Karl
06-04-2006, 09:49 PM
By the summer of 1965 the handwriting was on the wall, and on September 18, the Kansas City-Florida Special and the Sunnyland would fade into history. The MKT ran its last passenger train over the KC Sub during June of 1965. The MP’s Colorado Eagle no longer used the Frisco’s KC sub as a “short-cut” to Paola.
In an act of dubious economy, the Frisco management decided to retire the East Mainline between Cross-over “D” (C-26+20 poles to C-26+28 poles) and Cross-over “E”. (C-37+13 poles and C-37+21 poles). The West Mainline received new 132 lbs CWR during April 1965 to replace its circa late 1940’s head-free 112/115 lbs jointed rail, but the East Main between these points would be sacrificed. Management thought that the resulting 11 mile stretch of single track would not effect the dwindling traffic, and they saw the hope for lower costs in terms of taxes and maintenance.
Management had one other motive in its action; the Frisco needed the rail. At this time, the Frisco had plans to tap the recently discovered lead ore of the “New Lead Belt”. By using the head-free 112/115 lbs jointed rail from the KC sub, the Frisco could realize substantial savings over new CWR for its new branch line. It should be noted, that even though the Frisco decided to use concrete ties on the Lead Belt, the railroad skimped on the quantity, and caused itself all sorts of maintenance problems, but that’s another story.
By June 1965, the rail and OTM had been removed, but the ties remained. In these shots taken at Spring Hill, KS, a Burro crane and a Speedswing work to remove the last remnants of the East Main. A brief stretch of the East Track remains through town, and serves as a storage track for the gons-full of ties. Note all the gons on the Spring Hill Grain track, which is in the background of one of the photos.
After the track had been removed it was common to see trains waiting at “old Cross-over D and E” for opposing trains. I’d wager that the dispatchers and train crews failed to see the wisdom in management’s move. Even today, rumors exist that the BNSF wants to put it back.
In an act of dubious economy, the Frisco management decided to retire the East Mainline between Cross-over “D” (C-26+20 poles to C-26+28 poles) and Cross-over “E”. (C-37+13 poles and C-37+21 poles). The West Mainline received new 132 lbs CWR during April 1965 to replace its circa late 1940’s head-free 112/115 lbs jointed rail, but the East Main between these points would be sacrificed. Management thought that the resulting 11 mile stretch of single track would not effect the dwindling traffic, and they saw the hope for lower costs in terms of taxes and maintenance.
Management had one other motive in its action; the Frisco needed the rail. At this time, the Frisco had plans to tap the recently discovered lead ore of the “New Lead Belt”. By using the head-free 112/115 lbs jointed rail from the KC sub, the Frisco could realize substantial savings over new CWR for its new branch line. It should be noted, that even though the Frisco decided to use concrete ties on the Lead Belt, the railroad skimped on the quantity, and caused itself all sorts of maintenance problems, but that’s another story.
By June 1965, the rail and OTM had been removed, but the ties remained. In these shots taken at Spring Hill, KS, a Burro crane and a Speedswing work to remove the last remnants of the East Main. A brief stretch of the East Track remains through town, and serves as a storage track for the gons-full of ties. Note all the gons on the Spring Hill Grain track, which is in the background of one of the photos.
After the track had been removed it was common to see trains waiting at “old Cross-over D and E” for opposing trains. I’d wager that the dispatchers and train crews failed to see the wisdom in management’s move. Even today, rumors exist that the BNSF wants to put it back.