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'100 Years of Service'
This 42-page comb-bound booklet was produced for the Frisco Veterans' Reunion held in St. Louis, Missouri, during the Frisco Centennial Year 1960.


[COVER]
Frisco Centennial Year
1860-1960
Frisco Veterans' Reunion
St. Louis, June 27-29, 1960

 

OFFICERS
FRISCO SYSTEM VETERANS ASSOCIATION
Frank Apperson
President
L.O. Humphrey
Vice-President
W. H. Fisher
Secy-Treasurer
John Williams
Auditor
Martha C. Moore
Program Chairman

DIRECTORS
J.W. Wasson
Joplin, Mo
A.E. Godfrey
Springfield, Mo
Fred Walker
Poplar Bluff, Mo
Walter Strathman
St. Louis, Mo
Harold Wright
St. Louis, Mo
Mrs. J.W. Wasson
Joplin, Mo (formerly Oklahoma City)
Mrs. Ellen Ecklekamp
St. Louis, Mo
H.C. Price
Tulsa, Okla



Clark Hungerford,
Chairman and President,
Frisco Railroad,
St. Louis, Missouri

A SALUTE TO OUR VETERAN EMPLOYEES...

I am happy to extend these words of greeting to the Veterans of the Frisco on the occasion of their annual reunion.

1960 marks the 100th Anniversary of the Frisco Railroad. The attainment of that milestone in the parade of transportation progress is an achievement which the men and women of today can view with satisfaction and confidence.

Ours is a railroad which has endured through peace and war, good times and bad. It has known both prosperity and adversity. That it has continued to persevere and progress as an instrument of public service is a testimonial to tens of thousands of people. Some are still with us; some are not. Some had illustrious names which found their way into the pages of history; others remain as fond memories in the minds of those with whom they worked in day-to-day association. In a period of time spanning one hundred years, fame and memories grow dim...but the tangible evidence of human aspirations and effort lives on in the form of a railroad which has grown from less than 100 miles in length to a system of 5,000 miles.

A century ago, this country was in the midst of westward expansion. The center of our population still moves that way. In 1860, the population of the United States was just over 31 million, an increase of eight million in ten years. Today, our population is nearing 180 million, and growing at the rate of three million persons per year...more and more of them in the area west of the Mississippi.

As we merge the past with the future, it is a pleasure to join with you in paying tribute to those veterans who through the years have striven to make the Frisco dream of yesterday, the reality of today.

Clark Hungerford,
Chairman and president,
Frisco Railroad,
St. Louis, Missouri



A photograph of the original coon skin from which the Frisco insignia originated.

HISTORY OF THE FRISCO EMBLEM

Few employees of the Frisco Railroad are acquainted with the history of the Frisco emblem or insignia which appears on timetables, advertising material, annual reports, calendars, etc., and is used by Employee Clubs on the railroad in making up their yearbooks.

Several years ago a pageant was given at Springfield, Mo., which told the history of that city on Frisco Lines, and after much research the story of how the Frisco emblem came into being, was uncovered. The story is authentic, and was compiled by Miss Eula Mae Stratton, employed in the Springfield General Office.

Before the turn of the century, so the old timers say, Mr. G.H. Nettleton, then Vice-President of the railroad (which was then known as the old KCM&B) was making an inspection tour of the system. The train pulled into the station of Neosho, Mo., (some old timers say it was Carthage, but most historians say it was Neosho), with the private car stopping in view of the west end of the depot building on which was tacked a coon hide to dry.

When Mr. Nettleton saw the coon hide, he immediately summoned the agent (Sam Albright, so the story goes)...to the business car.

"What's that thing tacked onto the depot?" roared the Vice-President..."and just why are we using company property for tanning hides?"

We are told that Sam, not a soft-spoken man anyway, and a very busy railroader, told the Vice-President that it was hard to support a family on the $1.25 per ten hour day railroading, and that he was catching, tanning and selling coon hides to supplement his salary.

