Category Archives: FT Collection

The photographs in this collection were taken by the late Frank Tribbey who worked for the Frisco for many years as a tower operator in Oklahoma City. He was a lifelong bachelor, and had only one real hobby, which was photographing trains, no matter what railroad. He photographed the Frisco in numerous locations across Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri. These images were donated for use on the Frisco Archive.

Four Frisco Units at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

by Frisco.org Posted on December 1, 2017
Four Frisco units at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (date unknown)
Four Frisco Units at Oklahoma City

Four Frisco units at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (date unknown).

The train is on the Chickasha Subdivision at bridge 541.6 over the North Canadian River. This is the Frisco’s second crossing of the river in the city. The bridge is southwest of the downtown central core. It is west of the Oklahoma City Union Depot, MP 540.1. The Union Depot was jointly operated by the Frisco Railway and Rock Island Railroad. The depot address is 300 Southwest 7th Street. The railroad bridge is sandwiched between the river crossings of Exchange Avenue, upstream to the northwest (left), and South Western Avenue, downstream to the southeast (right).

In 2005 the Frisco’s line past the depot and over this bridge was abandoned. This abandonment included the segment between the Santa Fe Railroad mainline overpass, MP 539.46, to the east and A.T.S.F. Crossing, MP 542.91, to the west. Traffic was rerouted over the former Fanta Fe line between these points. This was done to make room for the new route for Interstate 40, the Crosstown Expressway, south of downtown.

Visible in the city center are a number of prominent landmark buildings. On the right standing tall over the third unit is the 36 story Liberty Tower. Now named Cotter Ranch Tower, it is also known as Chase Tower. It was completed in 1971. At the time of its construction it was the tallest building in the city at 500 feet. Now ranked as the second, the 50 floor Devon Energy Center completed in 2012 is now the tallest building in the city.

Above the lead unit on the right with a tall rooftop spire topping out at 493 feet is the 1931 built, 33 floor, First National Bank Building/First National Center. It is located at 120 North Robinson Avenue. To its north (left in image) at 200 Park Place is the Art Deco style, 33 story, 1931 built, Ramsey Tower. It has been renamed the City Place Tower. At the time these were the second and third, today the third and fourth, tallest buildings in the city.

The tall building just to the left of the train is Kerr-McGee Tower at 123 Robert South Kerr Avenue. It too was constructed in 1971 and is 30 stories tall. The building was renamed in 2008 for its new owner SandRidge Center. On the far left the 22 story tall white building is The Regency apartment complex completed in 1966 at 333 Northwest 5th Street. In 1977, one block to the east, on the south side of 5th Street will be built the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. It will be the target of a domestic terrorist attack on April 19, 1995.

The known build dates of the large buildings, combined with the high horsepower locomotives and priority TOFC traffic help establish the time window to a narrow two year period. Post 1971 is established by the noted buildings. Priority trains QLA, QSF (westbound) and CTB (eastbound) were relocated from the Floydada to the Avard gateway through Enid by September 1973.

The view is looking northeast.

Special thanks to Mark Davidson.

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Idabel, Oklahoma Depot

by Frisco.org Posted on November 17, 2017
Idabel, Oklahoma Depot (date unknown)
Idabel, Oklahoma Depot

Idabel, Oklahoma Depot (date unknown).

Idabel (ID) is located at mile post 728.0 on the Arkinda–Ardmore Subdivision.

The town is located in the southeastern most county in Oklahoma. As the county seat of McCurtain County the community received a substantial brick depot. Through the community the railroad runs, and depot lies, on a northwest to southeast axis. The depot sits on the north side of the tracks at the southern end of the central business district.

This is the second depot at this location. Built in 1912, it replaced an earlier smaller frame depot built in 1902. The brick depot’s dimensions are 24’ by 102’ (2,448 square feet). With the exception of a newer standing seam metal roof the exterior remains largely unchanged. The depot is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building is now occupied by the Idabel Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture. Its address is 7 Southwest Texas Avenue.

The railroad route started as the Arkansas and Choctaw Railway in 1895. By 1902 the railroad extended through the community and was renamed the St. Louis, San Francisco and New Orleans. The later was merged into the Frisco in 1907. Local traffic was initially timber and related products. As the forests played out the economy turned to cotton and later cattle and chicken products production.

Early on the town went through a series of name changes. The first name was Purnell. Isaac Purnell was a railroad official at the time. The post office rejected the name due to its similarity with another community, Purcell. Mitchell, after another railroad official, was then chosen. Postal officials rejected the second attempt as another community with that name existed in the territory. The postal department then proposed and opened a post office called Bokhoma (Choctaw for Red River). The railroad then chose the station name Idabel to honor Isaac Purnell’s two daughters, Ida and Bell. The post office and community then adopted the latter name on February 3, 1904.

The view is looking north.

Special thanks to Mark Davidson.

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U25Bs 805 and 814

by Frisco.org Posted on November 3, 2017
U25Bs 805 and 814 at Springfield, Missouri (date unknown)
U25Bs 805 and 814

U25Bs 805 and 814 at Springfield, Missouri (date unknown).

The train is westbound entering the east end of Springfield Yard. This yard was also known as West Yard or Kansas Avenue Yard. Behind U25B 805, through the bi-level automobile carrier or autorack, one can see the northwest corner of the Springfield Stockyards. The head end locomotive is south of the service tracks area.

The oily track in the foreground is the lead to the east end of the service tracks area and further west the diesel shop. The photograph was taken from the diesel pocket-track. This locomotive longer term storage track is east of the Springfield Diesel Shop. Directly behind the photographer is the east end lead to the West Shops area, Benwood Yard and Clinton Subdivision.

Note the Alco locomotive parked on the diesel pocket track. The distinctive lower railing with hooped end just above the pilot was a common feature on their early locomotives, including Frisco owned models S-2, RS-1 and RS-2. In the distance, through its handrails, can be seen additional locomotives at the service tracks area.

The photograph was taken between early 1965 and late 1967. The earlier date is established by the presence of a locomotive in mandarin orange and white paint. This paint scheme first appeared on U25Bs 802 (repainted on February 14, 1965), and 816 (delivered new on March 12, 1965). The later date is established by the second generation Dodge D Series grills on the pickup trucks (model years 1965-1967). The grills were modified to a different design with the 1968 model year.

The view is looking southwest.

Special thanks to Mark Davidson.

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