Springfield Terminal Division - List Of Stations and Mileposts

Nichols to South Springfield, MO

Nichols to South Springfield, MO.

M. P.---Station---------------Built---P. C.-------Abandoned
197.6---Nichols---------------1881---KCS&M---1992
201.3---South Springfield---1881---"

Predecessor Company
1) KCS&M - Kansas City, Springfield and Memphis Railroad (1)

Notes
1) Connects with Ash Grove Subdivision and Springfield Subdivision at Nichols, MO.
2) Connects with West Belt and Willow Springs Subdivision at South Springfield, MO.
3) Became part of the Springfield Terminal Division.
4) Ash Grove Subdivision diamond crossing of the Springfield Subdivision at Nichols Junction removed after the end of passenger operations on 12/9/1967. Removed 19??.
5) Abandoned and track removed from Nichols Junction connection to Springfield Subdivision to just East of North Hillcrest Avenue, MP 235.9 (former Ash Grove Subdivision MP 199.8).
6) Known as the "passenger main".

 

South Springfield to W. S. Junction, MO

South Springfield to W. S. Junction, MO.

M.P.----Station---------------Built---P. C.-------Abandoned
201.3---South Springfield---1882---KCS&M---
203.9---Provision------------1882---"------------
205.1---Hays------------------1882---"------------1979
205.6---W. S. Jct.-------------1882---KCS&M---1979

Predecessor Company
1) Kansas City, Springfield and Memphis Railroad

Notes
1) Connects with West Belt, Ash Grove Subdivision and Willow Springs Subdivision at South Springfield, MO.
2) Connects with Lebanon Subdivision and East Belt at Mill Street Junction and Chadwick (later Ozark) Branch at Southern (later Chadwick, then MK) Junction.
3) Connects with Willow Springs Subdivision "New" East Belt or "Freight Main" at W. S. Junction after 1955.
4) W. S. Junction is short for "Willow Springs" Junction.
5) Became part of the Springfield Terminal Division.
6) Known as the "passenger main".
7) The "old" system General Office Building (GOB) is located one block South of this line segment at 309 North Jefferson Avenue. It has been repurposed as apartments called the Frisco Lofts.

 

North Springfield to South Springfield, MO (East Belt)

North Springfield to South Springfield, MO (East Belt)

M. P.---Station---------------------Built-----P. C.
236.7---Eastern Junction---------1870----SP RR
237.7---North Springfield--------1870-----"
237.1---Pacific Street Junction---1883----SL&SF RY
238.3---Pine Street Junction-----1883----"
238.7---Mill Street Junction-----1883----"
239.1---South Springfield---------1882----KCS&M RR
240.o---Southern Junction-------1882----"

Predecessor Company
1) SP RR - South Pacific Railroad
2) SL&SF RY - St. Louis and San Francisco Railway
2) KCS&M RR - Kansas City, Springfield and Memphis Railroad

Notes
1) Connects with Lebanon Subdivision and Clinton Subdivision at Eastern Junction.
2) Eastern Junction is a Y connection. The East leg connects with the Lebanon Subdivision, the West leg connects to the Lebanon Subdivision toward North Springfield and the South leg (Pacific Street Junction) connects toward South Springfield.
3) Connects with Willow Springs Subdivision and Chadwick Branch at Southern Junction.
4) Pine Street Junction, Southern Junction and Mill Street Junction form a Y connection. The north leg (Pine St. Jct.) connects toward Eastern Junction, the east leg (Southern (later Chadwick, then MK) Junction) connects with Willow Springs Subdivision and Chadwick (later Ozark) Branch and the west leg (Mill Street Junction) connects with Willow Springs Subdivision toward South Springfield.
5) Southern Junction renamed Chadwick Junction 1883.
6) Chadwick Junction renamed MK Junction after 1936. Renamed after track was abandoned between Chadwick and Ozark. The new junction station name developed from distant stations reached via the junction, Memphis, TN (southeast via the Willow Springs Subdivision) and Kissick, MO on the Ozark Branch.
7) Connects with Ash Grove Subdivision and Springfield Subdivision at South Springfield.
8) Became part of the Springfield Terminal Division.
9) Known as the "East Belt". After the opening of the "new" East Belt in 1955, known as the ""Old" East Belt" or "Middle Belt".


