Site: Rich Mountain, Arkansas/Oklahoma
Nearest City: Fort Smith, Arkansas (50 miles north)
Location: Arkansas F-1, Oklahoma G-20, H-20 (Rand McNally Atlas)
Directions: From Fort Smith, Ark.: to reach Heavener, Okla., follow U.S. 271 and U.S. 59 south; to reach Mena, Ark., follow U.S. 71 south.
Description: Rich Mountain, a 45-mile crossing of the Ouachita Mountains, is the summit of the most scenic portion of the Kansas City Southern north-south main line between Kansas City and Shreveport, La. This is wooded terrain, with no tunnels or substantial bridges, just curves and grades.
Type of Operation: Freight-only main line, single-track CTC with passing sidings.
Typical Motive Power: KCS and BNSF (on coal trains) road power most common
Peak Operating Hours: No predictable pattern
Approximate Daily Train Frequency: 20 to 25 trains, primarily merchandise, grain, and coal with some intermodal
Radio Frequencies: Road channel 160.305; Heavener Yard 161.055; Road channel north of Heavener 160.350
Nearby Points of Interest: Heavener, Okla., is a KCS crew-change point and has a small yard and engine terminal. In Mena, a restored depot serves as the local visitor center. The Arkansas & Missouri Railroad, which uses all Alco diesels, is in Van Buren, Ark., next to Fort Smith.
Remarks: Food and lodging are available in Mena and to lesser extent in Heavener and Poteau, Okla. Mena is in a “dry” county (no alcohol sold).
Safety Considerations: Hwy. 59 closely follows the tracks from Poteau to Mena. Some side-road access to certain locations. Mainline fueling rack in Heavener is visible from main highway. U.S. 59/71 parallels the KCS main from Mena to DeQueen, Ark.
Contributor’s Name: David Patch