"Don't you know railroading comes first?" said the Vice-President, and then to Sam's surprise the Vice-President grinned and said..."Well, having a hobby is OK. How much will you take for that coon skin?"

The story goes that Sam was so startled that he blurted out..."Two bucks."

And the deal was closed, leaving Sam in wonderment as to what on earth the official wanted with the pelt.

But it was not long afterward until an ink outline of the tightly stretched coon hide began to appear on Frisco drawing boards in the General Office Drafting Room in St. Louis, but instead of hanging up-and-down, the hide was turned horizontally.

Since the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway is made up of a number of smaller roads, some of which were -- the old Southwest Branch, the Pacific Railroad, the KCM&B and others, with General Offices in St. Louis (and at one time before the Civil War the Frisco and Santa Fe operated jointly into San Francisco, Calif) it was only logical to combine the "F R" from Francisco,...the "I S" from the latter part of St. Louis, and the "C O" for Company, which produced...

F R I S C O

to be inserted inside the coon skin outline reading...

Early in 1900 many documents carried the emblem and in 1904, the time cards came out with the now well known cut.

The emblem is the pride of all Frisco employees, as it stands for service to shippers and passengers in the nine state territory.

(The original coon skin from which the emblem was visualized, is now in a frame in the General Office Building in St. Louis, Mo.)



A picture of long ago...showing a map of the Frisco in the early days of its history.


A photograph of the Frisco Lobby, 9th & Olive Sts., St. Louis, taken in 1960.


The first building that stood on the present site of the Frisco Building, years ago.


A night view of the present Frisco Building, taken, 1960.


The new Frisco Tri-Level car, pictured above, will accommodate 15 compact or 12 regular automobiles.


A solid train load of automobiles leaving St. Louis, Frisco, for points southwest.

 

A CONDENSED HISTORY OF THE FRISCO RAILROAD...

There are few people, who, riding over the Frisco Railroad today, have any idea of the colorful struggle which perpetuated the Frisco up from the small beginning in 1849, when the Missouri Legislature authorized the incorporation of the "Pacific Railroad", the parent company of this now Class 1 Railroad.

If passengers and shippers were well informed, they would know that today the Frisco has over 5,000 miles of well equipped railroad, operating through nine states, namely, ... Missouri, Kansas, Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi and Florida.

The Frisco employs approximately 10,500 employees to whom it pays annual wages of approximately $63,000,000. The railroad owns 22,152 freight cars and 425 diesel locomotives. It was one of the first railroads to become dieselized. The last steam engine was retired from service in 1952.

This is a brief picture of facts and figures of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway Company of today. Now let us look back through the years and briefly trace its history, beginning on March 3, 1849 when the old Pacific's charter was granted by the Missouri Legislature.

Those were pioneer days in railroad history and this company was empowered to build a line from Franklin (now Pacific, Mo) a distance of 34 miles, southwest of St. Louis to Rolla, Mo., 77 miles away. None of the old timers will remember John M. Weimer who was the first president of the railroad and directing head of the system, years ago.

However, under Mr. Weimer's direction, work on the line was begun the summer of 1856 after seven grueling years of financing, and the first train entered Rolla, Mo., late in December 1860. The track had a gauge of five feet and was laid with 45# iron rails, which is quite a contrast to the present standard gauge of the Frisco with its 115 and 132 pound steel rails of today. It is interesting to note also that in those good old days, there were only 2,220 ties to the Frisco mile, while today, maintenance of way men who keep up the Frisco's roadbed, use 3,250 to each mile.

There is no record of the celebration at Rolla, Mo., which must have taken place back in 1860 when the Frisco's first diamond-stack locomotive snorted into town, but it must have been a satisfactory entrance, because grading went on at a vigorous rate between Rolla and the Gasconade River on the southwest. The only thing that stopped it was the Civil War in the spring of '61 and when that great struggle came, the Frisco section men dropped their picks and shovels and shouldered muskets.

