Louisiana and Arkansas Railway
The Story of a Regional Line

James R. Fair (Author)

9780875802190

Hardback, published 1 October 1997

171 pages
27.9 x 20.3 x 1.8 cm, 0.907 kg

"Well-written and a most enjoyable read."
-Railroad History
"Enjoyable reading.... A long-overdue documentation of a railroad that has grown in importance."—Trains
"Fans of the L&A/KCS will find the book fascinating, as will those interested in southern railroading."—Railfan & Railroad

The Louisiana & Arkansas Railway, known as "The Better Way," ran its first trains at the turn of the century and expanded over the years to connect New Orleans to Dallas. Well-maintained and enduringly profitable, this regional railroad succeeded because of the tenacity of three men who consecutively oversaw all aspects of operations.

The story of the L&A is largely a collective biography of William Edenborn, William Buchanan, and Harvey Couch-the men who built and extended the line by shrewd acquisitions. These successful businessmen combined wisdom, foresight, and propensity for hard word-traits they had first demonstrated in other careers-with their longtime love for trains. Each applied remarkable talents for industry and commerce toward the development of the L&A to mold it into a model regional railroad.

In this first history of the L&A, Fair traces the line's development from the early boom days of railroading to its dissolution in the modern era of takeovers. Although for much of its existence the L&A operated under the control of a parent company, the KCS, it long maintained independence. The eventual takeover by the superline in 1992 finally dissolved the L&A entirely.

Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction
1 William Edenborn, Steel Industry Captain
2 Edenborn Builds His Personal Railroad
3 Operation of the LR&N
4 The Earliest L&A Antecedent: The Texas Line
5 William Buchanan and the Original L&A
6 Harvey Couch and the New L&A
7 A Big Little Railroad
8 Submerged in the Holding Company: The Final Dissolution
Afterword
Appendices
Notes
Works Cited
Index