Red River Railroad
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railroad transportation |
| Founded | 1837 |
| Founder | Ralph Smith Smith |
| Defunct | 1881 |
| Fate | Sold to New Orleans Pacific Railway Company |
| Headquarters | Alexandria, Louisiana , United States |
Area served | Louisiana |
| Products | Transportation of agricultural products (sugar cane, cotton) |
The Red River Railroad, which was also referred to as the Ralph Smith Smith Railroad and the Alexandria and Cheneyville Railroad, holds the distinction of being the inaugural railroad constructed in the United States west of the Mississippi River.
This railroad was initiated by Ralph Smith Smith, a local engineer, planter, and steamboat operator. The original route spanned from Smith's Landing near Lecompte, Louisiana to docks located in Alexandria, Louisiana, covering a modest length of track. Its primary purpose was to facilitate more efficient transportation of agricultural products for settlers. Although the railroad was built with limited resources and operated at a slow pace, it managed to complete one round trip each day. In addition to the railroad, Smith managed three steamboats that carried cotton from Alexandria downriver to New Orleans.
Over time, the line extended to roughly between Alexandria and Bayou Hauffpaur close to Cheneyville, Louisiana. The railroad mainly carried sugar cane and cotton, complementing the steamboat commerce along the Red River.
The railroad functioned for more than twenty years before its destruction in 1864 amid the Red River Campaign during the American Civil War. Union troops dismantled rails, ties, bridge timbers, and rolling stock to aid in building Bailey's Dam. Furthermore, on May 13, 1864, as Union forces withdrew, they set fire to the car house situated in Alexandria.
In 1881, ownership of the railroad transferred to the New Orleans Pacific Railway Company.