This line was originally constructed as a supply line and means of travel between Pensacola and the sprawling Navy Yard (later known as Pensacola Naval Air Station) in the late 1800s to 1900s. The line was approximately 7.5 miles long with a passing track in the middle and crossed the Bayou Chico on a Bascule Bridge and the Bayou Grande on a long wood pile trestle. The line was unique in that it had the only Bascule Bridge on the Frisco. Trackage was constructed by the same company that operated Pensacola's street railway and was eventually acquired by the Pensacola Electric Company and electrified. In 1928 the line was purchased by the Frisco, but remained an electric line until 1932. At that time after bridge strengthening and track work regular steam engines took over. One interesting tidbit of information is that portions of the movie "Wings of Eagles" were filmed on this line in 1957 using the former Frisco 3749. For those not familiar with this movie it was a John Wayne war movie under the direction of the late John Ford and had several steam engine scenes. The Frisco 3749, an 0-6-0 type weighting 77 tons with an 11-foot wheel base, had to have her stack cut down several inches in order to clear the Bayou Chico Bridge. This was probably the last steam engine operated on the Frisco! The line remained in continuous service until 1972. At this time the line was closed west of Bayou Chico with the Frisco continuing to serve a few industries located West of the Bayou Chico Bridge. By the mid seventies most of the industries were gone and in 1976 Frisco received authority to remove the Bascule Bridge and remaining line to the point of connection with the port line which was about a mile south of the yard.
Pensacola NAS Line - Bayou Grande crossing Site of the Bayou Grande crossing. The northern landfall was about where the gazebo is on the left side. The trestle would have been in front of the sailboat on the right side of the picture.
Great pics; I never thought I'd see any pics on this subject! Thanks. Anyone else with anything, please post!
