Louisville, New Albany & Corydon Railroad

Louisville and Wadley

Ludlow and Southern Railway

McKeesport Connecting Railroad Company

Freight Equipment (July 1968 ORER)

GB	Gond.,Stl.Sides,Fixed Ends,Wooden Floor			100-174
GB	Gond.,Steel Sides, Fixed Ends, Flat Bot.,Steel Floor	1000-1098

McLaughlin Line Railroad

Manufacturers' Junction Railway

Massena Terminal Railroad

Mercer Valley Railroad

Mexicano del Pacifico

MG Rail

Michigan Shores Railroad

Middleburgh & Schoharie R.R. Co.

Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad

Midway Railroad Company

Midwest Coal Handling Company

Minatitlan Railroad

Minnesota, Dakota & Western Railway

Modesto and Empire Traction Company

Monongahela Connecting Railroad Co.

Freight equipment (July 1968)

GB	Gond, stl, fixed ends, flat bot.Stl.Floor	200-249
GB	Gond, stl, fixed ends, flat bot.Stl.Floor	250-279
HT	Hopper, steel					600-614
HT	Hopper, steel					625-634
HT	Hopper, steel					635-684
HT	Hopper, steel					850-869
FM	Flat, steel underframe				1100-1118
HT	Hopper, steel					1600-1614
HT	Hopper, steel					1615-1624
HT	Hopper, steel					1650-1661
HT	Hopper, steel					1662-1676
HTC	Hopper, steel					1700-1734
HTC	Hopper, steel					1735-1750
HTC	Hopper, steel					1751-1763
HTC	Hopper, steel					1764-1773
HT	Hopper, steel					1800-1844
GB	Gond., wood floor				1900-1909
GB	Gond., stl., with covers			1910-1915
GB	Gond., stl., fixed ends, flat bot., stl. floor	2500-2699
GB	Gond., stl., fixed ends, flat bot., stl. floor	2725-2899

From the September/October 2003 Diesel Era:

Monongahela Connecting Railroad served as a connection from Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp. steel mills in south Pittsburgh to the Pennsylvania, Baltimore & Ohio, and Pittsburgh & Lake Erie railroads. It began dieselizing its operations in 1936 with General Electric center-cab units, ranging in weight from 80 tons to 120 tons.

After World War II, MCRR acquired a fleet of Alco-buit S-2s and S-4s. The carrier's first road-type locomotive came in 1957 with a single RS-11 from Alco. In 1968, MCRR returned to Alco for a T-6 and a C-415. . . . Between 1974 and 1976, EMD built five SW1001s for the carrier.

The steady decline of the domestic steel-making business reduced the need for additional locomotives. A railroad that in 1966 operated 33 locomotivew and employed 772 people was reduced to 11 units and 204 employees by the end of 1982.

Moscow, Camden, & San Augustine Railroad

There was an article on this line in the December, 1971 Railroad Model Craftsman by Bob Walker, "Red Combine to Moscow". This included photos of equipment and structures, as well as track plans for the end stations. According to the Railroad Magazine rosters, this line had one GE 44-tonner numbered 17. However, it ran for a number of years in Southern Pacific paint and lettering.

Moshassuck Valley Railroad Company

According to a post on the Providence & Worcester Yahoo group,

According to P&W's 1981 Annual Report, the P&W purchased the Moshassuck Valley Railroad on September 1, 1981. In addition, the September 1981 issue of the Narragansett Newsletter states that immediately after the purchase, both of MV's center-cab GE's were moved to Worcester and P&W locomotives began operating on the MV. At Worcester, MV's 65-ton GE number 9 was painted green and became the Warwick Railway number 106. The unit was delivered to the Warwick Railway on October 26, 1981.

I'm quite sure that the lines designation was changed from "Industrial Track" to "Running Track" in the late Nineties (after 1995).

Mount Vernon Terminal Railway

Muncie and Western Railroad Company

Muncie and Western Plymouth HL 2. Photographer unkown, image apparently in public domain.