North Springfield to South Springfield, MO (West Belt)

North Springfield to South Springfield, MO (West Belt)

M. P.---Station---------------------Built---P. C.
237.7---North Springfield--------1887---SP RR
238.0---Broad Street Junction---1870---SC RR
238.5---Stock Yard----------------1870---"
239.9---South Springfield--------1887---SC RR

Predecessor Company
1) SP RR - South Pacific Railroad
2) SC RR - Springfield Connecting Railroad

Notes
1) Connects with Springfield Subdivision at North Springfield and Broad Street Junction.
3) Connects with Ash Grove Subdivision at South Springfield.
3) Connect with Clinton Subdivision at Broad Street Junction.
4) Measured from Clinton Subdivision, Broad Street Junction, MP 191.8, West Nichols Street bridge 192.5 to South Springfield, MP 193.7 - 1.9 miles total.
5) Became part of the Springfield Terminal Division.
6) Known as the "West Belt".

Edit 5/5/2024: Corrected column formatting and added South Springfield mile post based on know Clinton Subdivision mile posts.
MKD

 

Teed to W. S. Junction (New East Belt)

Teed to W. S. Junction

M.P.----Station--------Built---P. C.
203.3---Teed-----------1955---SLSF Railway
203.3---Eastern Jct.---1955---"
206.2---W. S. Jct.------1955---"

Predecessor Company
1) SLSF - St. Louis-San Francisco Railway

Notes-
1) Connects with Lebanon Sub, Eastern Division at Teed.
2) Connects with Willow Springs Subdivision and "Old Passenger Main" to Nichols at W. S. Junction.
3) W. S. Junction is short for "Willow Springs" Junction.
4) Became part of the Springfield Terminal Division.
5) The "new" system General Office Building (GOB) was constructed adjacent to and just East of this line at 3253 East Chestnut Expressway in 1955.
6) Known as the "New East Belt".

 

Teed to Nichols, MO

Teed to Nichols, MO

M.P.----Station--------------------Built---P. C.
236.7---Teed-----------------------1870---SP RR
236.7---Eastern Jct.---------------1870---"
237.7---North Springfield--------1870---"
238.0---Broad Street Junction---1870---"
238.5---Stock Yard----------------1870---"
243.0---Nichols--------------------1870---"

Predecessor Company
1) SP RR - South Pacific Railroad

Notes
1) 1st train 5/3/1870.
2) Connects with the Lebanon Subdivision at Eastern Junction.
3) Connects with the Springfield Subdivision at North Springfield, MO.
4) Connects with the Clinton Subdivision and the West Belt at Broad Street Junction.
5) Connects with the Ash Grove Subdivision at Nichols, MO.
6) Became part of the Springfield Terminal Division.
7) Known as the Eastern Division "Main Line".

 

Does anyone have pictures of train on the passenger main, of the local trains and downtown switching operations?

How about photographs when the passenger main was abandoned, on each end of the line, as well when the last trains went thru on the line?

 

Morgan,

I caught a few trains running through the old passenger main on my trips back to Springfield.

The segment that is left still contains active industries. I do not have any Frisco era photographs of my own however.

I am not actually sure when the connection at WS Junction, the junction on the east side of town, was taken out of service. System Time Table No 1, effective October 17, 1971, includes a 20 mph speed restriction on the old passenger belt from WS Junction to Nichols.

Springfield Terminal Division Time Table No 4, Effective April 22, 1979, includes a restriction of 10 mph on the old passenger belt, but it does not mention WS Junction at all.

On the west side of town, at Nichols Junction, the Missouri pacific (MP), and later Union Pacific (UP), used the Nichols connection to the old passenger main to reach their own tracks via trackage rights, from Aroura, MO.

