Nostalgia & History > Fallen flag yards in Kansas City area

I've been in KC lately and I know there is quite a long list of roads that have disappeared over the years. I've seen what look to be abandoned rail yards scattered around the downtown area and it got me wondering where their yards were. Back when they were still independent, where did MKT, Frisco, ICG (GM&O), and C&NW (CGW) have their yards. I've seen the old CRI&P yard and I assume the current NS yard was the Wabash yard but please correct me if I'm wrong there.

Finally, where does the KCT service their power? I've seen the old roundhouse that is now an office building west of Union Station. I'm glad that was preserved in some fashion.

Any other pointers for KC rail history would be appreciated. Union Station looks great and is a great place to watch the rail action.

Thank you.

The Frisco's Rosedale yard and the MKT's Glen Park yard were located along I-35 just Southwest of the old KCT roundhouse. Both yards are now abandoned.

ATSF3768 Wrote:
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> The Frisco's Rosedale yard and the MKT's Glen Park
> yard were located along I-35 just Southwest of the
> old KCT roundhouse. Both yards are now abandoned.



This is exactly the area I saw and got me wondering whose yards they used to be so thanks for responding. When I look at a Google satellite image, I think I can make out the remnants of a roundhouse in the one closest to the KCT roundhouse. Would this have been the MKT or Frisco yard? The other yard just a bit further SW appears to be undergoing redevelopment in the satellite photo so I could not make out anything regarding the old layout of the yard/facilities.

Thanks again for responding.

ICG/GM&O yard was located near the American Royal/Kemper Arena underneath the doubledeck concrete viaductjust to the east. I think the circus train parks very near the yard location. CNW was located near the I-70 viaduct that connects KCMO and KCK; the CNW yard is completely gone.

Marty Harrison
Knob Noster, MO

The current KCT services their units in the KCT Mill St. Yard. This yard is about a mile straight south of UP's Armstrong/RI's Armourdale yards.

ATSF3768 Wrote:
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> The Frisco's Rosedale yard and the MKT's Glen Park
> yard were located along I-35 just Southwest of the
> old KCT roundhouse. Both yards are now abandoned.

Adding to what ATSF3768 has written--
Frisco's yard was at the west end. The Katy was located along SW Boulevard, across from 31st. St.

SW Blvd. is the State Line, 31st St (in MO) led up a hill to "Signal Hill", where WDAF TV/Radio and KYYS radio were located. I know, because I used to work up on signal hill at KYYS, and earlier at the Penn tower, which was also on 31st St. just a bit further east, where I worked at KBEQ radio. The years were 1974-81. I used to grab lunch at the Waids Restaurant at the foot of 31st St. (on the Mo. side) and across the street (SW Blvd) was the Katy yard office. Always had a bunch of funky power parked there.

One of the first things BN did after acquiring the Frisco was close the yard. The Katy lasted a bit longer, until the UP gobbled it up. I lived at 75th and I-35 in Johnson Co. KS, the Frisco main was out my door. Have many memories of Frisco U-boats chugging by, also Katy run throughs on trackage rights. Every night I'd drive up I-35 to SW Blvd. where I'd get off the highway and head up the hill to work (I worked 3rd trick for a few years). I even got in a minor car accident at 31st & SW Blvd one morning after work (3rd trick will do that to you) right there at the Katy yard office. Since the accident happened on SW Blvd, the police had to determine who had jurisdiction, the state line ran down the middle of the road. (It turned out to be in KS jurisdiction).

So many memories of the Frisco/Katy yard there--but when the plug was pulled by the BN it was gone almost overnight. Wonder what has happened to that land now, haven't been there to see if it's been redeveloped.

Too bad I didn't take pics back then...

Chico
http://www.heartlandrails.com

To the east side of the Broadway Bridge(south shore) there used to be a KCS industrial yard. It was on the high ground above the lower level ex MP tracks.