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MISSOURI PACIFIC PREDECESSORS
& SUBSIDIARIES In 1880 Jay Gould assembled an empire that would lace together the Midwest, the South and the West. These roads would make up the backbone of the system up to the modern age. Gould bought controlling interest in the Missouri Pacific in 1879, then shortly bought controlling interest in the Texas & Pacific. T&P nearly always had close ties to the MoPac though not officially merged into the system until 1976. In 1881 Gould bought controlling interest of the St Louis Iron Mountain & Southern. Next, in 1901 the Union Terminal Railway of Memphis would be added. In 1925 the New Orleans, Texas & Mexico, the parent company of the Gulf Coast Lines (which itself was made up of the Kansas Oklahoma & Gulf, Midland Valley and International - Great Northern) came under MoPac control. By 1956 these roads were merged. The MoPac system officially aquired Kansas Oklahoma & Gulf and Midland Valley in 1964. Finally in 1967, the only other major territory added to the orginal system's backbone, the Chicago & Eastern Illinois, first came under Missouri pacific influence, and was merged into the system in 1976. |
Texas
& Pacific (T&P) The Texas & Pacific was a Class 1 railroad criss-crossing the huge expanses of Texas north -south-east-west. The T&P was part of the Missouri pacific family in the late 1800's until railroad mogul Jay Gould lost control of the T&P along with other notable Texas roads such as M-K-T and I-GN. The
T&P would once again have ties to the MoPac in 1928 when the MoP
gained control. T&P would retain it's identity for many years yet
until finally being owned outright by MoPac on 10/15/76. MoPac had owned
more that 50% of the T&P at least since 1956. The Texas &
Pacific was owned outright by MoPac on 10/15/76. MoPac had owned more
that 50% of the T&P at least since 1956. Recommended Reading:
Recommended Links:
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St. Louis
Brownsville & Mexico (StLB&M)
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Abilene
and Southern (A&S) Abilene Southern Railway, was built from 1908 to 1911. The Railway serviced Ballinger, Hamlin and a major hub in Abilene. The track runs about 96 miles through north Texas. By 1916 the company owned seven locomotives, sixty-nine freight cars, seven passenger cars, and three company cars. They were earning $55,838 in passenger revenue and $165,187 in freight revenue. In 1926 the railway became part of the Texas and Pacific Railway System. As the year went the Railway was not producing enough profit and the line to Hamlin was abandoned in 1937. In 1972 the company leased all of it equipment; its net income was $347,816. The Abilene and Southern Railway was merged into the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company on November 1, 1978. As the years continue the Railway was credited for the birth of many little towns such as Cisco, Tye, and Roscoe. Also, as the line branched out between the 1880s and 1920s, West Texas saw the creation of smaller towns such as Roby. (thanks to Jay Glenewinkel)
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Artesian
Belt (ABRY) See Artesian Branch Railway for a detailed history of this road.
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International-Great
Northern (I-GN) The
Houston and Great Northern was chartered on October 22, 1866, by the
first legislature to meet after the Civil War,qv and was backed by eastern
and local capital. At the time of the merger, the Houston and Great
Northern owned 252 miles of track between Houston and Palestine, between
Houston and East Columbia with branches from Phelps to Huntsville, and
between Troup and Mineola. The mileage of the Houston and Great Northern
included the former Houston Tap and Brazoria Railroad and the Huntsville
Branch Railway, which had been merged on May 8, 1873.
