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Frisco EMD GP7 Pack

The St. Louis-San Francisco Railway, commonly known as the "Frisco," has a storied history of two halves. During its first 60 years the company struggled mightily with a tumultuous history of name changes and bankruptcies.

It tried many times to create a transcontinental corridor but failed in every attempt. The much larger Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe was predominantly responsible for this setback as it sought its own route to the coast.

After settling into a regional role serving parts of Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama the Frisco blossomed into a successful railroad. Its status was further enhanced by reaching the Gulf Coast (Florida) during the 1920s where the lucrative petrochemical industry later developed.

Following one last bankruptcy, brought about by the depression, it spent the last 30 years as a healthy carrier. Throughout its corporate history the Frisco was not your typical Midwestern "granger" system as it carried a culture all its own, right down to a self-designed coonskin logo.

Both its own prosperity and the merger movement were growing during the 1970s, which led to its acquisition by western giant Burlington Northern in 1981.

The St. Louis-San Francisco Railway's story begins in Mach of 1849 when the Pacific Railroad (PR) was chartered by the State of Missouri for the purpose of linking St. Louis with the Pacific coast.

The transcontinental concept was an aspiring but daunting one given that no railroad had yet accomplished such a feat (and ultimately would not for another two decades). Nevertheless, the project pressed forward and by July of 1853 the first 38 miles to Franklin, Missouri (now known as Pacific) was finished.

Alas, like so many grand schemes it became extremely difficult maintaining the needed cashflow and before long the PR ran out of money.

In his book, "Classic American Railroads: Volume III," author and historian Mike Schafer notes that to procure further funding and interest the Southwest Branch of the Pacific Railroad was incorporated for the purpose of opening a southwestern corridor from Franklin to Rolla.

It is here where the Frisco's story begins. Construction was launched on July 19, 1853 but required upwards of seven years before the line was finally completed in 1860.

Before further work could be undertaken the country was plunged into the Civil War. Damage sustained during the conflict, coupled with further financial difficulties, placed the entire PR system under Missouri state control in February of 1866.

Here we have the Frisco EMD GP7 Locomotives.

• Frisco GP7 500 - 509 available at 1950 and retires in 1976.
  
• Frisco GP7 510 - 519 available at 1952 and retires in 1976.
  
• There is also a MU version of each unit.

You will need the EMD GP9 Dependencies to make this work.

• Group listed
  
• Custom sounds by Mr. Cheesecake
  
• Info from Adam Burn of American Rails.