Cotton Belt Route
The Cotton Belt Route was part of the St. Louis Southwestern Railway. The Cotton Belt Route was formed from various incorporated entities formed to create rail lines into Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. One spur of the Cotton Belt Route extended to Little Rock.
The Little Rock and Eastern Railway was incorporated on February 17, 1887, by the Arkansas and Southern Railway Company. The Little Rock and Eastern was to have extended from Altheimer to Argenta (North Little Rock), Arkansas, forty-miles in length. On August 18, 1887, the Arkansas and Southern Railway Company merged with the Shreveport and Arkansas Railway Company. The name then became the St. Louis, Arkansas, and Texas Railway Company.
On April 14, 1932, the Southern Pacific Transportation Company gained control of the St. Louis Southwestern Railway, including the Cotton Belt.
