The DeQueen & Eastern Railroad: History Through the Miles

The DeQueen & Eastern Railroad, along with its sister railroad, the Texas, Oklahoma & Eastern, was created to move timber and lumber for the Dierks brothers, and their Dierks Lumber & Coal and Choctaw Lumber companies. After being part of the Tap Line Cases of the Interstate Commerce Commission, the railroads grew to form an 87-mile-long rail network in southwest Arkansas and southeast Oklahoma. While the history of the railroad dates back to 1900, details are scarce, and little information is available on its operations. In many cases, the railroad was simply a part of the manufacturing process for Dierks Lumber & Coal, and its history is closely tied to the logging industry in the Ouachita Mountains. While the logging branches and many of the sawmills are gone, the entire mainline between Valliant, Oklahoma, and Perkins, Arkansas, remains, and trains operate regularly across the entire route. This book is based upon materials created for the railroad’s centennial, and is written for those who want to know more about the DeQueen & Eastern Railroad, and its sister railroad, the Texas, Oklahoma & Eastern Railroad. It is written as if the reader has left Valliant and is riding the line eastward, helping to answer the questions of “Where are we and what once happened here?” Information on the line’s history and current status, as well as a mile-by-mile route guide, are included. Enjoy this review of the DeQueen & Eastern Railroad, a survivor of the logging era of Arkansas and Oklahoma. Read more