Proto 2000 Mather box car lettered for Muncie and Western.

Municipal Docks Railway of the Jacksonville Port Authority

Narragansett Pier Railroad Co.

Passenger Equipment

Coaches -- E,F,G
Combination Passenger and Baggage -- D,E
Baggage -- A
Gasoline Motor Car -- 9,10

The Natchez, Urania & Ruston Railway Co.

Newburgh & South Shore

Miles of road operated: 5.46 Equipment. Locomotives -- Diesel-electric; (Nos. 1005-1020, 1201 and 1202), 14. (ORER)

From the September/October 2003 Diesel Era:

Originally owned by U.S.Steel, Newburgh & South Shore operated five-plus miles of tracks (in the 1960s) around the Cleveland area. The line began dieselizing in 1939 with an Alco HH-1000. A second HH-1000, seven Alco S-1s, and eight S-2s completed the roster until the acquisition of [two] T-6s in 1969, although four of the S-1s were rebuilt to S-2 specificaitons between 1955 and 1957. . . . In 1969, the first of five EMD SW1001s arrived as the carrier began the process of renewing its locomotive fleet.

A general decline in the steel industry in the 1980s rendered the railroad surplus, and USS abandoned the line in early 1986. In July 1986, the line was sold to Chicago West Pullman interests, which restored service with two of the SW1001s, retaining the N&SS name. The line, which is currently owned by Omnitrax, consists of 3.2 miles of track.

Northampton and Bath R.R. Co.

Freight equipment (July 1968 ORER)

XM	Box, All Steel				501 to 550
XM	Box, All Steel				703 to 866
XM	Box, All Steel				901 to 950
LO	Bulk Cement, Covered Hopper, Steel	3626 to 3650
LO	Bulk Cement, Covered Hopper, Steel	3626 to 3650
NE	Caboose					102,103

Owasco River Railway

Box 502, 503, 506, 511	4
Gondola	2000, 2002
Gondola 2001
Flat 2003, 2004
Flat 120
Flat 122
Flat 123
Flat 124
Flat 200 to 204

Parr Terminal Railroad

Parr Terminal Plymouth 3. Don Ross photo, used by permission.

Freight equipment (July 1968 ORER) Not used in interchange

GB	Gond.,Steel,Fixed Ends	1
GB	Gond.,Steel,Fixed Ends	2 to 4
GB	Gond.,Steel,Fixed Ends	5,6

Pearl River Valley Railroad Company

Peoria, Hanna City and Western Railway Co.

Pittsburgh & Ohio Valley Ry. Co.

6.3 miles. Performs a General Freight service on Neville Island, Pa. Freight cars owned: None. (July 1968 ORER) This was an industrial railroad for Shenango Steel on Neville Island in Pittsburgh, PA. It was absorbed by CSX.

Port Bienville Railroad

Port Royal Railroad

Length: unknown. Charleston, SC. Web Site

Quincy Railroad Company

Skaneateles Short Line Railroad

Southern New York Railway Incorporated

2.4 miles. Locomotives (diesel-electric), 2. Connects with Delaware & Hudson at Oneonta, NY (July 1968 ORER). According to the Railroad Magazine rosters, this line owned a 40 ton GE numbered 5 and a 50-ton GE numbered 300.

Tbis line started as an electric interurban that gradually cut back on passenger service until, in 1940, all wire was taken down and all track removed except a short segment between Oneonta and West Oneonta, NY, which was switched with diesels.

Springfield Terminal Railway Company

Stewartstown Railroad

Stewartstown to New Freedom, PA. 7 miles. Web site. Another web site.

Stewartstown 25-ton Plymouth 6. Photographer unkown, image apparently in public domain.

Stewartstown 35-ton Plymouth 9. Photographer unkown, image apparently in public domain.

Strasburg Rail Road

Strasburg to Leaman Place, PA. 4.5 miles. Wikipedia entry. Company web site.