The road suffered great hardships during the next four trying years, and the close of the war in 1865 found it bankrupt and in a badly damaged condition. Considerable fighting the southwest had taken place along the Frisco's right-of-way, and it suffered great damage at the hands of the warring forces. At one time during the struggle, General Sterling Price made a raid along the line of the Frisco and burned all the bridges which were at that time wooden structures. Two of the bridges were important as they were both crossings of the Meramac River, west of Pacific.

The state of Missouri took possession of the road in February 1866 when the company defaulted in its interest payment, and in June 1866, the state, at private sale, sold the road to General John C. Fremont, adventuresome soldier, "pathfinder", and later candidate for President of the United States. "From the ashes of his campfires have sprung cities".

General Fremont turned out to be a much better fighter than a railroad builder, because after reorganizing the company as the Southwest Pacific Railroad in August 1866, the General was unable to pay the second installment on his purchase price and in June 1867 he was dispossessed by the state. He made some progress, however, for during the time he held the road, some 13 miles of additional track were built.

For almost a year, work on the road was at a standstill, but in May 1868, another group of ambitious builders came along and reorganized the road -- this time as the Southwest Pacific Railroad Company.

The fact that they were ambitious builders is readily proven when it becomes known that their intention was to build a line connecting the middle and southwest sections of the country with the Pacific coast. These plans, however, were beset with difficulties, and in October 1870, just two and a half years later, the road was forced to convey its franchise and property to another new organization, this time the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad Company. This new company had been incorporated July 27, 1866 by an Act of Congress, and had been given authority to build a railroad from Springfield, Mo., to the Pacific ocean. When this change of ownership took place, the Southwest Pacific Railroad had completed 253 miles of single track line from Franklin (now Pacific, Mo) to Pierce City, Mo.

Pioneer residents along the constructed and projected lines of the railroad were jubilant over the merging of these two ambitious interests, and must have given many a cheer when the newly organized Atlantic & Pacific redoubled its efforts on the construction. They completed the line from Franklin to Seneca, Mo., and built an extension from Seneca to Vinita, Indian Territory, 34 miles away.

The Franklin to Seneca portion of the road was known as the Missouri Division. It fell on hard times and on October 30, 1875 receivers were appointed for it, and it was sold at auction on November 2, 1876 to one W.F. Buckley.

NOW THE NAME OF THE ST. LOUIS-SAN FRANCISCO RAILWAY COMPANY entered the picture for the first time, for Mr. Buckley in purchasing the Missouri Division was acting for the St. Louis & San Francisco Railway Company. This concern was incorporated under the laws of Missouri on September 7, 1876, and it operated both the Missouri Division and the line from Seneca to Vinita, which was known then as the Central Division of the Atlantic & Pacific.

The new St. Louis & San Francisco Railway Company entered upon a policy of expansion which far exceeded anything which had gone before. A complete record of all the new lines built cannot be given here and only the principal ones will be briefly mentioned.

The old Central Division was extended in 1882 from Vinita to Tulsa on the north bank of the Arkansas River, a distance of 65 miles. Previous to this, in March 1880, a line originally started in 1871 was completed from Pierce City to Wichita, Kans., 218 miles long. An extension of this line, 103 miles in length was then built from Wichita to Ellsworth, Kans., where connection was made with the Union Pacific Railroad in 1888.

Another line from Monett, Mo., to Ft. Smith, Ark., which had been started in July 1880 was opened on January 1, 1883 and in the latter year, a line 34 miles long was also constructed from Pacific to St. Louis, Mo. Heretofore entrance to St. Louis had been made over the tracks of the Missouri Pacific Railroad company, but with this construction into St. Louis, the Missouri Pacific agreement was discontinued.

An extension to Paris, Tex., started in July 1886 was completed one year later, and connections were made at Paris, Tex., with the Texas & Pacific Railway and also with the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe.

