The Oklahoma & Rich Mountain Railroad was a logging railway running from Page, Oklahoma to Pine Valley, Oklahoma, about 17 miles. It began in 1926 and was abandoned in 1942.
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Locale | Oklahoma |
| Dates of operation | 1926–1942 |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Length | 17 miles (27 km) |
History
editA place called Muse, having been established in Indian Territory on October 1, 1896, became a logging company town renamed Pine Valley on December 16, 1926.[1] (A new town called Muse was established on May 11, 1927, at a slightly different location.)[1] The logging enterprise, called the Pine Valley Lumber Company, a subsidiary of Dierks Lumber & Coal Company,[2] ran a railway that same year from Page, Oklahoma into Pine Valley, about 17 miles, said line being located in the area of a long ridge across parts of Oklahoma and Arkansas known as Rich Mountain.[2][3][4] Operationally, the railroad carried mostly wood products; however, it was a common carrier, so it did also provide passenger service.[2] It interconnected with the Kansas City Southern Railway at Page.[2]
At its peak, Pine Valley had a population of about 1,500.[2] However, over time the depletion of the forests started to dry up both operations in the town and traffic for the railroad.[2] In 1942, the railroad was abandoned, and Pine Valley became essentially a ghost town soon after.[2] (Muse continues to exist, with a population of several hundred.)[5]
References
edit- ^ a b Shirk, George H. Oklahoma Place Names (Norman: University of Oklahoma, 1965), p. 146.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Pine Valley and the Oklahoma & Rich Mountain Railroad". Forgotten Railways, Roads and Places. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
- ^ "Rich Mountain". USGS. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
- ^ "Oklahoma & Rich Mountain Railroad Company (Okla.), map showing route in 1931". Texas Transportation Archive. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
- ^ "About Muse, OK". Places.US.com. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
