The Arkansas & Louisiana Missouri Railroad operated a 53 mile shortline from Monroe, Louisiana, north through Bastrop, and up to Crossett, Arkansas. It existed between the years of 1920 to 1991. The road stabled a number of small steam locomotives in its earlier years. One of the late-comers to the roster was a tidy little Mogul locomotive, lettered as the road’s number 61.
Robert W. Richardson documented the locomotive in Bastrop, Louisiana on May 3rd of 1946. The information accompanying this image states that this is a work train. The engineer is seen looking back, likely following the signals from a brakeman riding the roof of a boxcar at the rear of the little train. And note the side door caboose!
The locomotive changed hands several times in its history. She’s a 2-6-0 built by Baldwin in April of 1913 for the Ocean Shore Railroad as their #22. At some point she left the Ocean Shore, going to a dealer, the United Commercial Company. In March of 1922 she went to the Pickering Lumber Company in Haslam, Texas as their #28. And from there she went to the A&LM in November of 1935, where she became the #61. The A&LM leased her to the Louisiana & Pine Bluff Railway between June-Sept of 1941. She was eventually placed in storage in October of 1946, and was officially retired in February, 1947. She was finally scrapped at Shreveport, Louisiana in March of 1957.
Photo from the Denver Public Library Special Collections