Beaumont, KS

[Karl]

B&B drawings and Beaumont Track Chart

[Karl]

Beaumont, KS sat atop the divide that separated Otter Creek and Little Walnut Creek. Westbound trains had nearly ten miles of 1.0% to1.2% grades before cresting the divide. Eastbound traffic faced a gentler 0.3% to 1.0% climb. Being the northern terminal for Western Division trains, a five-stall roundhouse and 5 track yard was maintained.

Known as the location of the last remaining Frisco water tank, even as late as 1967 many structures remained.

The original roundhouse burned to the ground on December 19, 1919. It was rebuilt during 1920 with a wood framed, corrugated sheet-metal building. As can be seem in the photos, pieces of the structure still stood in 1967. The Frisco used a ten-pocket coaling trestle until 1947. The trestle was retired and replaced with Red Devil Coal Loader. The Frisco built a structure to house coal loader and to protect the coal-laden hopper cars, which supplied the coal. That structure remained, as well, into the late ‘60’s. Three other structure are also seen in the photographs, i.e., the tool house, the section car house, and the structure that housed the roundhouse office, storeroom, and shower.

The photograph of the station sign and telephone booth is the approximate location of the depot.

I received the photographs from Jim Rucker, who I believe to be deceased. I met him when I first moved to Houston, but have lost touch of him.

Beaumont might fit the bill for modelers who desire a small layout.

[mark]

Photographs of the 1885 water tower or water tank in Beaumont, KS.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jstephenconn/4308286991/sizes/l/in/set-72157623293989054/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jstephenconn/4309021714/sizes/l/in/set-72157623293989054/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7225206@N06/2155252696/sizes/l/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jstephenconn/4308283105/sizes/l/in/set-72157623293989054/ (water tank historic sign)

Hope this helps.

Thanks!

Mark

[mark]

Photograph of the station sign at Beaumont, KS.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jstephenconn/4308283647/sizes/l/in/set-72157623293989054/

Typical of many of the railroad's right of way signs it is mounted on an iron pipe with a flattened top.

Hope this helps.

Thanks!

Mark

[mark]

Please see the following link for additional photographs of the Beaumont water tank and historic marker.

http://www.denverrails.com/db/attgallery.cfm?attr_id=1376

Click on the image on the left for a larger view.

Hope this helps.

Thanks!

Mark

[TAG1014]

Good top see the water tower preserved and with an organized effort. Too bad they don't restore the Frisco "coonskin" herald.

Tom

[shostetler]

ok, hate for this to be my first post, but I can't help but to notice the station site ed pic.... is that guy whizzing on the side of the building? lol I'm very interested in this old Frisco line. I caught a pic of a train overhead in a copy of CTC Board several years ago, anybody have any more pics from around Wichita?

[TAG1014]

Sure enough...

Tom