Frisco Train Accident Reports - Dates And Locations - 1929 Through 1953 - Online Resource

Online Railroad Accident Reports (1911-1994)

Karl Brand gave me this tip. The following web site:

Railroad Accident Reports

Has a search engine for looking for various archived accident reports, searchable by railway name, location, date, etc.

If you are looking for Frisco accident reports, use:

ST. LOUIS-SAN FRANCISCO RAILWAY

 

Accident Reports - Frisco Locations and Dates

How might accident reports benefit the operations-oriented modeler?

I initially asked myself "What information can be gained from these reports for the modeler interested in modelling the prototype as faithfully as possible?"

Let's take the case of a 3/29/1928 accident at Nash, MO on the River Division, which I will be modeling someday. This report not only gives very specific prototype information on the physical plant of the area where the accident occurred, but it also provides detailed information on the trains themselves.

To wit: Extra 4012 South was hauled by Engine #4012, with 39 cars and a caboose and departed Nash at 3.55 am. From my experience, the only other way to obtain such detailed information is from old train orders or interviewing former employees. although I'm sure there are other accurate methods as well.

On some of the newer accident reports, you can actually view a diagram of the accident. I've found this especially useful for recreating the look of a particular area's track arrangement, if the accident occurred in a yard or area with multiple tracks.

In searching by St. Louis-San Francisco Railway in the railroad field, there are 83 different documents. I've included a table of these dates and locations. Hopefully this information will help others to take advantage of what I see as an extremely valuable source of prototype information that's available with point-and-click ease!

[SIZE=+1]Ship IT on the Frisco![/SIZE]

DATE--------LOCATION
4/29/1929----Spaulding OK
2/16/1914-----Nichols Jct., MO
5/5/1914------Mansfield, AR
9/15/1914-----Lebanon, MO
12/10/1914----Joplin, MO
1/3/1915-------Olathe, KS
1/12/1916------Lola, OK
1/20/1916-----Schulter, OK
7/14/1916------Carthage, MO
7/18/1916------South Greenfield, MO
11/23/1916-----Una, MO
9/1/1917-------Heyburn, OK
9/14/1917------Snyder, OK
9/28/1917------Kellyville, OK
12/8/1917------Weleetka, OK
5/9/1918-------Heyburn, OK
7/18/1918------Fickinger, AR
9/17/1918------Marshfield, MO
12/25/1918-----Norge, OK
12/26/1918-----Keighley, KS
8/19/1919------Adamsville, AL
12/21/1919-----Knobview, MO
2/26/1923------Pratt City, AL
6/28/1923------Linton, KS
11/11/1923------Meadows, AR
11/29/1923-----West Tulsa, OK
2/15/1925-------Kellyville, OK
10/27/1925------Victoria, MS
1/1/1920---------O'Hara, OK
5/31/1920--------White Oak, OK
11/3/1920--------Racine, MO
4/25/1922--------Girard, KS
7/22/1922--------Logan, MO
8/16/1922--------Horine, MO
9/1/1922----------Starland, MO
1/25/1923---------Neelys, MO
10/27/1925--------Victoria, MS
12/25/1925--------Osceloa, AR
12/14/1927--------Portia, AR
3/29/1928---------Nash, MO
5/15/1928---------Hardy, AR
2/3/1929----------Megargel, AL
10/29/1913--------Chelsea, OK
8/18/1929---------Henryetta, OK
10/15/1929--------Wilson, AR
11/11/1929---------Fickinger, AR
1/23/1930---------Monett, MO
8/31/1930---------Osage Hills, MO
8/5/1931-----------Smeltzer, AR
6/2/1932-----------Lowell, AR
5/16/1933----------Neodesha, KS
1/3/1934-----------Swift, MO
4/5/1934-----------Dora, AL
7/20/1937---------Winfield, KS
11/9/1937----------Pierce City, MO
9/14/1938---------West Tulsa, OK
10/10/1938--------Columbus, KS
10/27/1938--------Rotan, AR
2/16/1939----------Quincy, MS
8/10/1939 ---------Pickensville, AL
3/7/1942------------Granby, MO
7/17/1942----------Malden, MO
10/9/1942----------Marionville, MO
4/20/1945----------East Richland, MO
7/3/1945-----------Custer City, OK
3/16/1946----------Bristow, OK
2/6/1947------------Scullin, OK
2/7/1947------------Republic, MO
4/19/1947-----------Ada, MO
4/24/1947-----------Fulton, KS
5/30/1947-----------Mansfield, MO
6/12/1947------------Sooner, OK
10/5/1947------------Nichols, MO
4/25/1948------------Adamsville, AL
7/10/1948------------Lawton, OK
5/6/1949-------------Ravia, OK
9/12/1949------------Seventy-Six, MO
6/23/1949------------Lebanon, MO
10/6/1949------------Bridge Jct., AR
12/2/1949------------Preston, OK
7/23/1950------------Holland, MO
12/30/1952-----------Cedars, OK
7/25/1953------------Menfro, MO
10/24/1953-----------Edward, KS

Data formatted and converted to attached pdf file

 

RE: Accident Reports - Frisco Locations and Dates

Chris,

Use some common since when reading these reports.

On the MP side we have found what appears to be some major typo's. On one accident report for a branch line they listed some 173 trains per day where we can only account for 4 per day.

Also, look at the .pdf files which are included with the reports as these are the orginial one's that were filed before someone transcribed them.

 

RE: Accident Reports - Frisco Locations and Dates

Excellent point, Jerry.

This is exactly why I generally prefer to use such reports in combination with other data.

As MPHS archivist, do you know of any other good sources of prototype operation data that are available on-line?

A few years ago, I passed up an opportunity at a swap meet to buy some old train order flimsies from the River Division, in the 1960s, I believe. I've been kicking myself ever since.

Ship IT on the Frisco!

 

RE: Accident Reports - Frisco Locations and Dates

Chris,

Some of the sites that I visit are:

Terraserver Maps
http://terraserver.homeadvisor.msn.com/

Index of railroad magazines articles
http://index.mrmag.com/

The Library of Congress
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amhome.html

Actual topo maps for Missouri
ftp://msdis.missouri.edu/pub/drg/

These sites can give you a lot of information or very little. Terraserver is good for arieal maps.

The actual topo maps for Missouri will almost require you to have an index of the different quads that they cover since they are recorded by code, not by location. These are very nice if you are trying to research an abandoned line segment where the railroad grade might still be un-developed.

The Library of Congress is great for researching history. A good search engine once you get used to it.

When you go there, if you haven't already, do a search on Iron Mountain Railroad but first click on the photo button on the right side of the search screen so that it will only return photos. After it has completed look for the pan photos of DeSoto, Mo. On one of these it shows a Frisco Car sitting in the Iron Mountain Yards.

Now do a complete search on St. Louis San Francisco. Have fun.