By this time the Frisco had reached a point where it was being appraised by other railroads and in 1890 the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe had troubles of its own and a little later....in 1883, they defaulted on their bond interests and the Frisco entered receivership. Three years later, in June 1896, the property was bought at public auction by a purchasing committee and turned to the then newly organized St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad Company. At that time the line consisted of 990 miles of fairly well conditioned track, and with the acquisition in December 1897 of the Central Division of the Atlantic & Pacific, the owned mileage increased to the grand total of 1,218 miles. Construction had not ceased, and in 1898 the road completed its line between Kansas City and Springfield, Mo., via Clinton, Mo. This construction was the occasion of great jubilation in western Missouri, for it marked the final linking up of several sections of this line which had been under construction since 1884. The year of 1889 was another important one in the history of the the Frisco, when the road from Tulsa to Oklahoma City was opened.

Two years later, in March 1900, construction of the line from Sapulpa, Okla., to Denison, Tex., 198 miles away, was begun and rushed through to completion in March 1901. This was a fortunate move, for oil fields, adjacent to the line began to be developed shortly after it was built, and petroleum and its products furnished a large part of the tonnage then. They still do, for that matter.

In 1902, this line was extended south to Carrollton, Tex., where a connection was made with the St. Louis Southwestern Railway of Texas, and in 1908 with the Chicago, Rock Island & Gulf Railway, thus giving the Frisco trains and entrance in to Dallas and Ft. Worth, Texas.

In 1901 the Frisco acquired the lines comprising the Kansas City, F. Scott & Memphis Railway Company and the Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham Railroad Company with branches, which gave them a line from Kansas City through Springfield, Mo., to Memphis and Birmingham, Ala., and from Kansas City through Ft. Scott, Kans., and Baxter Springs, Kans., to Joplin, Mo., and Miami, Okla.

In the same year an extension was completed from Miami to Afton, Okla., where connection was made with the Southwestern Division of the Frisco and permitted the operation of train service from Kansas City, Mo., to Dallas, Ft. Worth and Oklahoma city via Baxter, Kansas.

Meantime building was also under way in another section of what was to become Frisco territory on the southwest. Mr. Ed L. Peckham of Blackwell, Okla., had projected what was then known as the Blackwell, Enid & Southwestern Railway, extending from Blackwell, Okla., to Vernon, Tex., a distance of 251 miles.

At that time the line had been constructed from Blackwell to Enid, Okla., 48 miles, and the line had already been given its nickname of the "Bes" line, derived from the initials of the company's full and proper name.

On July 4, 1901, while construction from Enid south through Drummond, Ames, Okeene and other cities on the present line was progressing at a rapid rate, President McKinley issued a proclamation providing for the opening and allotting all Kiowa, Comanche and Apache reservations through which the line was to be built. President McKinley's proclamation assured settlement in the territory and gave added impetus to the construction program.

It is interesting to note that many stations on the Bes Line were named for men who were financially interested in the enterprise, including the name of Breckenridge, named for Breckenridge Jones of St. Louis who was president of the company; Drummond, which was named for Harry Drummond, at one time connected with the lending tobacco manufacturing company of St. Louis...and Carleton for the late Murray Carleton Dry Goods Company of St. Louis

Coincident with the completion of the Bes Line, the Frisco built into Quanah, Texas in 1903, an act which eventually resulted in the Quanah Lines' construction southwardly in 1909 to McBain, and in 1928 to Floydada, Texas. The line to Quanah was built from Oklahoma City and passed through the famous government military post of Ft. Sill.

In reaching Quanah, the Frisco touched a historic town situated in the original vast Texas wilderness known as the lower panhandle. Quanah was founded in 1885, when the Ft. Worth & Denver Railroad was surveyed through the region, and received its name from Chief Quanah, the last and most famous of the Comanches and means "Bed of Flowers". Today it is a modern city and is the center of the plaster industry in the Quanah territory.

In 1904 the Frisco completed its line from St. Louis to Memphis and this was really an event of great importance in the development of the Frisco system. Following the Mississippi River for a great part of the way from St. Louis to Cape Girardeau and then through the famous cotton fields of southeast Missouri and northeast Arkansas, the line traversed a county rich both in natural resources and in the history of America.

