Arkansas–Oklahoma Railroad
The Arkansas–Oklahoma Railroad is a Class III carrier headquartered in Wilburton, OK that operates two segments of the former Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Choctaw Route that originally ran between Memphis and Tucumcari. AOK started operations on March 3, 1996 on 73 miles of track then owned by the U.S. state of Oklahoma between Howe and McAlester by assuming the existing lease of the Missouri Pacific. This lease included a purchase option which was exercised by AOK in April 2016.
AOK also leases Union Pacific owned trackage in McAlester and additional Choctaw Route trackage west of McAlester to milepost 385 for service to the McAlester Industrial Park and for car storage.
AOK has also leased the 36-mile Shawnee Branch from Union Pacific running from Shawnee, OK to a connection with UP near Oklahoma City, OK. The bridge over the Canadian River was restored in 2014 for service to the CPN Iron Horse Industrial Park with the line open to milepost 445. AOK switches the Midwest City, OK Automobile Logistics Facility. The Choctaw Route remains out of service between milepost 445 and 385.
