Crystal City & PPG Plant

Discussion in 'General' started by patrick, Jun 12, 2001.

  1. patrick

    patrick Guest

    In another post and reply interchanges between other roads and Frisco has been mentioned. In Crystal City MO, there is/was an interchange between MoPac/Frisco/PPG.

    PPG was the glass plant there which had its own yard and tracks. MoPac used the PPG tracks to get to the Frisco tracks to get down to St. Gen. (If you ever go to St. Gen it looks kinda funny because when you go to the north part of town where the Frisco tracks come in, there is a small/medium sized UP(MoPac) yard there off the Frisco main)

    PPG would recieve Frisco hoppers loaded with Silica sand from a mine at Ludwig north of Festus.

    So the discussion is can anyone add anymore info to this little hub of activity? I know I'm leaving a lot out and I'm thinking of trying to get a little article together covering this area because there was a lot going on and it would be a great place to model.
     
  2. jerryhowe

    jerryhowe Guest

    For those of you interested in the Crystal City, MO. area please be advised that the bridge on Mississippi Ave over the old Frisco main/siding is scheduled to be torn down and replace with something more modern.

    If you are wanting photos of this old overpass you had better get them now.

    Ex PPG employee - local citizen - MPHS Archivist
     
  3. chris

    chris Guest

    In response to James' wealth of great information on Crystal City, I'd be interested if you or anyone else knows of the following:

    •Approximate volume of traffic generated by PPG in the 1940s (cars per day)
    •What is the # series of the 70-ton Frisco gons?
    •Was there an assigned steam locomotive to the Crystal City local in the 1940s? If so, anyone know what #?
    •Anyone have a picture/pictures or diagrams of the interlocker and tower that they could post to the Resource Center?
    •Anyone have pictures of the depot c. 1940s?

    I agree wholeheartedly with Pat; this would be a superb area to model, especially for the modeler interested in switching or who doesn't have an abundance of room.
     
  4. jerry

    jerry Guest

    If someone is to model the Crystal City area (PPG) in the 1940's then don't forget the railroad mail service.

    Today, if someone in Crystal City was to write a letter to someone in Cape Girardeau you shouldn't except a response any sooner than 7 days.

    We have copies of letters between my wife's grandfather and his future bride who were located in this two FRISCO served towns. He worked at PPG and she attended the Teachers college at Cape.

    The time for the letters to get to Cape and back was three days, sometimes less. He would mail his letter at the station next to the plant where it would go out on the next train, be delivered to Cape in a few hours, then she would do the same.

    Not this once per day with letters going from Crystal City to St. Louis to some regional sorting plant then finally to Cape. What progress we made since the rail lines were forced out of the mail business and the cost has only risen from 5 cents to 34 cents.
     
  5. patrick

    patrick Guest

    Here is a picture of the Frisco yard at Crystal City next to PPG. Its is around the 1950's judging from the automobiles.
    To the lower right at the foot of the water tower, you can see the tracks that go to the other PPG yard, which wasn't much more than a line and a siding that connected with the MoPac via the old MR&BT tracks.
    There is a lot more to see on the pic, such as the PPG switcher moving cars out of the Frisco yard, there is a flat car with the giant sanding disc for the glass just up form there.
    To the upper left you can see some more tracks that are accross the Plattin Creek. That is the location of PPG's sand mine, and they got to them from a seperate bridge to the south of the plant. (you can't see it in this picture)
    I have two other pictures from different angles that I will post in a bit.
    [​IMG]
     
  6. patrick

    patrick Guest

    1970s Derailment near Crystal City MO

    Another shot of the derailment. The Crystal City Station can be seen to the right in the picture.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 26, 2006
  7. patrick

    patrick Guest

    GP-38 #531 at PPG, Crystal City

    Shot of 3 geeps and 2 -38's from the viaduct over the main at Crystal City. The siding to the left leads into PPG.
     

    Attached Files:

    • 967.jpg
      967.jpg
      File size:
      67.7 KB
      Views:
      39
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 16, 2006
  8. patrick

    patrick Guest

    GP7 A shot of the lead geep at Crystal City

    A shot of the lead geep at Crystal City.
     

    Attached Files:

    • 1006.jpg
      1006.jpg
      File size:
      114.8 KB
      Views:
      32
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 16, 2006
  9. patrick

    patrick Guest

    GP-38 switching inside the PPG plant at Crystal City

    A shot of a GP-38 switching inside the PPG plant at Crystal City.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 16, 2006
  10. patrick

    patrick Guest

    Sign at Crystal City.
    [​IMG]
     
  11. Jasonppg

    Jasonppg Member

    I work at Crystal city underground the old sand mine for ppg looking for old pictures and stories very rare to find thank you
     

Share This Page