Ashley, Drew and Northern Railway
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railroad |
| Predecessor | Crossett, Monticello & Northern Railroad |
| Founded | August 8, 1912 |
| Defunct | 1996 |
| Fate | Abandoned and sold in parts |
| Headquarters | Crossett , United States |
Area served | Arkansas |
| Parent | Georgia-Pacific Corporation (from 1963) |
The Ashley, Drew and Northern Railway was a Class III railroad that managed a 40.7-mile stretch of track connecting Monticello and Crossett, Arkansas. Its operations spanned from 1912 until ceasing in 1996.
History
The Crossett Lumber Company, based in Crossett, Arkansas, initiated the Crossett Railway in 1905, establishing a 10-mile route primarily for hauling logs and lumber. In 1912, ownership transferred to the newly established Crossett, Monticello & Northern Railroad, which intended to extend the line northward to Monticello.
Incorporated on August 8, 1912, the Ashley, Drew and Northern was created to construct a rail connection between Cremer and Monticello. At the same time, it acquired the Crossett, Monticello & Northern Railway and completed the extended route by July 1913. From 1914 through 1920, operation and leasing of the AD&N were managed by the Arkansas, Louisiana and Gulf Railway.
On July 31, 1963, control of both AD&N and Crossett Lumber Company was assumed by Georgia-Pacific Corporation. During the 1980s and 1990s, the railroad’s freight primarily consisted of lumber, plywood, paper products, and chemicals. The company’s main offices and enginehouse were situated in Crossett.
Abandonment
In early 1991, Georgia-Pacific established the Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi Railroad subsidiary to take over a nearby rail line threatened with abandonment. Consequently, southbound freight traffic was redirected to AL&M tracks due to AD&N’s steeper gradients and greater upkeep expenses.
On June 25, 1995, Georgia-Pacific declared that traffic levels were inadequate to sustain AD&N operations. The firm filed a petition with the Interstate Commerce Commission on August 15 seeking permission to abandon 35 miles of track from Monticello to Whitlow Junction. Following ICC approval, AD&N’s final service run occurred on June 29, 1996. The remaining 5.7 miles between Whitlow Junction and Crossett were sold to Georgia-Pacific’s affiliated railroad, the Fordyce and Princeton Railroad, which had previously operated that section under trackage rights.