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The New
Orleans Texas & Mexico (NOT&M) The New Orleans
Texas & Mexico was the overiding corporate entity of the Gulf Coast
Lines. These lines were owned by the Frisco up until the mid-1920s when
the MoPac took them over from a bankrupt SLSF. Just as the MoPac took
over, the NOT&M bought the, International-Great Northern (I-GN - another
Texas Line, but not one of the Gulf Coast Lines). |
Gulf
Coast Lines (GCL)
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The
Muskogee Lines Were made up of several subsidiary and predecessor companies. These companies included:
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Midland
Valley (MV) The Midland Valley was one of the "Muskogee Roads" (the others were the Kansas Oklahoma & Gulf and the Oklahoma City-Ada-Atoka; they were under the same ownership and headquartered in Muskogee, Oklahoma). The 364-mile Midland Valley Railroad Co. served Oklahoma, Kansas and Arkansas for more than six decades prior to its 1964 merger with Missouri Pacific. Organized as a coal hauler, oil soon became its staple when the Oklahoma fields were discovered. At one time, the Midland Valley Railroad served 58 stations, but by 1959 there were fewer than 15 open stations, and passenger service had been discontinued. In 1964, control of the Midland Valley passed to the Texas and Pacific RR, a part of the Missouri Pacific system. The Missouri Pacific system officially aquired the MV and sister road K&OG on September 24, 1964. The roads' independence was gone and the engines in black and red band with white pinstripes of the Muskogee Lines dissappeared in a sea of blue and gray. The MV owned four GP-7s, #151-154. Twoof these (#152 and 153) met in a curve at Bokoshe, Oklahoma. These units were then rebuilt as GP-7m (GP-9 car body with GP-7 generator and 1500 hp rating). All of the MV geeps were painted in the black with red band scheme. Midland Valley and KO&G engines were dispatched over each others lines as needed. They were distinguishable only by numbers, except for the rebuilds. Ft. Smith usually had one or two engines assigned there, depending on business. and these could be either MV or KO&G's. Today, the Ft. Smith Trolley Museum is located on the site of the former Midland Valley yard and turntable. (source: Mike Condren - KO&G Mailing List) Recommended Reading:
Related Links:
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The
Kansas Oklahoma & Gulf (KO&G) The Kansas Oklahoma & Gulf was one of the "Muskogee Roads" (the others were the Midland Valley and the Oklahoma City-Ada-Atoka; they were under the same ownership and had headquarters in Muskogee, Oklahoma). The Midland-Valley family of Oklahoma lines included the all Muskogee Roads and the Midland Valley Railroad Co. The KO&G connected and interchanged at Denison with the Denison & Pacific Suburban Railroad (a wholly owned subsidiary of the Texas & Pacific Railroad). , which ran from Denison to Sherman Jct. in Texas. Originally chartered on March 28, 1910, as the Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway Company of Texas, the name was changed to the Kansas, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway Company of Texas on April 2, 1921. The company operated nearly nine miles of line from the Red River near Carpenter's Bluff to Denison as well as terminal trackage at Denison. At the Red River the KO> connected with the Kansas, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway Company, thus forming a through route from Denison to Baxter Springs, Kansas. In 1926 the KO> was classified as a Class II line by the Railroad Commissionqv and owned one locomotive. That year the line received $4,054 in passenger revenue, $192,962 in freight revenue, and $249 in other revenue. In 1952 the KO> earned $259,392, almost all from freight. In 1964 the Kansas, Oklahoma and Gulf system was merged into the Texas and Pacific Railway Company, and the Texas trackage abandoned. The KO&G was absorbed
into MoPac shortly after the T&P's own absorbtion into the system in
1976. Most of the KO&G on-line traffic was coal and quarry products,
but they were also a major bridge-line between Kansas and the upper
midwest in the MoPac scheme of things, competing with both the MK&T
and the Frisco. The KO&G Diesel roster was as follows:
