Arkansas has almost 2,600 miles of track and is home to three Class I rail systems: Union Pacific, BNSF Railway, and Kansas City Southern Railway. Union Pacific Railroad operates major yards in Little Rock and Pine Bluff, along with a locomotive overhaul and maintenance facility in North Little Rock. They also have a $70 million state-of-the-art intermodal facility on 600 acres at Marion, just north of where Interstates 40 and 55 converge.
Arkansas Freight Railroads
The Arkansas freight rail inventory is comprised of 25 freight railroads. This includes three Class I railroads, 16 local Class III railroads, and 6 switching & terminal Class III railroads. The state’s rail inventory does not include any Class II railroads.
Within Arkansas, BNSF operates approximately 198 miles of track across two corridors in northeast Arkansas. The Union Pacific rail network serves a broad corridor stretching from the southwest to the northeast portions of the state, as well as connectivity to the Fort Smith area. Canadian Pacific Kansas City primarily serves the far western portion of the state, spanning 158 miles. The railroad’s primary north-south corridor between Shreveport and Kansas City weaves into and out of Arkansas from Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, and Missouri.
Local Class III railroads, also known as short lines, are those railroads with an annual operating revenue of less than $46.3 million. Local railroads typically provide line haul services and provide connections to the larger Class I network as well as “last-mile” connectivity to freight generating facilities, particularly in rural areas. In Arkansas, there are currently 16 local railroads.Intermodal Facilities
The Marion Intermodal Terminal is the primary intermodal facility for Union Pacific serving the Memphis region. The facility supports rail-to-rail and rail-to-truck operations, as well both trailer on flat car (TOFC) and container on flat car (COFC) capabilities.
Funding for rail projects
The Governor’s Quick Action Closing Fund is a discretionary fund aimed at supporting economic development within Arkansas and can be used to fund rail projects. Funds come from the General Improvement Fund every two years and are contingent upon the amount of tax dollars received. Past projects funded include the North Louisiana and Arkansas Railroad line restoration. In the past, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission has administered state funding for freight rail projects related to economic development.
Future plans for rail development in Arkansas
The Arkansas Long Range Intermodal Transportation Plan (LRITP) and the Arkansas State Freight Plan (SFP) document the state’s initiatives and plans for both passenger and freight rail infrastructure. Projects in the plans include:
- Extension & rehabilitation of trackage at the Port of West Memphis – completed in 2022, the West Memphis Base Railroad leases the rehabilitated and extended track segment from the City of West Memphis. The railroad is fully operational, includes a new transload facility, and allows for additional capacity into and out of the Port Rail Logistics Park and Mississippi River navigation system.
- Rail rehabilitation along the North Louisiana and Arkansas Railroad – the rehabilitation effort and related planning along the railroad continue in both Arkansas and Louisiana.
- Planning & environmental design phases for the replacement of an at-grade crossing between State Highway 18 and BNSF trackage in Jonesboro – the grade separated overpass was completed and opened to traffic in April 2022.
- Rail rehabilitation along the Warren Branch of the Arkansas Midland Railroad – the project is funded with $2.7 million from FRA Rail Line Relocation and Improvement program and $0.7 million from the railroad.
- Bridge rehabilitation along the Ouachita Railroad – the project is funded with $330,000 from FRA Rail Line Relocation and Improvement program as well as $40,000 from the railroad.
Since the development of Arkansas’ LRITP, additional projects have been implemented across the Arkansas rail network. Most recently, ARDOT’s 2022 SFP includes 46 freight rail projects in the plan’s Unconstrained List of Priority Freight Projects. The project list includes design and construction, crossing upgrade, siding expansion, and the development of new transloading, intermodal, and industrial site projects.