Rock Island in Arkansas

  This episode features the experiences of three longtime Rock Island engineers: Harold Rhoads, Buddy Bryant and Howard Smith. They started as firemen in the years after World War II, with two of the three working with steam locomotives before they were completely phased out. They worked throughout Arkansas and into Memphis, Tennessee and shared […]

  Since getting involved in a project three years ago to preserve the Rock Island depot in Perry, Arkansas, I've been recording interviews with former employees of the railroad and others who have had connections to the building. The depot, which we believe was built in 1918,  was slated to be torn down in 2017. […]

  For a few years I've been working on my podcast series “Rock Island In Arkansas,” though I've actually been recording interviews with former employees of the railroad for decades. The series focuses on the history of the Rock Island in the state, its operations, and features the first-hand experiences of those who worked for […]