When the UP sold their remaining trackage to the Missouri and Northern Arkansas (M&NA) about 1995 the trackage rights were changed to haulage rights.

I am not positive when the connection was removed, but I know it was after 1995.

Paul

 

I take it this line was never a thru line except for passenger trains.

I know the line ends now at Hillcrest Street.

I notice from the downtown yard, west of this, is this ever used?

I was surprised to notice one single covered hopper car out there last week.

 

Morgan,

At one time, this was the mainline of the Kansas City, Springfield and Memphis Railroad, a Frisco predecessor.

Prior to the completion of the "new" East Belt in the 1950s, the line now known as the Middle Belt was used as a connection from the North Yard to the passenger main, allowing freights to head to Memphis, TN.

The Middle Belt is used to reach Tindle Mills and a few other industries downtown, as well as being the route that unit coal trains take to get out to the Springfield City Utilities (CU) James River Power Plant at Kissick.

The other trackage connecting the mainline to the old passenger belt is known as the West Belt. It forms a connection from just west of the Broadway Street crossovers to the South Yard just west of the old passenger depot site.

Incidentally, if you look at the 2nd post in this thread, it tells us the section of the line from WS Junction to MP 205.6 was abandoned in 1979.

West of downtown, the passenger main trackage goes out past Paul Mueller. I know there are at least occasional loads sent out/received there. There is also a scrap yard and Libscom Feeds that receive loads near the point where the west belt meets the passenger belt.

Incidentally, you may want to get yourself a copy of the December 2003 issue of Trains Magazine, which had an article on Springfield in the 1950s, which includes a map from that time.

Also, the site below talks about current plans to reconfigure the trackage in downtown, along with a few other changes to eliminate grade crossings, mostly from the east belt. Take a look at the information on the following link.

http://www.rrstudy.com.

Paul

 

There was a link on here somewhere for that December 2003 issue and the link did not
work.

I live near these tracks, and walk past that scrap yard on occasion. I have noticed some of the switches, and sidings, etc. have been pulled behind the Paul Mueller Company.

Apparently Paul Mueller is not provided rail service anymore either.

Walking thru, the downtown yard the other night I noticed an old foundation of a water pipe for steam engines and an old signal tower foundation.

Does anyone know for certain?

And does anyone know much about the Missouri and Northern Arkansas (M&NA) line?

I know it is the old Missouri Pacific (MP) and that it really goes nowhere except down almost to Battlefield Road to serve industries. Have noticed the one switcher pushing cars most days downtown about noon.

But is there a yard or anything, or does their train ever run on the BNSF tracks, or connect with the rest of the M&NA's tracks?

Also at Main Avenue you can still see the passenger depot foundations for the platforms are there, the parking lot, etc.

The station was on the left correct?

On the right hand side there is a brick building. It is the one tan building, no windows, before the Grant Street bridge.

Was that a Frisco building as well?

 

What are you talking about Broad Street crossovers?

I know the West Belt connection runs into the main next to the stock yard grounds and MFA feed mill just north of Division Street.

 

Morgan,

Sorry, that should have said "Broadway" Street.

I have corrected it in the original post.

You are correct, the West Belt runs from the end of the South Yard near the old passenger depot north to the stockyards. The stockyards are just west of the intersection of West Commercial Street and North Broadway Avenue, approximately parallel to the mainline.

If you stop on Broadway and look west down the mainline, there is a set of crossovers to get between the north main and the south main that lead to the north, long 1-5 north, and south, long 1-4 south, arrival and departure (R&D) tracks.

Paul

 

Morgan,

There was at one point in time a steam locomotive shop on this site, it was on the south side of the old passenger main.

During the diesel era, there was a diesel servicing track along the north side of the passenger depot. This included a water pipe for filling the diesel locomotive's steam generator water supply tank. The remnants of the servicing track are visible from West Wall Street west of the North Grant Avenue viaduct.

I cannot tell you anything about any other foundations in the area, as I do not condone trespassing on railroad property.

