Alton and Southern Railroad

Alton and Southern Railroad
Name	Alton and Southern Railroad
Marks	ALS
Locale	Illinois
Start year	1910
End year	present
Length	24mi
Headquarters	Alton, Illinois

Alton and Southern Railroad is a shortline switching railroad operating in the St. Louis metropolitan area and the Metro-East region of Illinois. The company interchanges with Class I railroads and serves industrial customers in the Mississippi River corridor, connecting with national systems and maritime facilities. It functions as a local freight carrier, providing switching, car storage, and transload services for chemical, petrochemical, and manufacturing industries.

History

The railroad traces its roots to early 20th-century terminal and switching operations tied to river port facilities, linking to developments in Alton, Illinois, St. Louis, Madison County, Illinois, and regional river trade. During the era of consolidation that included Pennsylvania Railroad, Chicago and North Western Transportation Company, and Illinois Central Railroad, the line evolved as a bridge route and industrial spur amid expansion by companies such as Union Pacific Railroad and Burlington Northern Railroad. In the mid-20th century the road adapted to changes wrought by the Interstate Highway System, shifts in Maritime transport along the Mississippi River, and the decline of some heavy industries in the Midwest. Later reorganizations reflected trends seen with Conrail and the rise of shortline operators like Genesee & Wyoming and Watco Companies that reshaped regional freight practices. In recent decades the railroad’s history intersects with municipal planning in Alton, Illinois, state transportation initiatives in Illinois Department of Transportation, and federal regulatory shifts under the Surface Transportation Board.

Operations and Infrastructure

Operations center on interchange points with national carriers including CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway, BNSF Railway, and Union Pacific Railroad at terminals proximate to St. Louis Riverfront facilities and the Port of Metropolitan St. Louis. Track mileage serves industrial spurs, classification yards, and transload sites adjacent to chemical plants, warehouses, and barge terminals that link to the Mississippi River. Infrastructure investments have included signal upgrades compatible with standards advocated by the Federal Railroad Administration, improvements to grade crossings coordinated with local governments such as Madison County, Illinois and St. Clair County, Illinois, and yard expansions influenced by freight demand from customers formerly associated with companies such as Shell Oil Company, ExxonMobil, and Anheuser-Busch. The railroad’s routing interacts with rail corridors tied to historic lines like Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad and crossings at busy nodes near Eads Bridge and corridors leading to Gateway Arch National Park.

Locomotives and Rolling Stock

Over its operational life the railroad employed a variety of locomotives sourced from manufacturers like Electro-Motive Diesel and General Electric (GE) and repowered units often seen across shortlines owned by firms including Genesee & Wyoming and Watco Companies. Locomotive models historically included rebuilt road-switchers and switchers comparable to classes used by Chicago and North Western Transportation Company and Illinois Central Railroad, while freight consists have included tank cars, covered hoppers, Boxcars associated with Railbox Company, flatcars for heavy machinery, and gondolas serving steel and aggregate customers tied to firms such as U.S. Steel and Caterpillar Inc.. Maintenance activities have leveraged regional shops in the St. Louis metropolitan area and vendor relationships with locomotive leasing companies like RailPower Technologies and rolling stock lessors used by regional carriers.

Corporate Structure and Ownership

Corporate arrangements reflect the broader pattern of shortline ownership and interchange partnerships in North American railroading, with interactions involving holding companies, municipal stakeholders, and private investors. Transactions in the railroad sector involving firms such as Genesee & Wyoming, GATX Corporation, and regional operators have influenced ownership models similar to those affecting comparable shortlines. Regulatory filings with the Surface Transportation Board and coordination with the Illinois Department of Transportation have shaped trackage rights, lease agreements, and easements involving utilities, ports, and industrial landlords. Strategic alliances with Class I carriers including BNSF Railway, Norfolk Southern Railway, and Union Pacific Railroad determine interchange protocols and reciprocal switching arrangements.

Economic Impact and Traffic

The railroad moves commodities central to regional supply chains, including petrochemicals, refined petroleum products, chemicals for agriculture and industry, building materials, and finished goods bound for distribution centers serving companies like Anheuser-Busch, PepsiCo, and regional manufacturers. Its operations support jobs in Madison County, Illinois and St. Clair County, Illinois and facilitate modal connectivity between inland waterway commerce on the Mississippi River and national rail networks. Traffic patterns are shaped by demand cycles in petrochemical production, construction booms tied to municipal projects in Alton, Illinois and St. Louis, and market shifts that affect carriers such as CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Railway. Economic development entities including local chambers of commerce and port authorities engage the railroad for land use planning and freight logistics.

Preservation and Heritage

Preservation efforts surrounding regional rail history involve partnerships with museums and historical societies such as the Illinois Railway Museum, local historical commissions in Alton, Illinois, and railroad heritage groups active in the St. Louis area. Archive collections and photographic records documenting terminal operations, locomotive rosters, and industrial switching are maintained by institutions like the Library of Congress and regional archives. Heritage rail initiatives in the region—connected to volunteers, preservationists, and former employees—seek to interpret shortline operations in exhibitions alongside artifacts from major carriers like Illinois Central Railroad and Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad.

Category:Illinois railroads Category:Regional railroads in the United States