Missouri and North Arkansas Railroad

Wayne Depot on M&NA

North Arkansas Railroad from The First 100 Years in Exeter

Plans for the North Arkansas Railroad that was southwest of Exeter began in Seligman in 1880. Construction was completed to Eureka Springs, Arkansas, in early 1880 to 1883; it was called the Eureka Springs Railroad. The name was changed again in June of 1889 with all assets of the line transferred to a company called St. Louis and North Arkansas Railroad. This permitted the railroad to be extended southeast to the Mississippi River at Helena, Arkansas. A lease was obtained from the Frisco to use their tracks from Seligman to Junction, to be known as Wayne, Missouri, and tracks were laid northwestward to Neosho, Missouri. From this location via Kansas City Southern tracks continued to Joplin, Missouri. In 1908 the railroad was at its maximum length of 365 miles. During the period of 1946-1949 most of this railroad was abandoned, and the tracks from Wayne to Neosho were removed. The portion from Seligman to Harrison, Arkansas, continued to operate until 1960. Thus the North Arkansas Railroad that began in 1880 ended 80 years later.