It's said that the Rock Island had few short line connections. Mostly true, but there was a clutch of common-carrier logging short lines in Louisiana that it connected with. Most of them hauled logs and loggers only. Here's a list, north to south:
ARKANSAS SOUTHEASTERN, at Randolph, to Downsville, Monroe & Ouachita City (despite name, was in LA).
BENNETT & EASTERN, at Coping (was Bennett), to Cherry Ridge & Farmersville.
BERNICE & NORTHWESTERN, at Bernice and Dubach, two lines running parallel. North one to Summerville and Gordon, south one to Cunningham and then joined the north one to form a loop.
D'ARBONNE VALLEY. D'Arbonne Junction to Pennington & Belgrove.
EAST & WEST OF LOUISIANA. Ansley to nowhere but trees!
RUSTON & NEW ORLEANS. Quitman, running southeast.
NORTH LOUISIANA & GULF. Hodge, well-known.
TREMONT & GULF. Jonesboro, Pyburn & Winnfield, well-known.
WYATT & DONOVAN. Wyatt to Womack, also to west.
WINONA & WESTERN. Winona, running westward.
LOUISIANA RAILWAY? Some maps show this with a line to Tide, crossing the L&A line (CRIP trackage) south of Packton.
NATCHEZ, BALL & SHREVEPORT. Crossed the L&A at Dry Prong.
TIOGA & SOUTH EASTERN. Tioga to Violet.
ALEXANDRIA WESTERN. Alexandria to McFarland via Gardner.
WOODWORTH & LOUISIANA CENTRAL. La Mourie, westward to Gammill and Hueton via Woodworth.
RED RIVER & GULF. LeCompte and Meridian to Long Leaf (two lines joining), then to Kurthwood and possibly further.
OAKDALE & GULF?? This proposed a line from Oakdale on the MoPAC to Mamou, but mileage reported indicates that it was never finished.
All these were listed by the ICC as common carrier railroads, but mostly they died as soon as the areas they served were logged out.
ARKANSAS SOUTHEASTERN, at Randolph, to Downsville, Monroe & Ouachita City (despite name, was in LA).
BENNETT & EASTERN, at Coping (was Bennett), to Cherry Ridge & Farmersville.
BERNICE & NORTHWESTERN, at Bernice and Dubach, two lines running parallel. North one to Summerville and Gordon, south one to Cunningham and then joined the north one to form a loop.
D'ARBONNE VALLEY. D'Arbonne Junction to Pennington & Belgrove.
EAST & WEST OF LOUISIANA. Ansley to nowhere but trees!
RUSTON & NEW ORLEANS. Quitman, running southeast.
NORTH LOUISIANA & GULF. Hodge, well-known.
TREMONT & GULF. Jonesboro, Pyburn & Winnfield, well-known.
WYATT & DONOVAN. Wyatt to Womack, also to west.
WINONA & WESTERN. Winona, running westward.
LOUISIANA RAILWAY? Some maps show this with a line to Tide, crossing the L&A line (CRIP trackage) south of Packton.
NATCHEZ, BALL & SHREVEPORT. Crossed the L&A at Dry Prong.
TIOGA & SOUTH EASTERN. Tioga to Violet.
ALEXANDRIA WESTERN. Alexandria to McFarland via Gardner.
WOODWORTH & LOUISIANA CENTRAL. La Mourie, westward to Gammill and Hueton via Woodworth.
RED RIVER & GULF. LeCompte and Meridian to Long Leaf (two lines joining), then to Kurthwood and possibly further.
OAKDALE & GULF?? This proposed a line from Oakdale on the MoPAC to Mamou, but mileage reported indicates that it was never finished.
All these were listed by the ICC as common carrier railroads, but mostly they died as soon as the areas they served were logged out.
