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Cotton Belt Timetables (January, 1930)

Published: March 8, 2024

By: Adam Burns

The St. Louis Southwestern Railway (SSW), also known as the Cotton Belt Route, was a US railroad system founded in the 19th century.

It originated in 1871 as Tyler Tap Railroad to serve Texas' cotton market and later renamed the Texas and St. Louis Railway in 1879. In 1891, it was reorganized to the St. Louis Southwestern reaching Arkansas, Missouri (St. Louis), and Memphis, Tennessee.

The SSW became a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Company in 1932, thereby expanding its route till California. It was recognized for its 1800-mile network, upgraded technologies, and its contribution to the cotton-rich southern regions. It ran both freight and passenger services and owned notable steam and diesel locomotives.

In 1992, the SSW was absorbed by the Southern Pacific Transport Company, thereby losing its corporate existence. Nonetheless, the original lines in Texas are still active as part of the Union Pacific network, bearing the historic Cotton Belt Route. This railway’s extensive history makes it an intriguing subject for research.

Public Timetables (January, 1930)