It went through St. Genevieve, Mo., for instance, where the first white colony west of the Mississippi River in the United States was founded in 1735 by the French. It wound through Cape Girardeau, a river point of great importance during the steamboat era, and through Wittenberg, Mo., where legend has named "The Rock of the Cross", for in December 1699, three Missionaries of the Sulpician Order descended on the Father of Waters on the 6th day of the month, reaching the village of Tomarouah which they described as being on a "fine bay of the river". They placed a cross on the rock, marking it and the cross was placed with solemn religious ceremonies. It is also the smallest national reservation in the United States, having been declared a government reservation several years ago to prevent its destruction for commercial purposes when quarrymen threatened its existence.

This section of the Frisco, 305 miles in length, consisted partly of new construction and partly of old lines, purchased from that famous southeast Missouri railroad builder, Louis Houck, whose name is well remembered among pioneer railroad men of the southwest.

Previous to this event of 1904, the Frisco had acquired control of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad, thus giving it an outlet to the Great Lakes via St. Louis to Chicago. In 1907 control was acquired of the Gulf Coast Lines with important terminals at New Orleans. These lines, however, were detached from the parent company and construction of a connection link in Texas would have been necessary to complete the system through to the Great Lakes from Texas points.

Things had progressed very favorably for the Frisco during the time it had last emerged from receivership in 1896, and in that 17 year period it had trebeled its mileage and greatly increased its importance to the territory it served.

Hard times descended again on May 17, 1913 when the company with a total mileage of 5,155 miles was again thrown into receivership. On June 19, 1916, the property was sold under foreclosure to the present company, namely the ST. LOUIS SAN-FRANCISCO RAILWAY COMPANY, and in the transaction the Frisco lost the Chicago & Eastern Illinois and the Gulf Coast Lines.

Undaunted by this series of receiverships, the new company entered on a program of improvements, and the system was thoroughly rehabilitated from one end to the other. Principal lines were ballasted, heavier rails were laid, bridges rebuilt or sometimes replaced by entirely new structures, and heavier power and improved rolling stock purchased. This program of improvements involving an expenditure of many millions of dollars, placed the Frisco in the front ranks among the railroads of the middle and southwest United States.

In the early days of 1868, the old Southwest Pacific Railway Company announced its intention of building a line connecting the middle southwestern sections of the country with tide water. That idea persisted through all the years and the present name of the company, ST. LOUIS SAN-FRANCISCO RAILWAY COMPANY shows that its owners had faith in the company's ability to eventually reach tide water.

From 1916 until 1925 no progress seemingly was made in this direction, but in July 1925, newspapers of this nation announced that the Frisco had acquired control of the Muscle Shoals, Birmingham & Pensacola Railway, a line 142 miles in length, extending from Pensacola, Fla., north to Kimbrough, Ala. The Frisco promptly built a connection link from Aberdeen, Miss., on the Southern Division, south to Kimbrough, and opened the new line with appropriate ceremonies in June 1928. In constructing the new line from Aberdeen, Miss., to Kimbrough, Ala., through the state of Mississippi and a part of Alabama, the line follows the famous Tombigbee River Valley and is on the survey and partially graded roadbed that was laid out by General Nathan B. Forrest immediately after the Civil War.

Thus an idea that had actually originated 75 years before -- that of extending the Frisco lines to the tide water, had finally been realized and the extension of the line to Pensacola added prestige, not only to the importance of the city as a port, but also to the Frisco system as one of the great railways of the United States.

The great depression starting in 1929 had its effect on the Frisco and by 1932 the road was again in the hands of receivers. In 1933 the status of the road was changed to a trusteeship by the United States District Court and the property was operated by Trustees until January 1, 1947, when the reorganization of the company was effected.

