St. Louis-San Francisco Railway

Infobox SG rail
railroad_name=St. Louis-San Francisco Railway
logo_filename=St Louis and San Francisco Railway Logo.jpg
logo_size=150
system_

map_caption=Frisco system as of 1918; the Fort Worth and Rio Grande into central Texas would be sold to the Santa Fe in 1937
marks=SLSF
locale=Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas
start_year=1876
end_year=1980
successor_line=Burlington Northern
hq_city=St. Louis, Missouri [Patrick Hiatte, Springfield, Missouri: The Heart of the Frisco, 1955, "", December 2003] The St. Louis-San Francisco Railway reporting mark|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 and 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.

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 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:
*Pacific Railroad, charter granted by Missouri on March 3, 1849
*Southwest Pacific Railroad, John C. Fremont reorganized in August 1866
*Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, incorporated on July 27, 1866

Acquisitions

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

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.

*St. Louis, Wichita and Western Railway - 1882
*St. Louis and Oklahoma City Railroad – 1898
*Kansas Midland Railroad - 23 October 1900
*Oklahoma City Terminal Railroad – 1900–1903
*Fort Smith and Van Buren Bridge Company – 1907
*Ozark and Cherokee Central Railway - 1907
*St. Louis, Memphis and Southern Railroad – 1907
*Sulphur Springs Railway - 1907
*Joplin Railway - 1910
*Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway – 1919–1937
*Fayetteville and Little Rock Railroad - 1926
*Little Rock and Texas Railway - 1926
*Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham Railroad - 1 September 1928
*Muscle Shoals, Birmingham and Pensacola Railroad – 1928–1947
*Miami Mineral Belt Railroad - 1950
*St. Louis, Kennett and Southeastern Railroad - 1950
*St. Louis, San Francisco and Texas Railway – 1963–1964
*Birmingham Belt Railroad – 1967 (liquidation of BB RR and distribution of assets)

References

*. Retrieved 26 May 2005
*"Western Historical Manuscript Collection - Rolla - University of Missouri-Rolla" [http://web.umr.edu/~whmcinfo/shelf15/r362/guide.html "Guide to the Historical Records of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway Company"] Retrieved 16 September 2005
*

External links

* [http://www.frisco.org Frisco Modelers' Information Group]
* [http://thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org/lochist/frisco/ The Frisco: A Look Back at the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway] (historical information at the Springfield-Greene County Library District)
* [http://www.friscorr.com The Frisco Railroad in Kansas]