Concerning Paul Mueller, perhaps they are not, but it may be that service is rare. BNSF would not be interested in keeping the line if there were no active industries on it.

The Missouri and Northern Arkansas (M&NA) is the remnants of a branch line that once connected with the Missouri Pacific (MP) White River Route at Crane, MO. By 1973, the MP reached Springfield via trackage rights from Aroura, MO, and all MP trackage between Battlefield, MO and Crane, MO was abandoned.

The trackage from Battlefield, MO to Battlefield Road in Springfield was abandoned sometime during the 1980s, after the MP/UP merger. The M&NA took over the line about 1995.

The M&NA switching operations include a few tracks downtown that belong to the M&NA. I believe the M&NA has rights to use the South Yard, but I have never seen the interchange operation myself.

No, the M&NA does not run on the BNSF. They converted the trackage rights into haulage rights shortly after acquiring the line. This is the reason BNSF took out the connection between the mainline and the passenger belt at Nichols.

You will see the M&NA on the BNSF trackage on occasion. When the switcher assignments change, or when the switcher needs servicing. I know I have taken photographs of two different switchers parked behind the Dayco Rubber plant in the last 3 years. I get home to Springfield about 2 times a year.

The Springfield depot building was on the south side of the tracks. There are a couple of steel buildings there now. As you noted, the platform foundations are still in place.

The brick building on the north side of the tracks is the old Frisco Commissary and laundry. It was built during the 1950s.

At one time, the Frisco had a freight house that spanned the Jordan Creek, which is just south of where the passenger station stood.

Paul

 

I do not know if the freight house is still there but there is a small structure over Jordan Creek.

Is this the freight house?

 

Yea as far as the interchange operations, currently the M&NA has one switcher which is almost daily right behind the old Missouri Pacific (MP) freight house around noon every weekday.

The BNSF almost always have their switching crew in the downtown yard in the midafternoon between 3 pm and 6 pm. It is usually always the same Locomotive BNSF 4257, an old GE C30-7 still in blue bonnet. This job operation usually heads towards points to the east including Kraft and other industries around 10 am daily.

As far as the coal drags to the power plant, these can usually be caught headed south between 10 pm and 1 am. Usually the locomotive power returns light around 4 am.

 

Morgan,

No, the freight house is gone.

There is a photograph of what it looked like on the Springfield-Greene County Library's website. Please see the following link.

http://thelibrary.org/lochist/frisco/depots/images/photos/p01304.jpg

For reference, this is from the page on the Frisco's Springfield depots.

http://thelibrary.org/lochist/frisco/depots/springfield.cfm

The Frisco's freight house was torn down sometime in the late 1970s.

Paul

 

Okay, I have noticed from the Grant Avenue viaduct a small building over the creek.

Thought that may be it, down by the Paul Mueller plant, from the crossing before the overpass and to the west.

Did this use to be double track?

 

Morgan,

At one point in time there was double track leading into the depot from the east.

This was the street trackage in Mill Street.

I do not believe there was ever any double track west of the depot.

Paul

 

There was a second track going east from the depot to the wye.

I have looked through several Employee Time Tables (ETTs), and I do not believe that it was ever designated as a second main track. Further poking around may change that notion.

Attached is an old black and white Instamatic shot looking east down Mill Street. North Main Avenue is immediately behind me. The mainline is the track on the south, right, side of the image, which was taken during July 1969.

Also included are the Nichols Jct. to MK Jct. track charts that show the general alignment of the track. These are circa 1975, and by this time changes have been made at MK Jct.

The Missouri Pacific (MP) crossing has been removed, and the MK Jct. passing track has also been removed. The centralized traffic control (CTC) signal system MK Jct. to WS Jct. has been deactivated.

Portions from ETT 38B, effective September 28, 1952 are also shown.

 

Searching around on rrpicturearchieves.net there are a couple photographs of passenger trains, street running on these tracks.

I take it, these are the same tracks, which run behind Willow Brook and dead end currently at Boonville Street?