In appointing Trustees the Court provided for an unbroken continuity of executive direction of the Frisco Lines throughout the period of trusteeship. The original Trustees were the late J.M. Kurn, President of the bankrupt company, and the late John G. Lonsdale, both of St. Louis. Upon the death in 1943 of Mr. Lonsdale, Judge Frank A. Thompson, who had been special counsel, was named Co-Trustee. Judge Thompson served as Co-Trustee with Mr. Kurn until the latter's retirement in 1945, after which he continued as sole Trustee until completion of the reorganization. When the reorganization was completed, Judge Thompson became Chairman of the Board, serving until his death on February 7, 1958.

Clark Hungerford was named President of the new Frisco Company on completion of its reorganization. A five-year voting trust period, from 1947 through 1951 was established by court order, and under Hungerford's leadership during these years, the railroad gave indication that it possessed the energetic vitality that had marked its continuous growth.

On December 28, 1948, the Frisco acquired control of the Alabama, Tennessee & Northern Railroad Company, which operates between Reform and Mobile, Ala. Prior to the acquisition, the Frisco and AT&N interchanged at Aliceville, Ala., with traffic moving into and out of the Port of Mobile. This acquisition brought about possibilities for greater industrial development for Mobile and the territory served by the AT&N and gave the Frisco its second seaport city.

Much of the 1947-1952 period was devoted to building up the Frisco property through modernization and mechanization. A huge multi-million dollar yard, office building and diesel house were constructed at Springfield, Mo., operating hub of the railroad. Centralized traffic control, to speed Frisco trains and make operation safer, was spread over the system. The latest developments in communication techniques were introduced.

In June of 1957, work was completed on a $10,000,000 yard at Capleville, near Memphis, Tenn., known as Tennessee Yard. This installation is an electrically operated hump-type yard...the first on the Frisco System, and replaces the outmoded Yale Yard, also near Memphis.

Another hump yard has also been built at Tulsa, Okla. This yard is known as Cherokee Yard and it, like Tennessee Yard, utilizes the latest developments in electronic railroading.



The St. Louis Union Station is seen in the background, while the famous fountain by Carl Milles named, "The Wedding of the Waters", (the Missouri and Mississippi), is shown in the foreground.

HISTORY OF THE ST. LOUIS UNION STATION

The St. Louis Union Station, built of Victorian stone and with its vast spaces and antique embellishments is one, if not the most famous railroad landmark in the country.

The structure was opened with fitting ceremonies September 1, 1894. Other railroad stations throughout the country have been built since that date, but the St. Louis Union Station has remained much the same with minor changes inside the station.

Travelers coming in or leaving St. Louis usually rush through this grand old structure...not aware of the history behind it, and a tour of its second floor and a more minute examination of the first floor, will reveal hidden beauty of architecture.

At the time of its construction, the St. Louis Union Station was said to be the largest railroad station in the world. The first ground was broken in April 1, 1892, and the opening ceremonies occurred September 1, 1894.

The station was opened with a grand ball held on the spacious second floor where all dignitaries of the city spent a gay evening of dancing and inspection of the beautiful architecture of the structure.

The cost of the original site...buildings, tracks and other improvements exceeded $6,500,000. Since the year 1894, improvements have been made to the station facilities amounting to almost $11,750,000, making the total cost of the present plant approximately $18,250,000.

At the 18th Street end is the great clock tower, rising 232 feet above track level, or 247 feet from the bottom foundation. Near the top are four great clock dials facing the four points of the compass which are electrically illuminated at night.

On the second and third floors, both east and west of the Grand Hall are the General Offices of the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis as well as the offices of the Pullman Company. To the West of the station building proper, and an integral part thereof, is the Terminal Hotel. West of the hotel is a modern baggage building, conforming in architecture with the original building and erected during the year of 1928.

The Golden Arch with its allegorical stained glass window representing San Francisco, St. Louis and New York, is of great architectural beauty. However its popular appeal arises from being known as the "Whispering Arch". A person facing the eastern portion and whispering, may be distinctly heard by another person facing the western portion of the Arch.

