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St. Louis - San Francisco Railway
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| St. Louis-San Francisco Railway |
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| Reporting marks |
SLSF |
| Locale |
Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas |
| Dates of operation |
1876–1980 |
| Successor line |
Burlington Northern |
| Track gauge |
4 ft 8½ in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge) |
| Headquarters |
Springfield, Missouri |
The St. Louis-San Francisco Railway (AAR reporting marks SLSF), also known as the Frisco, is a defunct U.S. railroad. It operated in the Midwest and South Central U.S. from 1876 to 1980.
History
The St. Louis & San Francisco Railway was incorporated in Missouri on September 7, 1876. It was formed from the Missouri Division and Central Division of the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad. After bankruptcy, the Frisco emerged as the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad, which was incorporated on 29 June 1896. This company, too, went bankrupt; on 24 August 1916, the company was reorganized as the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway. See map [1].
The St. Louis-San Francisco Railway had two main lines: St. Louis - Tulsa - Oklahoma City and Kansas City - Memphis - Birmingham. The junction of the two lines was in Springfield, Missouri, which also played home to the company's headquarters and main shops facility. Other Lines included Springfield - Kansas City (via Clinton, MO); Monett, MO (Pierce City) - Wichita, KS; Monett, MO - Fort Smith, AR; St. Louis - River Jct., AR (Memphis, TN); Tulsa, OK - Dallas, TX; Tulsa, OK to Avard, OK; and Lakeside, OK - Hugo, OK - Hope, AR.
From 1915 through 1959 the Frisco, in a joint venture with the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (aka MKT or the Katy), operated the Texas Special. This luxury passenger liner ran from St. Louis to Dallas, Ft. Worth, and San Antonio. The Texas Special is a popular prototype in Model Railroading.
The Frisco was acquired by the Burlington Northern Railroad on November 21, 1980.
Former Frisco Lines Today
The core of the former Frisco system continues to be operated by BNSF as high-density mainlines. Other secondary and branchlines have been sold to shortline operators or have been abandoned altogether.
Kansas City-Springfield-Memphis-Birmingham: Operated by BNSF
St. Louis-Springfield-Tulsa-Dallas: Operated by BNSF
Fort Scott, KS to Afton, OK: Operated by BNSF
St. Louis to Memphis, TN: Operated by BNSF
Tulsa, OK to Avard, OK: Operated by BNSF
Monett, MO to Fort Smith, AR: Operated by Arkansas and Missouri Railroad
Lakeside, OK to Hope, AR: Operated by Kiamichi RR (Rail America)
Tulsa, OK (Sapulpa) to Oklahoma City, OK: Operated by Stillwater Central RR
Oklahoma City to Snyder, OK: Operated by Stillwater Central RR
Snyder, OK (Long Siding) to Quanah, TX: Operated by BNSF
Enid, OK to Frederick, TX: Operated by Grainbelt/Farmrail
Amory, MS to Pensacola, FL: Operated by Alabama and Gulf Coast RR (RailAmerica)
Springfield to Kansas City (via Clinton): Abandoned
Monett (Pierce City) to Carthage, MO: Out of service
Carthage, MO to Wichita, KS: Mostly Abandoned
Predecessors
The following companies were predecessors of the Frisco:
Acquisitions
Frisco 1522 has been preserved and restored. In this picture the locomotive is sitting in Arkansas City, Kansas.
The following railroads were acquired or merged into the Frisco:
- Missouri and Western Railway - 1879
- St. Louis, Arkansas and Texas Railway - 1882
- Springfield and Southern Railroad - 1885
- Kansas City and Southwestern Railroad - 1886
- Fayetteville and Little Rock Railroad - 1887
- Fort Smith and Southern Railway - 1887
- Kansas, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway - 1899
- Kansas City, Osceola and Southern Railway - 1900
- Arkansas and Oklahoma Railroad - 1901
- St. Louis, Oklahoma and Southern Railway - 1901
- Arkansas Valley and Western Railway – 1907
- Blackwell, Enid and Southwestern Railway - 1903
- Red River, Texas and Southern Railway – 1904
- Oklahoma City and Texas Railroad – 19 December 1904
- Crawford County Midland and Railroad – 20 May 1905
- Oklahoma City and Western Railroad – 1907–19 December 1910
- Sapulpa and Oil Field Railroad - 1917
- West Tulsa Belt Railway - 1922
- Pittsburg and Columbus Railway (Pittsburg, Kansas) – 1925–1926
- Springfield Connecting Railway – 11 May 1926
- Kansas City and Memphis Railway and Bridge Company – 1928
- Paris and Great Northern Railroad – 21 July 1928
- Kansas City, Clinton and Springfield Railway – 1 September 1928
- Alabama, Tennessee and Northern Railroad – 28 December 1948
- Northeast Oklahoma Railroad – 27 December 1963 (Division dissolved 27 February 1967; Roads involved include: NEO RR, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri Interurban Railroad, Joplin and Pittsburg Railway and Oklahoma Traction Company)
- Missouri River, Fort Scott & Gulf - date of acquisition unknown.
Asset absorptions
St. Louis-San Francisco Railway ("Frisco Lines") #600, a Baldwin VO-660, is seen here in a 1942 builder's photo.
The following is a list of partial or full asset absorptions, many times through bankruptcy courts or creditors. In some cases the SL&SF was a creditor. Assets can include mineral rights, property, track and right of way, trains, bonds, mortgages, etc.
See also
References
External links
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![[1]](http://friscorailroad.com/FriscoMap3.JPG){kind=link}
