Mike L. Hope you can straighten me out on a subject. On weekends I do gofer work on a Baldwin rebuild in Sulphur Springs. I think, if I remember correctly, one of the folks talking about the Frisco being run by the Santa Fe (here in Texas) for a few years during re-organization. True? Thks Robin W.
In 1879 the Frisco and its subsidiary the A&P (the old 35th parallel transcontinental trunk line project) entered into an agreement with the ASTSF called the "Tripartite Agreement" which was ratified by the board of all three companies in January 1880. Basically this agreement created two separate companies the Atlantic and Pacific Western Division from Albuquerque to the West Coast and the Atlantic and Pacific Central Division through Indian Territory to Albuquerque. Both jointly owned and controlled by the Frisco and ATSF. At this point in time the Frisco and its A & P subsidiary were stymied at the eastern edge of Indian territory. The decision was made to go around the Indian Territory via Wichita and then ATSF to Albuquerque to a connection with the A&P Western Division. This was to last until such time as the problems with the Indian Territory could be resolved and the A&P Central Division constructed. It was also specified in the agreement that the Frisco would not construct a line west of Sedwick County (Wichita) and that no new line would be built by either party in competition with the other except by mutual consent and joint ownership at joint cost. ATSF was allowed to place several people on the Frisco Board of Directors. Needless to say this agreement proved to be more valuable to the ATSF than the Frisco as the ATSF was not interested in constructing the A&P Central Division. In 1890 the ATSF purchased control of the Frisco and the Frisco became a part of the ATSF system. In the financial panic of 1893, the ATSF went to receivers. The reorganized St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad Company, at a foreclosure sale, bought the old Frisco and the A&P Central Division. The new Frisco also received title to the New Mexico and Arizona Land Company as their portion of the Western Division. The Western Division became part of the Santa Fe. Hope this helps!
