Does anyone know how passenger trains were routed into Joplin? My best guess based on what I have found so far is... From Springfield, MO 323.3 Oronogo Junction Red Plant 327.0 Webb City (Carterville) East Joplin Cross KCS 332.5 Joplin Frisco Station (back in) Cross MoPac Cross SLSF J&G Junction Ruth Yard Iron Gates Old Rock 341.6 Galena, KS 349.0 Riverton, KS 349.7 Baxter Springs, KS And then on to Kansas City Does anyone know when the Frisco ended passenger train service to Joplin? I have seen 1955 quoted and I know the Wichita trains ended in 1960. Any help is appreciated. Mike Sypult Rogers, AR
You didn't say during which time frame. I have a Northern Div ETT No 9, May 6 1923, which shows 19 daily passenger trains serving Joplin. Can any other Frisco town boast that many passenger trains at this date? See the attached map for routings 303 Joplin Psgr 304 St Louis Psgr 305 SW Limited 306 St Louis Special 186 Joplin Accomdation 187 Oklahoma Accomodation 188 Joplin and OK Express 181 Oklahoma Local 311 Kansas Mail 312 St Louis Express 316 Springfield Express 317 Joplin Accom 321 KC Psgr 323 KC Special 324 Joplin Special 325 KC Express 326 Local Psgr 372 Joplin Limited 329 Local Psgr
By 1939, the depression and concrete highways had killed most brancline psgr traffic. Two trains remained, the KC-Tulsa Oil Fields Special, and the St Louis-Wichita trains. ETT No 30 May 1939 117/118 The Oil Fields Special 320/323 The Oil Fields Special, Since the OFS traversed the J&G Junction to the Joplin Depot twice as it entered and then left town, a separate "train" was established so there were not two trains 117 or 118 traveling between those points. 303 The Kansas Mail 310 The St Louis Special
Karl, Thanks for the excellent post. The 1915 Joplin District map is very helpful. I guess I should have been more specific as to time frame. I was thinking along the lines of the last couple of decades of Frisco passenger service into Joplin (1940 to 1960). Do you know when the Oil Fields Special made its last run into Joplin? I show the last Wichita train to have run October 16, 1960. Would this have been the final SLSF passenger train into Frisco Station? Your map shows the Frieght House at 10th Street. Was the 5 stall wooden roundhouse in this area as well? Mike Sypult MP 333 Central Division