Material from all parts of the world contributed to the fitting up of the station. The Mosaic floor in the Ladies' Room is of Belgian manufacture; the interlocking floor tile in the Grand Central Hall and the dining room, came from England...(these have since been covered with other material). Germany furnished the plain floor tile used in the basement and the enameled tile wainscot used in the Ladies' Room.

There are Numidian marbles from africa, Vienna and the white marbles from Italy. The beautiful green marble called "Vert Champagne" is from France; Alps-green marble from Switzerland is in the Gothic corridor; Tennessee Vermont and Georgia marbles are found in other rooms.

Theodore C. Link, a prominent architect, designed and supervised the construction of this building.

The trainshed, when built, was not only the largest existing, but it also covered the greatest number of tracks and served the trains of more railroad companies than any other trainshed.

In the past few years, the heavy iron partitions were removed at the train entrances, and glass installed so that passengers meeting trains can watch them back into the station. Incidentally, this is the only station in the country where NO TRAIN GOES THROUGH. There are cars which are switched to other trains in the yards, but passengers alight here to board trains for the east, west, north and south. While the 18th Street Entrance to the street, as well as the entrance on Market Street are reached by a few steps, the Terminal Hotel, Baggage Room and Taxi Stand are on the ground floor. There are no steps from the trains into the spacious foyer.

On the second floor of the station there has been established extensive U.S.O. headquarters, manned by various women's organizations of the city. Here also is found the offices of the Travelers Aid.

IT WOULD PAY THE VISITOR WELL TO TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL AND HISTORIC...ST. LOUIS UNION STATION!



A map showing the location of the National Museum of Transport.


An old fashion hand-operated hand cart.


"Camelbacks", such as the above 1873 model were a favorite on Eastern roads in the third quarter of the last century.


Frisco engine 1522, donated to the National Museum of Transport.


The Museum went all the way to Mexico to retrieve this rare "Forney" locomotive which started its career in 1893 in the Chicago Elevated System, and successfully saw industrial service in Michigan, Florida, Texas and Mexico.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF TRANSPORT

Fifteen years ago, a nineteenth century horsecar gathered dust in much needed bus garage space seeming destined for destruction. But a group of historically minded St. Louisans saw the need for preserving such relics as a permanent record of our transportation history...for giving that perspective of the past that enable man to understand the present and plan for the future.

Therefore in 1945, five acres at Barretts Station were acquired and the National Museum of Transport was born! Today that lone "hayburner" has been joined by many other exhibits. Locomotives invite young and old to enter cabs for nostalgic "runs". Coaches...handcars...signals...lanterns...dining car china tell the story of rail travel. Streetcars...heavy electric interurbans...trackless trolleys and buses trace city transit progress. Authentic relics testify to a great transportation history.

The original five acres has grown to sixty-five, assuring ample space for planned expansion. A railroad tunnel...the first bored west of the Mississippi represents some of the difficulties encountered in opening the way West. An exhibit of commercial air transport including representative planes, will serve as a reminder of progress in the air-age. Keel boats, stern-wheelers and barges will trace the growth of the waterways and truck and bus collections will illustrate the emergence of highway transportation.

In fifteen years the National Museum of Transport has come to be recognized as the leading museum of its type. In that time the staff has changed from volunteer to professional. As the fame of the Museum has spread, the number of visitors has increased...over 100,000 last year! Through its realism, the Museum offers a kind of education that is attractive and stimulating to the mind. Educational class attendance totaled over 20,000 in 1959.

The widespread interest in the Museum indicates that it has succeeded in the founders' purpose...to provide motivation for further conquest of time and space through preservation of the rich heritage of the past.

Prominent leaders of business, education and Labor from throughout the United States make up the Board of Directors, one member of which is Clark Hungerford, Chairman and President of the Frisco Railroad.

The National Museum of Transport is a nonprofit educational Corporation, supported by donations, individual and corporate memberships, admissions and concession sales. Contributions are tax-deductible.

Railroaders in general, and the Frisco family in particular, can take pride in having been a part of the founding of this educational monument to all transportation -- the service that has bound together and thus made possible America's great culture.

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