On April 1, 1970 the KO&G was merged into the T&P under the road's official control, and were renumbered into the T&P system. Two GP7s and the GP28 pair would last long enough to recieve Missouri Pacific numbers. The F-7s wore the Mopac's famous blue and grey scheme and had the KO&G-MV-OCAA square herald on the nose and flanks.These were repainted into the solid Jenks blue and retained their KO&G herald as part of the T&P roster becoming TP 844-847 and 846B, 847B. Two of the F's 846, 847 were traded to EMD for KO&G GP-28's 700, 701. The single NW-2 and the GP-7's originally were decorated in black paint, and a wide red band with white pinstripes the length of the carbody. The band curved down to the frame on the front nose but just wrapped around the rear. The geeps were repainted into the standard Jenks blue scheme. The GP-7's were renumbered to T&P 97-105 then T&P 1637-1640,1688-1692 and some were again renumbered into the MP 600 series. The two GP-28's (#700, 701) were delivered in the Jenks blue scheme later becoming T&P #850, 851 then #2000, 2001. These were the only GP-28's on the Mopac roster, and the last diesels KO&G would purchase. Today the 2000 is now the Ashely Drew & Northern 1815, while the 2001 is on the Kyle. There is talk (among the MPHS) of obtaining one of these units when it is retired to restore in original paint. The KO&G was made up of a rambling, run-down line which served no substantial cities. After takeovers, first by the T&P and then MoPac, the line had financial means to be upgraded. After passing into UP's hands, the upgrading continue until it was almost entirely a 49 mph railroad, but because of its curves and circuitous route, it wasn't capable of becoming a first class line. In comparison, it was 157 miles via the Katy from Denison to Muskogee, and 188 miles via the KO&G between the same cities. After UP's aquisition of the MKT, the company pretty much dropped the K&OG line. The mainline originally ran from Baxter Springs, Kansas, to Denison, Texas. This served as a direct route between the Missouri Pacific (at Wagoner) and the Texas & Pacific (at Denison). As the Muskogee roads were failing, the T&P acquired this system to keep it's link between Kansas and Texas. Several lakes were constructed on the KO&G's route that paralleled the Grand River, north of Wagoner, Oklahoma. Construction of Grand, Hudson, and Ft. Gibson Lakes all required some right-of-way relocations. Ultimately the north end from Baxter Springs to Wagoner, Oklahoma, as well as the new line (due to poor traffic) were abandoned. Today, only a few miles of the original KO&G line still remain. Part of the old line on the UP's Cherokee Sub main is still in use. Near Wagoner, UP also uses the former KO&G main as a siding/yard off the Coffeyville Sub. BNSF (under contract with the UP) uses a short section in Henryetta to serve a glass plant. (sources: Chris Cravens-Handbook of Texas Online/Joe Pike - KO&G Mailing List) Related Links:
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The Texas-New
Mexico (T-NM) The Texas & New Mexico was a subsidiary of T&P. Basically the Texas and New Mexico was a long branchline extending from Monahans, Texas (East of Sierra Blanca -- west of Midland-Odessa) up to Lovington, New Mexico, it came off the route into El Paso. It then
became known as the T-NM Sub after the line was fully merged into the
MoPac. It was part of the Rio Grande Division and broke off the Toyah
Sub (part of the line between Dallas and El Paso) at Monahans, TX (MP609.4).
It was 105 miles in length heading north out of Monahans. Monahans is
about 249 miles east of El Paso. UP has since spun this line off to
a shortline operator. (Tuch Santucci) |
The Texas
& Pacific - Missouri Pacific Terminal (T&P-MPT)
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Central
Branch Union Pacific (CBUP) Also read Missouri
Pacific in Nebraska (Prt 2) for a more detailed outline. The railway ran west from the city of Atchison through the fertile country to the Republican Valley, turning to the northwest, and intersecting the Pacific Railroad (predecessor of the Missouri Pacific) at or near the 100th meridian. The Central Branch officials hoped to build northwest and join the Union Pacific in Nebraska. The Central Branch's prospects looked good, but the actual extension of the railroad wouldn't be easy. The line would next cross Washington and Republic counties in Kansas, and enter Nebraska in Jefferson County. All in all, a prime homestead area of 6,400,000 acres of choice agricultural and stock lands that would be accessible by the proposed extension. Though
this line didn't develop quite as quickly as planned, the rails eventually
pushed northwest into Nebraska to serve the towns of Superior, Hastings
and as far north as Prosser. |
Missouri-Illinois
(M-I) The
Missouri-Illinois was part of MoPac's family since the steam-filled
days of April, 20 1929. M-I subsidiary MRBT (Mississippi River & Bonne
Terre) was leased by M-I. The
Missouri-Illinois was a major shortline running along both sides of
the Mississippi River south of St. Louis. It was wholly owned by the
Missouri Pacific from July 1, 1929 after the consolidation of a number
of Missouri and Illinois shortlines. The M-I served the rural parts
of Missouri and Illinois - for a small railroad it was an impressive
carrier of freight, mineral ore, coal, passengers, and even operated
