KC Area Meat Packers Question

I distinctly recall the smell of the meat packers when we crossed the Intercity Viaduct back in the 1950s into the 1960s.

However, I'm not very conversant on just WHAT meat packers were in KC. I think Armour was there, but who else?

Also: Can anyone think of a reason why one could see meat cars such as Swift, Armour, Wilson, etc, being unloaded at a cold storage facility in the West Bottoms area? Mainly looking for plausibility here. I wouldn't have a hope of modeling any of the actual packers/stockyards... but would like a place to send meat reefers (and other refrigerator cars) so such cars could come onto the layout for spot on my little fictionalized slice of the West Bottoms. Perhaps a freelanced "Kansas City Cold Storage" facility?

 

The "ASB" Bridge stands for "Armour-Swift-Burlington," so Swift would be another packer for sure.

TAG 1014

 

Here is a link with more information - http://www.kansascity.com/2012/12/08/3950080/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-meatpacking.html

 

Cool read. I enjoyed the article, thanks for posting the link. My wife and I visited the stockyard area in Ft. Worth a few years ago, and I enjoyed the historical facts and structures still in existence. The amazing amount of rail traffic into these stockyard/meat packing areas would have been very fun to watch. However, I can certainly understand why city dwellers would not miss the industry due to the smell.

Terry

 

Thanks for the link to the KC Meat Packers essay, Bob!

Tag: I was born n' raised in the KC area. Was 16 years old when we left. I don't think I ever heard the actual name of the ASB bridge!

Keith: Thanks.

As for my proposed refrigerated business: I'm going to wing it and have a refrigerated warehouse or something AND... in addition to general service reefer cars, some of my favorite meat packer cars will show up there: Swift, Armour, Wilson, etc. Perhaps it's a refrigerated wholesaler that wholesales to the entire KC region. Anyway, that's my story an' I'm stickin' to it!!!

 

The ASB bridge is "Armour Swift Burlington" bridge.

 

Yup... TAG 1014 said so in the very first reply to this thread.

That's what I was in reference to in my reply.

 

Andre,

You might take a look at this site: http://www.kchistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/Zeldin&CISOPTR=118&CISOBOX=1&REC=17

I'm pretty certain this picture was taken in the West Bottoms. I can't tell you the exact location, but the buildings all seem like landmarks to me. Folks like Keith Robinson and Mark Davidson, who are virtually scholars in their knowledge about the West Bottoms, could confirm or disprove this.

Hope this is of help to you -

Bob McKeighan
Lenexa, KS

 

Hi Bob!

Thanks for that neat pic!

Like you, I suspect it was taken in the West Bottoms: "Kansas City Cold Storage and Warehouse"... works for me!

(Note the painted hand pointing toward the KC Cold Storage and Warehouse facility? Meaning that smaller building on which the sign is found was NOT KC Cold Storage and Warehouse. Interesting!)

 

Andre,

Here is another portion of that same site with some Sanborn Maps (early) of Kanas City West Bottoms: http://www.kchistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/Sanborn&CISOPTR=34&CISOBOX=1&REC=4

As you scroll down and look at the list of industries, there is a "Peopole's Ice and Cold Storage Co.". Could it be that the beef that was processed locally by Armour, Swift, etc., was delivered to cold storage facilities, prior to final packaging in local grocery stores?

Speculation on my part - my curiousity is growing.

Bob

 

I did some research on KC meat packers about four years ago when researching my West Bottoms layout. I'm am about 80% certain that the Frisco switched only the Armour plant in the west bottoms. The track ran north up Santa Fe street, turned left into a small yard called Henning Street. They then pulled cars out of the Armour complex. I have not been able to find out where the icing facilities were, but they are at Henning Street in my 1/87 version.

Finding Armour cars are a bit of a problem. Intermountain had some nice ones, I have three. I have a couple of MDC 36 footers, have some undec Intermountain I need to paint and three of the upcoming Rapido GRAX(?) ones on the way. I read somewhere that you would not find competing meat packer cars at another packer. So those easy to find good looking red Swift cars are out. Walthers has some low detail ones in the later large Armour markings, but I wanted the earlier small herald ones.

John

 

Where is the RI ice house?