Memphis Central Station track assignments

[arkrail]

Frisco trains, as well as IC and RI trains, generally operated into the same station tracks at Memphis on each trip. These track specifications do not appear in employee timetables or division special instructions.

Do any pre-1967 files exist for Memphis terminal general orders or general notices, and if so, do these documents provide any guidance on Central Station track assignments for Frisco trains?

Bill

[oldaudio]

Bill: I have some old blueprints and track diagrams for the changees made at Memphis Central station. I believe these are aound the time Memphis Union Station closed ( 1961-62 ? )

[George Harris]

At this point, I cannot remember how many tracks stubbed and how many were through. There were 10 tracks all together and the low numbers were the stub tracks. Track 1 was adjacent to Main Street. I do recall the following:

105 and 106 backed in on the eastermost through track so that the pullman(s) were right at the concourse so that you had no walk on the platforms, at all. Otherwise, this track was used by the ICRR.

The Memphis - Birmingham trainset for the Sunnyland always spent the day on track 1.

I think, but am not sure that tracks 2 and 3 were used by the Frisco for the St. Louis and Kansas City trains, and track 4 and 5 were used by the CRIP. After Union Station closed, I think that the L&N trains were handled on 3 and 4. At the time Union closed, the trains at Central became:

ICRR:
City of New Orleans
Panama Limited
Louisiane
Creole - northbound only - Memphis Chicago
Southern Express - southbound only - Chicago Memphis
Chickasaw - to/from St. Louis
Delta Express - to/from Greenville MS

CRIP
Chocktaw Rockette - RDC
Trains 111, 112 - late night mail trains

SLSF
Kansas City Florida Special
Sunnyland - Memphis - Kansas City
Sunnyland - Memphis - St. Louis
Sunnyland - Memphis - Birmingham

L&N
Pan American - "Baby Pan" Memphis - Cincinatti - day train
Hummingbird - "Baby Bird" - Memphis - Cincinatti - night train
Memphis - Nashville night train.

Within a few years all were gone except two ICRR trains.

[oldaudio]

Bill & George: I'll have to dig out those old track diagrams and see if they actually have the designations on them. I think they did some track re-alignments around this time to accomodate the added movements.
When I find them, I try and scan them to the files section, or send them PM.
Thanks, Durff

[arkrail]

Mike and George,
The Memphis Historical Railroad Pages (Mike Condren) contain several diagrams of Memphis Central Station and its trackage.
See http://www.cbu.edu/~mcondren/MRP/MemphisCentralStation/MemphisCentralStation.htm for more information.

Unfortunately, we have still not located any document (probably an IC general order or general notice) which specifies certain tracks for certain trains using Central Station.

Bill

[TAG1014]

I believe there's another aerial or bird's eye view of the station here among Mike Condren's webpages that gives some details as to which tracks were served by the various RR's--sorry I can't locate it at the moment. I believe the written observations were by Ken McElreath.

Tom

[arkrail]

Tom,
Thanks for the reminder. I believe that the page/commentary that you were seeking is in the Frisco passenger train section
http://www.cbu.edu/~mcondren/MRP/MemphisCentralStation/Frisco-Memphis-Pass-Pixs.htm

Mike does not have the most recent commentary regarding this view.... after more brainstorming, a group of regular contributors to the Memphis RR site decided that the steam powered train on track two was most likely the IC outbound Delta Express, not a Frisco train.

Bill