a ferryboat transfer service, all in just 200 miles of mainline. The Missouri Pacific aquired a controlling interest in both the M-I and the MR&BT on July 1st, 1929. These two shortlines were then consolidated and the Missouri-Illinois ran as a subsidiary until October 25th, 1978. The small Missouri-Illinois was the last railroad to officially fall under the Mopac flag, being merged on November 1, 1978. (source: Cabooses of the Missouri Pacific Lines, by G. J. Michels and Missouri Pacific Diesel Power, by Kevin EuDaly)
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The
Chicago & Eastern Illinois (C&EI) Expansion of the Missouri Pacific system continued in a big way in 1967 with the addition of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad. The aquistion of the C&EI gave Mopac direct access to Chicago from the West and Southwest. The C&EI also provided a direct line between the major Chicago and St. Louis terminals. As part of the purchase agreement, the C&EI itself was divided between the Missouri Pacific and the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. C&EI's Evansville line was sold to the L&N, though C&EI reatained joint ownership and shared use of the Chicago to Woodland Jct. line. Other assets such as locomotives were also split between the MP and L&N. Units that were no sooner being renumbered for the MoPac roster found themselves going to the L&N system. The MoPac beagan a rebuilding program on the C&EI almost as soon as it took control of the road in 1967. New shops, yard and terminal expansions, upgrading to heavier weld-rail, CTC installation, bridge rebuilding, and purchases for both new motive power and freight cars. Rebuilding of the systems routes took seven years. The C&EI, along with the Texas & Pacifc, were formally merged into the MoPac railroad on October 15, 1976. This merger completed MoPac's major goals of assembling all of its component railroads into one 12,000-mile rail system (source-MPL Freight Train Services & Equipment, P. Dorin) Recommended Links:
MoPac in Illinois By Tuch Santucci I worked for the
MoPac in Illinois in '78 and '79 and into '85 before getting laid off.
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Chicago
Heights Terminal Transfer (CHTT) CHTT is the switching road in south suburban Chicago Heights. C&EI and the Kilgallen family (Don't know if you're old enough to remember Dorothy Kilgallen who was a panelist on many game shows in the 50's and early 60's) were the owners. It was designed by Dorothy's Grandfather. I was told the family still holds an interest in it which is why the name still exists. The "Terminal" was an interesting operation that from overhead looked just like a giant model railroad. It made a complete oval. You could actually start from point A and head west and return to point A coming back in from the east. I worked on it quite a bit. There were and still are numerous industries along the line including the still very active Ford Motor Company Chicago Heights Stamping Plant. There was a two stall roundhouse that was active and in use until the early 80's. A fuel track was also located there and a Machinist was stationed there five afternoons per week until 1981 when the job was abolished and he transferred to Yard Center Diesel. The CHTT which was
also referred to as the "Hack Line." (thanks to "Tuch")
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Alton
& Southern (A&S) The Alton & Southern was and still is a switching railroad in the St. Louis area. It was owned and operated by MoPac and CN&W. After purchasing the road on May 9, 1968, the two roads painted the engines with yellow hoods (after CN&W), blue cabs and frames (after MoPac), and a new A&S herald (a clear hybrid of both road's) on the cab. Today, the Alton & Southern is still around, alive and well, under the ownership of Union Pacific. According to former MP engineer C. Cook, who works out of Dupo, Illinois, the A&Syard is not an easy place to work, "...trying to ever get out of, or into, that yard is a long involved affair."
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Other Missouri Pacific Owned Rail Companies |
American Refrigerated Transit (ART) ART was American Refrigerated
Transit, a MoPac subsidiary akin to the likes of PFE to SP and at one
time, UP before UP and SP split it up and UP's portion became UPFE and
BNFE to Burlington Northern. Wabash was a partner in ART at one time as
many orange reefers and RBL's wore the ART logo and name along with the
buzzsaw and Wabash flag. |
ARMH ARMH were cars owned by ART through MoPac and leased to Miller High Life. These cars went to Milwaukee to be loaded and were spotted all around the country. I used to see them on the Milwaukee Road's Terre Haute Division all the time and have a story about one particular car and all the beer that "fell out" when I was about 15. The ARMH cars wore box car red with buzzsaws and looked like any other RBL except for the markings. They also said "owned by American Refrigerated Transit" and "Leased to Miller Brewing Company." (Tuch) |
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to this page: 16 April, 2008
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