Ste. Genevieve, MO, St. Louis Subdivision, MP 65.2

For your information, in the early 1970s both the Frisco and Missouri Pacific (MP) depots were still standing in Ste. Genevieve, MO.

They were located across from each other with the Frisco and MP mains between them.

 

I was down in Ste Genevieve a few years ago taking pictures, and one depot was still standing.

I believe it was the Frisco that was standing, but I am going have to dig out the photograph to be sure.

There was only one though.

Ste Gen got hit really hard by a major flood in 1993.

 

It has been a while since I was in Ste. Genevieve.

As I remember it, if you stood facing north where the Missouri Pacific (MP) tracks start to curve west, the depots were directly across from each other.

The Frisco depot and main track was on the east or right and the MP depot and tracks were on the west or left.

The MP yard was further to the north. The MP had another building further north that was an office of some kind.

I am under the impression that both passenger depots were torn down about the same time, but I could be wrong.

 

My notes are at home, but I do recall seeing a 1920s-era Sanborn Map that, I believe, lists a joint "Union" station depot in Ste. Genevieve, MO.

If I am remembering correctly, it was on the west side of the tracks.

I will try to do some digging sometime in the next year to see what I can find and will edit this post accordingly.

Meanwhile, if others have independent confirmation I would like to see it.

There was a depot in 1993 when I was sandbagging on the impromptu levee, but water was about 1/3 of the way up the roof.

For your information, the Ste. Genevieve museum has a superb 1:87" model of the Missouri and Illinois (M&I) river ferry at Thomure, MO, just north of Ste. Genevieve.

Joe Collias' book Frisco Power shows a picture of a Frisco 2-8-0 rolling north on the St. Louis Subdivision across the M&I diamond just west of the ferry.

 

Terraserver shows an aerial photograph from 1996, but the building it shows, seems a little north of where the tracks split.

It seems to me that the depot was a bit further south.

 

The video "Glory Machines 4 - St Louis Glory", has excellent shots of Joe Collias's movies of the Ste. Genevieve ferry and Missouri-Illinois (MI) operations in the late 1940s.

It also includes some Frisco trains and depot scenes.

I believe one scene shows both depots across from each other.

 

See INTERCHANGES discussion for the precursors to this message.

As my new information does not exactly pertain to Interchanges, it seemed like a good time to start a new topic.

Ste. Genevieve 1926: My notes indicated that there was a "Union Depot" adjacent to North Front Street just north of Merchant Street. There was a single track to the west between the passenger depot and Front Street. To the east was a double-track for Missouri and Illinois (M&I) and Frisco.

Farther to the east was a freight depot. No notes on whether it was either Frisco, M&I or both, with an additional 2 tracks to its east.

The easternmost tracks travelled south a few blocks. In between the two sets of double-tracks and due east of Merchant Street was Pierce Petroleum Company, with 1 oil warehouse, 2 gasoline tanks and 2 oil tanks, with the Barnsdall Refineries, Inc. just to the south of Pierce Street.

Immediately east of this location on the eastside of the last tracks was the Missouri General Utilities waterworks and power plant, with a railroad tool house immediately south and Standard Oil bulk oil dealer farther to the south. These two tracks continued further south to the Western Lime Works.

For prototype modelers, this might give some good prototype industry names for trackside businesses. If I can ever get around to sketching these diagrams, I will do my best to post them.

 

Glad to hear your information on Ste. Gen.

My great uncle worked the Missouri Pacific (MP) all his life. One time he told me about one of his brother-in-laws that worked the Frisco out of Ste. Gen. I guess the Frisco had a bigger presence there back then.

On another note the city of Cape Girardeau, MO closed the flood wall gates the week of June 4th. This blocked the Frisco tracks.

Has the line been opened yet?

 

Dwain,

The Mississippi at Cape Girardeau just recently dropped below flood stage, 32 feet, but is set to crest again Thursday at 33 feet.

I believe that they usually shut the north railroad gate, at the south end of Freeze siding, in the neighborhood of 35 feet.

The south railroad flood gate immediately south of the current depot only closes when the river reaches much higher levels. Well over 40 feet, I believe.

It has only been closed 2 or 3 times that I can remember in my lifetime.

Ship IT on the Frisco!

 

Here is a picture of the depot at Ste Gen that is or was standing.

http://www.geocities.com/mp_tp/st-gensta.jpg

 

Thanks Chris.

I have been watching the River Division at Lindenwood and have not seen much traffic except for coal trains.

I guess they could run to Rush Island.

Dwain

 

There have been freight trains heading south at Byars siding all of this week and I seem to recall several last week also.

 

Chris and Dwain,

Anyone interested in the River Division and Old Man River itself might want to bookmark the enclosed page.

http://lms61.mvs.usace.army.mil/dresriv.html

 

Stopped in Ste. Gen Sunday afternoon to see what remained of the Frisco and Missouri Pacific (MP) train depots.

I had not been there since the mid 1970s and remember the two depots being in town. I turned on Market Street and crossed the tracks. It was here or the next cross street north that was the location of the two stations.

To my surprise I found the next street north blocked by the levee constructed during the flood of 1993. I went to the visitors center to see if anyone there new about the two depots, but it was closed for the day. I guess that I will try to get back in the fall and walk the area.

I think the foundation of the Frisco depot would still be there, but the MP depot foundation is probably covered by the levee.

 

Ste Genevieve, MO

Here is a shot of the Missouri Pacific (MP) and the Frisco depots in Ste Genevieve, MO.

I believe the crossover switch was used by the Missouri and Illinois (M&I), a MP subsidiary, to take their train south on the Frisco to Cape Girardeau to cross the Mississippi River after the transfer boat, the "Ste Genevieve", was removed from service in the early 1960s.

 

Great information!!

Also, can you show locations with wyes, turntables, water tanks, etc.?

Thanks,

Dwain

 

Hi Don and Chris!

The starting chat was old.

We are here. Their chats were very good.

Anyhow, are any of those guests still kicking it around?

Have they been back?

Those guests were Chris, Dwain, Patrick, Jerry and Dave. Okay, one has been back. A "style" of member that is or was "trackside" is enjoyable.

What those guests chatted about remind me of what George does with a camera, you Don do about with his dad's and your experiences, William's, Andre's too, and some others.

We need more of that. I really enjoy those chats.

Thanks