I ran across a PDF here at Frisco.org that shows industries on the Fort Worth Subdivision and I've been studying it with great interest. All the industries I'm familiar with from Sherman to Irving are represented, as well as several that are gone or lying dormant after years of disuse. In the Fort Worth area there is a lot of trackage that I've only known to be operated by different shortlines over the past 30 years or so. Having said that, I know Frisco had a yard in Fort Worth off 8th Avenue but it didn't seem to connect to the rest of the system. The main to the south of 8th Avenue yard was formerly operated by the Fort Worth & Rio Grande, an important livestock route that was purchased from the Frisco by the Santa Fe in 1937. The main to the north of the yard ran just a few miles to the Fort Worth stockyards. Here connections to several other railroads were made at the Tower 60 interlocking, including a connection with the Cotton Belt which is labeled "to Sherman." As far as I know there's never been a direct Frisco-owned connection between the Sherman-Irving main and Frisco's operations in Fort Worth. The Fort Worth stockyards industry schematic alludes to the Cotton Belt's Plano-Fort Worth branch as one possible route. But where the Cotton Belt crosses and connects with the Frisco at Carrollton the information given on that page relates more to interchange with Cotton Belt than anything else. The other route from Sherman to Fort Worth is the Tulsa-Irving main, which crosses the Cotton Belt at Carrollton and continues south, terminating in Irving at a connection with the former Burlington-Rock Island between Fort Worth and Dallas. Today this is the primary route used by BNSF to connect Fort Worth to Irving and Tulsa. So, what I'm wondering is, did the Frisco ever operate across the Cotton Belt from Carrollton to Fort Worth? If so, when was this line used?
The Frisco did use the Cotton Belt main from Carrollton to Fort Worth. I do not know the dates, but when the Frisco started running over the Rock Island to Ft. Worth is when the Frisco gave up the rights on the SSW. As a side note the pole line on the SSW was Frisco owned and maintained by the Frisco. The Frisco left the RI at tower 60 and then traveled about 3/4 of a mile south on the Cotton Belt then back on their own railroad to 8th Avenue yard. The Frisco also had a freight house across the tracks and west of the TP station. I believe that track has been removed, it originated at 8th Avenue yard. Also, the Frisco crossed the ATSF at Birds Jct. and proceeded to a connection with the Katy's Ft. Worth yard. There were several industries on this belt line. That line has also been abandoned from the ATSF (BNSF) main to the Katy (UP) yard. All of what is left of the old Frisco is now operated by the FWWR, which also operates the old SSW main to Carrollton. At Carrollton there is an industrial park that the FWWR switches. The Frisco had a spur into the Industrial part that departed off the main south of the Carrolton depot. It was abandoned in the early 2000's. The main line south from Carrolton to Irving was RI. I can't recall the name of the industrial park north of Irving, but is was switched by both the RI and Frisco. The Frisco also used the RI into Dallas. The Frisco had a freight house in Dallas and interchanged with other railroads, maybe ATSF only, and that was it. I am sure I have left some things out, but I hope this helps. Jerome
Howdy, Great question. The Texas Western Model Railroad Club is designing a new layout that includes SLSF track in Fort Worth area. I don't know if they owned track from Carrollton, but they did cross to Fort Worth. I think the old SLSF Station had a small track behind the station for LCL traffic. I am still investigating Fort Worth from 1942 to 1962. Best, Mike
Lots of good information there, Jerome. Thank you. Mike, I'm glad to hear Texas Western has plans for the future. Will you be building in Forest Hill?
Our new home is at 6808 Forest Hill. It is the old community center and a really nice building. Best, Mike
Fantastic news, Mike. The newly created Tarrant County Modular Railroad Association recently found a retail space to set up in, so that's become something of a lifeline to some of the Union Station club members who recently lost their home. Our situation is a lot less fixed than yours since we're on a month-to-month basis, but it's better than nothing. And it's really spurred some interest in Free-mo in the area and gotten more than a few of us motivated to work on our modules. It's good to hear some more good news about model railroading in north Texas - the more the merrier!
I just ordered a Genesis GP38-2 and it should be arriving any day now. While looking around for photos of the prototype and similar engines from the same class, I came across this photo on Fallen Flags: http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/slsf/slsf451hbp.jpg I know that bridge. I've been over it many times. It's the UP Duncan Subdivision, which was the bankrupt Rock Island at the time of the photo. I know that parallel track that 451 is about to cross over. Been on that many times. It's UP Choctaw Subdivision Main 1, formerly the Fort Worth & Denver main to Tower 55. This is the track Jerome mentioned in his reply to this thread. Even though I've studied this area time and time again, I never could find evidence of this track. I didn't realize the switch came off the Rock Island, the track in the background that the train is on, immediately north of the bridge where it looks like it was a pretty tight fit. Just past the switch, the track crossed over the Fort Worth & Denver just south of Tower 60. A look through some early 2000s aerial photos confirms there was roadbed in this area and I missed it in my searches just north of the Trinity River bridges. Looking at the 1979 photos on Historic Aerials confirms the alignment of this track. The section of track this train is on continues west over the Santa Fe before turning southwest onto the Cotton Belt before becoming the Frisco main to 8th Avenue yard. This was a major "ah ha!" moment for me. Now I know how the Frisco got to 8th Avenue yard from Sherman. Now I understand why as soon as operations were consolidated with BN/FW&D in the area this track was basically erased and so difficult to find any evidence. I'm guessing that this connector track must have been installed right around the time the Frisco stopped using the Cotton Belt to go from Carrollton to Fort Worth. I'm not sure how long the service life of this track was, but it couldn't have been too long. The only remaining evidence of the removed portion now is a paved-over crossing on Samuels Avenue. The west half of the track remains in service as an industry spur. If it had been a snake, it would have bit me. So now that I've got this location figured out, who can help me with this one? http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/slsf/slsf121abp.jpg
