Hi my name is tommy meehan and I live in Sleepy Hollow / Yonkers NY. I discovered the Frisco during the 18 months I spent at Ft. Sill back in 1972-73. Spent quite a bit of time along the ROW, took many photographs and collected some ETTs. Being from New York, I knew very little about the St. Louis-San Fransico but I became very fond of the road. I remember my first morning at Ft. Sill, being awakened by air horns blowing for the grade crossing near Key Gate. I was in a transient barracks east of the track and I remember wondering what railroad served Ft. Sill. I thought probably Santa Fe or MKT. Frisco never entered my mind. When the train came into view it was a local freight with a single GP7 in O&W. The Frisco? I thought okay, guess I'll be seeing a lot of this road. And I did, I saw the Frisco almost everyday while at Ft. Sill. Was glad of it too. (Also glad to be back from Viet-Nam.)
Welcome aboard, Tommy. This is a great site for fans of the Frisco. I'm sure that everyone here would like to see some of the photographs you took of the Frisco while stationed at Ft. Sill. Please consider uploading them. Plenty of assistance is available if you need it, just ask. Thanks for your service to our country. It is greatly appreciated.
I echo Kevin's statement. Hope that you find this "site" as great as I have. Lot's of nice folks here! Welcome, Tommy, and again .. Thank you.
Thanks guys. Yes it is a great site, I've used it before just hadn't joined. The photos I took sadly were all destroyed about fifteen years ago when there was a fire in the apt bldg where I then lived. My stuff was ruined primarily from heat and water damage. They were mostly shots of various GP38s on various freights on the straightaway along H.E. Bailey opposite Ft. Sill. No great loss I can assure you! Except to me but I still have my memories.
Welcome, Tommy. Did you live in the barracks or were you able to live off base? I was at Ft. Sill from Aug. 1968 to June 1971. I was able to live off base, and our second apartment, (on 12th st.) was one block from the Frisco mainline after it had turned west. There were several crossings through that area, and I thought they would never clear the crossings so that they could stop blowing the horn. Little did I know at the time that I would work for the Frisco/BN/BNSF for almost 39 years. The Rock Island also went through Lawton at that time, but, I must say, I don't remember anything about that railroad. I do remember seeing the QLA and QSF go through Lawton from my apartment. Also, a local switched a lumber yard which was one block from our apartment. One day I saw three trains meet at Lawton--two short ones and one of the through trains. I don't remember an actual passing track, but around the depot were several tracks, and the two short trains were able to clear the main for the through freight. Of course, it was all Greek to me, but it was very interesting to see all that activity in such a short time span. Terry
Hi Terry and thanks for the welcome. I lived off-post for a couple months but most of the time I lived in the barracks. HHB III Corp Artillery. That was behind the main PX, near the drive-in bank if you recall that. Today I was looking over the area with Google satelite view. The lumber yard is still there, I remember it. I have some addtl info about the Frisco in Lawton and Ft. Sill. Some comes from a former SLSF brakeman who worked on the Chickasha Sub in the '70s. We discussed this several years ago in the Yahoo Frisco group. When I get a chance I'll refresh my memory and start a thread in the SW Div forum.
Well, Tommy, you piqued my curiosity and so I googled Lawton, also. I was wrong about living on 12th st. We lived on 13th instead. I see the lumber yard and the track running one block from where we lived. That was a long time ago. My brother--he was also there in an Honest John unit-- and our wives and I went through Ft. Sill in Jan. of 2009, and we couldn't find either of our unit buildings, so much has changed. I will be looking forward to any of the Frisco info you have. Thanks, Terry
Welcome aboard Tommyguy! This is THE Frisco site. PLUS, it's got some of the best forumites to boot. You'll like it here. No fussing, no cussing, only discussing the Frisco... by a bunch if Frisco idiots! On a serious note: Thank you very much for your service to our Country, and I am very glad you returned safely from Viet Nam. Andre Ming
