Jenks Shop Historical Timeline

Baring Cross Bridge 1890, with highway still atop trusses.

Baring Cross Bridge 1890, with highway still atop trusses.

1851
Groundbreaking for Pacific Railroad of Missouri.

1873
Baring Cross railroad and wagon bridge completed across the Arkansas River joining Little Rock and Argenta.

1874
Cairo & Fulton; Cairo, Arkansas & Texas; and St. Louis & Iron Mountain railroads consolidate into the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad.

1880
Jay Gould creates "Southwest system," with control of Missouri Pacific, Iron Mountain, Memphis & Little Rock, Little Rock & Ft. Smith, Texas & Pacific railroads.

1885
Communities spring up around the Iron Mountain Railroad shops.

1907
Railroads operating in Little Rock area now include the Missouri Pacific-Iron Mountain, Cotton Belt and Rock Island.

Artist

Artist's rendition of Mountain Roundhouse and shops in Baring Cross, 1903.

1917
Argenta becomes North Little Rock.

1930s
Missouri Pacific (MP) expands operations and facilities in central U.S., but hard times arrive with 1933 bankruptcy and years in receivership.

1955
The last steam locomotive was retired from service as Missouri Pacific became 100 percent dieselized.

1961
MP's North Little Rock Yard opens. It will be expanded five times in future years.

1964
MP air brake shop and wheelset reconditioning facility open.

1968
Phase I: Service facility completed for fueling, sanding, sampling oil and minor locomotive repair.

Missouri Pacific station in North Little Rock, 1921.

Missouri Pacific station in North Little Rock, 1921.

1971
Phase II: Diesel light repair shop – "the Ramp" – completed for single traction motor/axle change, locomotive wheel truing, and inspections.

1982
Missouri Pacific/Union Pacific merger.

1984
Phase III: Governor Bill Clinton rings a locomotive bell to dedicate the $40-million, state-of-the-art Downing B. Jenks Shop.

1989
Turbo repair shop opens for system-wide repair of locomotive turbochargers.

1995
CNW merges with UP. Remanufacturing center opens to provide various locomotive components throughout the UP system.

1996
Union Pacific/Southern Pacific merger creates nation's largest rail system.