DE QUEEN & EASTERN RAILROAD COMPANY -
TEXAS, OKLAHOMA & EASTERN R.R.
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Historical Snapshot: The De Queen & Eastern Railroad was incorporated on September 22, 1900 to build a line east approximately fifty miles from De Queen, Arkansas. By 1903 the line had initially been completed and opened for 19 miles to Provo, Arkansas. By 1906 the line had been extended another eight miles to Dierks, Arkansas. At De Queen it made connection with the Kansas City Southern. According to a 1909 time table trains #1 from De Queen and #2 from Dierks were able to make the 27 mile run in two hours each direction. ---------- On October 21 1910, The Texas, Oklahoma & Eastern Railroad was incorporated to build a 48-mile line from a Frisco connection at Valliant, Oklahoma to De Queen. Shortly thereafter the De Queen & Eastern purchased stock control of the Texas, Oklahoma & Eastern. By 1912 the T. O. & E. had been extended and opened 24 miles from Valliant to Broken Bow, Oklahoma. At that point construction stopped. Some time after 1916, the De Queen & Eastern extended its line some nine miles from De Queen to West Line on the Oklahoma - Arkansas border. This was track the T. O. & E was supposed to build. The main line of the De Queen & Eastern at that time became 36.11 miles in length. A report filled in January, 1917, indicated that the De Queen & Eastern, in addition to its main line, also owned 4.4 miles of yard tracks, spurs and sidings. Motive power was furnished by two steam locomotives. The company had one passenger car, 19 freight cars, and eight service cars. During 1921, the Texas, Oklahoma & Eastern completed the 15.3-mile portion of their line from Broken Bow to West Line and the connection with the D. Q & E. It should be noted that the Dierks family & the Dierks Lumber & Coal Company of Arkansas were heavily affiliated with The Company in terms of stock control and management. As of 1930, Herman Dierks was its Chairman, F. H. Dierks its President, Henry .L. Dierks its Secratary, and Herbert Dierks its Treasurer. Likewise, management was much the same for the Texas, Oklahoma & Eastern. January 1, 1931: The De Queen & Eastern reported, motive power, two locomotives; box cars, seven, flat cars eight, one combine, one coach, and one postal car. The Texas, Oklahoma & Eastern reported during the same period, locomotives, two; freight cars - 10 flat cars, nine box cars, three tank cars, and one refrigerator car. Also, one passenger coach. In 1941 the De Quen & Eastern reported an additional baggage car and coach. Rail was 60 and 75 pound. The last passenger trains on both affiliates ran in 1948. In 1957, The De Queen & Eastern was finally extended nine miles further from Dierks to Perkins, Arkansas, where connections were made with the Missouri Pacific. The two lines together, D Q. & E. - 45.1 miles and the T. O. & E. 39.8 miles, formed an 86 mile rail line under one management. At some point the Dierks Lumber & Coal Company, all their property, and the two railroads became part of WeyerhauserCompany. Today the two companys remain separate but connected. Service includes one through train a day from the Union Pacific connection at Valliant, Oklahoma (formerly Frisco) to the Union Pacific connection at Perkins, Aekansas (foirmerly Missouri Pacific). Freight includes forest products, Gypsum, grain and paper. The steam engines, of course, are gone. In their place are a fleet of about 25 EMD GP-35's, GP-40's and GP-40-2's. Some of the diesels are labeled for one company and some for the other. Most carry the same or similar paint scheme. Both use the same numbering system. Since both companies also use the same management and general offices at De Queen, perhaps after 105 years of operation a merger is in order!
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DQE 4-6-0 #351
Image, De Queen & Eastern 4-6-0 Loco #351 Order No. DQE351I Photographer: Joseph Schick June 8, 1943, De Queen, Arkansas: A De Queen & Eastern Railroad Co. 4-6-0 locomotive #351 is seen at the terminal. Shopping Cart 8.5" by 11" Image, Price - $ 5.00 [Add To Cart] --------------------
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