Railroad Jobs in Arkansas – Little Rock, Pine Bluff, Fort Smith – Union Pacific | BNSF

Railroad Jobs in Arkansas – Little Rock, Pine Bluff, Fort Smith – Union Pacific | BNSF

Railroads had a huge economic and social impact, and they still do, in every corner of the world and it wasn’t different for the state of Arkansas.


There are few railroads that provide jobs in Arkansas, but before we dive into that subject, let’s take a quick, closer look at how railroads shaped the state.

The newly built railroads in the state had profound impact, helping in creating hundreds of new cities while offering a more efficient way of transportation. With goods being able to reach many points in the state, faster and cheaper, the expansion has begun.

Today the state of Arkansas has a quite diverse economy, being the home of six Fortune 500 companies, a strong agriculture segment, with high productions of poultry and eggs, cattle, cotton, and rise. It also a great industrial segment, which manufactures electric equipment, machinery and paper products.

Railroad jobs in Arkansas are provided by four Class I’s, and twenty one Shortline and Terminal Railroads.

railroad jobs in arkansas

Class I Railroad Jobs In Arkansas

The Class Is railroads of Arkansas offering jobs in Little Rock, Pine Bluff, Fort Smith are BNSF Railway, Union Pacific. These are both greats, solid companies and their current jobs can be found by clicking on the links above.

Check out the Top 3 highest Paying Railroad Jobs HERE.

Arkansas Short-Line & Terminal Railroad Jobs

Missouri and Northern Arkansas Railroad also known as MNA is a Class III short-line railroad headquartered in Carthage, Missouri. It started to operate in 1992, and has a total length of approximately 527 miles. MNA operates not only through Arkansas but Missouri and Kansas.


Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi Railroad also known as ALM it’s a shortline in southern Arkansas, has a total length of 52.9 miles and its mainly used for transportation of forest products, paper and chemicals.


Arkansas Midland Railroad also known as AKMD operates 132 miles of track, connecting/ interchanging with Union Pacific Railroad. It is mainly used for carrying agricultural products, building materials and aggregates.


The Arkansas and Missouri Railroad also known as AM has a total track length of 139.5 miles, operating between Fort Smith Arkansas to Monett, Missouri.

The railroad also operates seasonal train excursions between Springdale, Winslow and Van Buren, Arkansas.


Arkansas Southern Railroad it’s a relatively new railroad, being formed in 2005, operates on 61 miles of track.
Camden & Southern Railroad started its operations in 2011 in Russellville, Arkansas. The railroad traffic consists of plastic, petroleum, and forest products. The total length is about three miles, they employ 7 people and have an annual revenue of approx. $840,000.


Dardanelle and Russellville Railroad Company is headquartered in Russellville, Arkansas and operates a 4.8 miles track. The regular traffic consists of plastics, pulp board and forest products.
Delta Valley and Southern Railway also known as DVS is headquartered in Wilson, Arkansa operating on a total line length of 18.1 miles.

De Queen and Eastern Railroad also known as DQE operates on 87 miles of track, and they’re headquartered in De Queen, Arkansas. It started its operations in 1900 and today the traffic generally consists of grain, gypsum boards and forest products. It is estimated that they haul 35,000 carloads per year.


East Camden and Highland Railroad also known as EACH with headquarters in East Camden, Arkansas, operates a 47,6 miles track.


El Dorado and Wesson Railway has a total line length of 5.5 miles and they’re headquartered in El Dorado, Arkansas. They’re also known as EDW.


Fordyce and Princeton Railroad Company known as FP, operates 57 miles of track from Fordyce to Crossett. They have their headquarters in Crosett, Arkansas.


Fort Smith Railroad is headquartered in Fort Smith, Arkansas, they haul grain, food products, steel, military equipment on a 18 miles of track, interchanging with Kansas City Southern Railway, Union Pacific Railroad, and Arkansas and Missouri Railroad.


Kiamichi Railroad Company is headquartered in Oklahoma but it runs through Arkansas, they operate two lines, totalling 231 miles.


Little Rock Port Authority Railroad also known as LRPA is headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, it operates on 12.2 miles of track, interchanging with UP and BNSF near the Little Rock Airport.


Little Rock and Western Railway has its headquarters in Perry, Arkanans, it operates on 79 miles of track from Danville to Pulaski, Arkansas.


Louisiana and Northwest Railroad also known as LNW is headquartered in Louisiana but the tracks cross through Arkansas. They operate approximately 62 miles of track.


North Louisiana and Arkansas Railroad or Delta Southern Railroad operates approx. 62 miles of line from McGehee, AR to Lake Providence, LA.


Ouachita Railroad has the headquarters in El Dorado, Arkansas and they operate a 26.2 mile line.
Prescott and Northwestern Railroad with headquarters in Prescott, Arkansas, the railroad was acquired by Genesee and Wyoming on December 5, 2014.


Warren and Saline River Railroad has its headquarters in Warren, Arkansas, and a total length of 8 miles, the general traffic consists of forest products.

As mentioned above, all these railroads are potential employers, they might all hire at some point, I suggest you to get in touch with them.

Let’s keep going and take a look at other possibilities of getting a railroad job in Arkansas.

railroad jobs in arkansas

Commuter Railroad Jobs in Arkansas.

There is an AmTrak railroad crossing the state, called Texas Eagle. The railroad starts in Chicago and ends in San Antonio. In Arkansas, according to this source the train stops in Walnut Ridge, the state capital of Little Rock, and the stations at Malvern, Arkadelphia, Hope, and Texarkana, on the Arkansas–Texas border.

As mentioned in many places over the website, working as a railroader its not easy. It will require you to be gone from home, sometimes for days. You will have to work weekends and holidays, especially if you are working for a Class Is, where you’ll find the best benefits, and salary. Check out which is the best railroad to work for HERE.

If you are unlucky with the employers above, Arkansas has few Scenic Railroads as well, these are offering train rides for entertainment purposes. Northwestern Arkansas A&M Excursion, Eureka Springs and North Arkansas Railway and Fort Smith Trolley Museum are the ones mentioned.

The Arkansas railroad industry employs conductors, locomotive engineers, electricians, yardmasters, on a total of 2,800 miles of track. According to BLS.gov, train conductors and yardmasters in Arkansas are expected to earn between $60,000 to $66,000.

If you are living in Arkansas, chances of getting hired are good, of course your experience, desired position have to be taken into consideration.

Good luck!