Frisco Steam Locomotives

Classic Trains General Discussion
1

What steam locomotive wheel arrangement ran between Floydada, Texas and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in the early steam era ( the 1930s)

2

I don’t know for sure but, from what I read, it seems as though Frisco used 4-6-2s. Anyone want to weigh in on this?

Rich

3

I also don’t know, that being said, I would hazard that some kind of light Pacific (4-6-2) would be hauling passengers. A Mikado (2-8-2) would be hauling freight.

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4

Oklahoma City to Floydada was over the Quanah, Acme & Pacific.

Here’s an employee timetable from 1929:

https://www.frisco.org/shipit/index.php?threads/quanah-acme-and-pacific-railway-employee-time-table-no-23-sunday-september-8-1929.1035/

5

True, but the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway (Frisco) assumed control of the QA&P in 1911 although it treated the QA&P as a subsidiary. But, by 1930, wouldn’t the QA&P be using Frisco locomotive power? I have read that 4-6-2s were used on that route.

Rich

6

The original question was power before the Depression, wasn’t it? (Hence the 1929 employee timetable.)
This route became a major freight gateway with diesel power, replaced by service through Avard in 1973 (that being a direct connection to ATSF, not at Floydada at the intersection of two relatively rickety branches…)

7

Actually, the original question was about steam in the 1930s, but the whole topic of the Frisco and QA&P is interesting.

Rich

8

Browsing on the Web, I found a 4-4-0, a 2-8-0 and a 4-6-0. In 1930, the 4-6-0 was still active.

https://dp.la/item/ea723a0e469c7fe1fdb5003bc115c136

Another one in the 40s:

https://dp.la/item/20b889041be034ce08affef402b03403?subject=%22Quanah%2C+Acme%2C+and+Pacific+Railway+Company%22

Simon

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9

Uh oh, Woke_Hoagland is going to be coming after me. :sweat_smile:

Rich

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10

Here I am trying to find photo evidence of 4-6-2s…

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11

LOL. Who knew?

Rich

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12

It gets better: there was one articulated loco (bull moose - 2-8-8-0?) as well according to this source:

https://www.frisco.org/shipit/index.php?threads/floydada-oklahoma-city-4-6-2s.13582/

Simon

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13

Now that’s cool.

Rich

14

[quote=“snjroy, post:12, topic:409944”]
It gets better: there was one articulated loco (bull moose - 2-8-8-0?) as well according to this source…[/quote]
Oops, you’re thinking of a Union Pacific Bull Moose. On ATSF a Bull Mooser was a very peculiar-looking Atlantic. And on the Frisco… it would have been a late-Twenties EMC motorcar.

To help Rich feel better: the Frisco 4-4-0s mentioned were likely highly modernized, the tech equivalent of many a Pacific…
Ed will have a picture of a locomotive like 182…

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15

Interesting, the picture is getting clearer.

Simon

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16

:+1:

17

Had QA&P were upgraded with heavy steel rails and improved roadbed, a 4-8-2 or 4-8-4 would operate on that line not to mention stronger bridges.

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18

So, then, the question is, why didn’t Q&AP upgrade?

Rich

19

Likely money. And dieselization. And the decision to switch the gateway to run through Avard.

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20

Is switching to Avard saves miles and time rather than going all the way down to Floydada, Texas.

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