The Arkansas-Oklahoma Railroad (reporting marks AOK) is based in Wilburton, OK, and operates a segment of the former Choctaw Route from Red Oak west to McAlester, OK (interchange with UP) and from Shawnee west to Oklahoma City (and has a switching contract with General Motors in OKC). Upon startup, initial motive power consisted of two GP9s from the Ft. Smith Railroad in Ft. Smith, AR. After a fling with Alcos, they've settled on Geeps, and will be receiving four B23-7s soon, in anticipation of the increased traffic & work at the GM facility. The locomotives are being painted in red & yellow (much like Rock Island adopted before their blue period) at the former Katy shops in Parsons. For photos, go to Sooner State Rails and look in the Photos or Files section. Incidentally, the A-OK logo is exactly like the one Rock Island had. As a further note, the line between Shawnee & McAlester was UP's (and was used by Katy to reach OKC when they abandoned their own direct line), and is slated to be rebuilt, with washed-out areas of track replaced. East of Red Oak, the line is intact to the KCS at Howe (and completely gone from Howe, OK to Booneville, AR), but is dormant. [ 26. July 2002, 03:17: Message edited by: friscobob ]
Ken I think if you log on to the Yahoo Group site with your Yahoo ID you will be able to join any of them. Try it and if you get stuck I will see what I can do to help
Rats!!! Well, joining Sooner State Rails is fairly easy- you just hit the "Join this group" line, and follow the directions. You'll also come across some other RR pics taken in Oklahoma (including some I shot, in the misc. files)
I managed to get untangled for a few minutes. Signed in/out. If they get one of these outside, it would be great to see in finished livery. this was my favorite RI paint scheme. BoxcabE50
I'm hoping on my next trip down to western Arkansas to see my other two kids (the daughter graduates high school in May 2003) to swing down from Henryetta to McAlester, then east on US 270, to chase these critters. As a to-be-safe move, I'm gonna find that GM facility & see if I can shoot the B-boats there as well.
friscobob, the plant is on se 74th street i believe. there is a good amount of rail movement of new vehicles, sat at a crossing in west okc for about 20 minutes to let a 70+?? car load of new vehicles head for points west (old up tracks???). might get to see quite a bit there. not too far from there is the amtrack station where up and sf cross????
Thanks for the heads-up! Have you seen the new AOK GEs out yet, or are they still sitting @ Parsons? Anyone have news on these?
I guess I'll answer my own question: According to AOK prez David Donoley, and the good folks at the Yahoo group Railspot, AOK 4059 has been moved to Ft. Worth from Parsons, where it'll make its way north to Okie City. 4064 was spotted outside the Parsons shops, ready for its move south. ANd thanks to UP's policy of customer service, 4059 was "lost" in the Ft. Worth area- scheduled to arrive OKC 8-29-02. Apparently all four GEs are going to be busy at the GM facility.