Texas & Northern Railway Company

Texas Transportation Company

The Thousand Islands Railway was formed in 1884 by the Rathburn family, who controlled a large amount of the mining and logging interests in South-Eastern Ontario. The line ran from Gananoque to Gananoque Jct, where it connected to the Grand Trunk Railway, mostly along the shore of the Gananoque River, to the St. Lawrence River. In 1910, the Rathburns sold the TIR to the Grand Trunk Railway. Thirteen years later the Grand Trunk was merged into what is now Canadian National Railways. From 1884 to 1962, the TIR remained a separate railway. Under Grand Trunk and Canadian National control, the railway operated as a separate subsiderary, with its own board of directors and President.

1958, the Town of Gananoque ended a 74 year tax exemption on the railway. This was started to ensure that the town always had rail service. Once the exemption was ended, the railway started to lose money. By 1962, daily passenger service ended and the Thousand Islands Railway was finally merged into the Canadian National. Traffic ceased to travel the southern portion of the line, from the Stelco (now GFSI) Plant on River Street to the waterfront, in 1981. The rails for that line were removed in 1985.

Flat 500 1
Snow Flanger 460 1

Toledo, Angola & Western Railway Company

Tooele Valley Railway Co.

Freight Equipment

Flat 20,21 2
Ore, Hopper bottom 101 to 130
Ore, Hopper bottom 121 to 160
Ore, Hopper bottom 161 to 178
Ore, Hopper bottom 179, 180
Ore, Hopper bottom 181 to 183
Ore, Hopper bottom 184 to 186
Ore, Hopper bottom 187 to 200
Ore, steel 501 to 525
Caboose 02

Trinity Valley Southern RR. Co.

Unity Railways Company

Virginia Central

Virginia Central Plymouth 200. Ken Houghton photo, used by permission.

Virginia Central Plymouth 500. Warren Calloway photo, used by permission.

Ware Shoals Railroad Company

Warrenton Railroad Company.

LO	Covered Hop, 4 compartments, gravity outlets, trough hatch	14100-14229
LO	Covered Hop, 3 compartments, gravity outlets, trough hatch	15000-15199
LO	Covered Hop, 4 compartments, gravity outlets, trough hatch	15200-15299
LO	Covered Hop, 3 compartments, gravity outlets, trough hatch	16000-16099
LO	Covered Hop, 4 compartments, gravity outlets, trough hatch	16100-16499

From Richard E. Prince's Seaboard Air Line book: "[T]he WARRENTON RAIL ROAD was organized and opened three miles to Warren Plains in 1884. The first locomotive No. 1 was acquired second hand from the Richmond & Petersburg RR in 1884. No. 2 was 0-4-2T built new for the railroad by Porter (s/n 858) in 1887. No. 3 came new from Baldwin (s/n 27916) in in 1906. Finally, Warrenton RR No. 4 2-4-2, a real monster complete with tender, was built by Baldwin (s/n 55467) in 1922 . . ."

Warwick Railroad Company

Wildwood and Delaware Bay Short Line RR Co.

Wyandotte Southern Railroad Company

Wyandotte Terminal Railroad Company

Box, wood	30	1
Gondola, Steel	967 to 986	20
Twin Hopper	917 to 966	50

Terminal railroad at Wyandotte, MI connecting with New York Central, Michigan Central, and Detroit, Toledo and Ironton.

Yancey Railroad

Youngstown and Northern Railroad Co.

Sign on former Youngstown and Northern enginehouse, McDonald, OH September 19, 2003

GB	Gondola, Steel, Fixed Ends, Steel Floor	1300-1449
GB	Gondola, Steel, Fixed Ends, Steel Floor	1600-1699
GB	Gondola, Steel, Fixed Ends, Steel Floor	1700-1799
HM	Hopper, Steel				1951-1977
HM	Hopper, Steel				2000-2014
Caboose	47,101,103,104,105

Yreka Western Railroad Company

Freight Equipment 1984

XP	Box, Stl., end of car cushioning, double 8 foot offset doors	25101-25200
XM	Box, Stl., end of car cushioning, double 8 foot offset doors	25101-25200

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August 25, 2007

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