Why the CSA

Not really sure how to start this stuff off.
Let it be known that I am a Northern born Son of the South. Not that I condone the mistreatment of my fellow humans but rather, I oppose a centralized form of government in daily affairs.
I struggled with a name and locale for my layout, not wanting to constrain myself to the limits of a "Real" or prototype company. I didn't ever want to hear (again) that what I built or put on my layout "Wasn't Prototype". Thus, an Imagineered or Freelance pike was the only option for me.

The Colbert's Ferry & Chickasaw Rail Road

I chose a real place, Colbert's Ferry because it was where the Butterfield Cross Country Stage line crossed the Red River from Indian Territories (present day Oklahoma) to Texas and was one of the proposed routes for a southern trans-continental rail road line. That would give me an interchange with most all roads and types of equipment. My main desire was to link the CSA's Trans-Continental RR with the Indian Nations, thereby bringing a unified Confederacy to existence, States, Indian and Confederated Nations linked by rail from the Mississippi River to Pacific Ocean, Missouri to Nicaragua. In my world, The Confederacy has survived and is a viable entity defending it's borders and trade. This provides me with plenty of modeling opportunities to scratch build military and civilian locomotives and rolling stock as well as structures. My fast clock time frame is roughly 1860 to 1875.

*note* The Constitution of the Confederacy outlawed the further importation of slaves, the self imposed beginning of the end of slavery within it's borders.

 Route of The Colbert's Ferry and Chickasaw RR

Colbert's Ferry. Red River crossing on the overland route.

 Photo of the Ferry with the RR Bridge in the background.

It is unclear why the left portion of the bridge has side planking and the remainder of the span is open. It can be seen that the side wall on the far side stretches to almost midpoint of the bridge. Are they just now finishing the bridge and the siding hasn't been completed yet? Was it lost to a storm? Perhaps a flood?