Railroad History

Passenger and Commuter Rail

Railroading Today

Rolling Stock

Infrastructure and Terms

Museums and Tourism

Miscellaneous

About The Site

[?] Subscribe To American-Rails.com

Arkansas Railroad Jobs

As with almost every other state the largest employers for Arkansas railroad jobs and positions are the large Class I systems. However, the state also has its share of smaller railroads as well although it is usually much harder to find a position within these companies due to their small size.

Arkansas railroading, known for its beautiful, rugged topography and gorgeous rivers, has been ongoing since the mid-19th century when the Memphis and Little Rock Railroad (a future predecessor of the Rock Island) began operations that year. Over the years the state would become home to several railroads, which operated through or within its borders. Even today, Arkansas is still home to some twenty-two different railroads, large and small. Along with its railroads, the state also has a number of museums and tourist lines available to tour.

If you have never worked for a railroad or know much about the industry please let me warn you that a career in the field is not for the faint of heart. Railroading is tough work and takes a dedicated breed not only to handle the physical demands required but also the mental fatigue, as working 12-hour, seven-day-a-week shifts is normal (and overtime is mandatory).

While a more predictable work schedule does come with seniority, don’t expect it to happen within a short period of time. Some railroaders wait 20 years or more to land a “9 to 5” workday, which usually consists of working yard or local jobs. There is a reason why railroaders say that railroading becomes a lifestyle, its not just saying! Having said that, if you are able to hire on with a shortline (Class III) or regional (Class II) railroad the opportunity for a more predictable schedule is very likely although the pay is not quite as good. Having said that below is a list of many railroads operating in Arkansas:

Class I Railroads

Amtrak (Our nation's intercity passenger rail carrier serves Arkansas.)

BNSF Railway

Kansas City Southern Railway

Union Pacific

Shortlines and Regional Railroads

Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi Railroad

Arkansas Midland Railroad

Arkansas and Missouri Railroad

Arkansas Southern Railroad

Bauxite and Northern Railway

Caddo Valley Railroad

Dardanelle and Russellville Railroad

Delta Southern Railroad

Delta Valley and Southern Railway

De Queen and Eastern Railroad

Doniphan, Kensett and Searcy Railway

East Camden and Highland Railroad

El Dorado and Wesson Railway

Fordyce and Princeton Railroad

Fort Smith Railroad

Kiamichi Railroad

Little Rock Port Authority Railroad

Little Rock and Western Railway

Louisiana and North West Railroad

Missouri and Northern Arkansas Railroad

Ouachita Railroad

Prescott and Northwestern Railroad

Warren and Saline River Railroad

For more information about shortlines that serve Arkansas please click here to visit the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association's website. Also, please visit the shortline railroad guide here at the site to learn more about some of the above companies.

Lastly, to search for Arkansas railroad jobs directly please use the below search box from Indeed.com.

Arkansas railroad jobs, as anywhere else, range from locomotive engineer and conductor to track maintainer and dispatcher. If you are not sure exactly what position you may be interested in please click here to head back to the main jobs to explore which one may be right for you. Also, if a career in railroading is right for you but you would like to learn more about what it takes to work in the industry you might want to consider the book Working on the Railroad from noted author Brian Solomon. Solomon's book details the history of working in the railroad industry and the difficulties and hardship employees faced back then as well as today. After reading this book you should have no doubts about whether working in the industry is something you are truly interested in. In any event, if you're interested in perhaps purchasing this book please visit the link below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.

footer for arkansas railroad jobs page