Here are some images of the Centralized Traffic Control building at the east end of the North Yard in Springfield as pictured July 9, 2006. This was once home to the Frisco Railroad Museum, but nearly all vestiges of that incarnation are gone. Can anyone tell the story of it's demise? What was the fate of the diner and caboose on the property? What happened to the artifacts and records inside? Photographs by Rich Lawler.
I think I saw the caboose at the Branson Scenic Railway a couple of days ago. I believe the passenger car diner, Oklahoma City, went to Ozark Mountain Railcar but I don't think they have it anymore.
I was told by Alan Schmittt that someone had bought the diner with intent of restoring it and placing it in revenue service. I do not know if the information is correct but the car appeared to need a lot of work based on the visible rust. Tomd6
Please see the following for some additional photographs of the former CTC building in Springfield, MO. http://www.flickr.com/photos/picsparker/2447136062/sizes/l/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/rwhitehead/2957486848/sizes/l/ (herald detail close up) The building address is 543 East Commercial Street, Springfield, MO 65803-2945. The building is located at the east end of North Yard on the northwest corner of East Commercial Street and North Washington Avenue. The building once housed the Frisco Museum when it was in operation in Springfield. Hope this helps. Thanks! Mark
My dad's engineering office was in there at one time - second floor. Maybe 60 years ago? Smelled like the depot as I recall. When he was experimenting with the reflective yellow tape for the freight locomotive paint schemes, my sister and I would tend the cardboard panels he stuck the stripes on. We lived on Page Street at the time near the grade crossing on Glenstone and dad would shine his headlights east down the hill a block or so and we would tilt the panel until he honked. He tried taking time exposures but we weren't too reliable as a steady rest! He then built a big easel to replace us. Eventually decided on a width and spacing.
I enjoyed visiting the museum in that little building four or five times. A shame the museum didn't survive. I enjoyed helping Alan with his All Aboard bulletins involving my Roster Tales articles and a few other contributions. I thought we had something going there, but, alas the museum derailed. K
By 1962 were all the dispatchers located here? Which were not? The last installation of CTC in Springfield was in 1960 and that was between Teed, MP 235.1 and WS Jct. MP 206.2, on the "New" East Belt.
