The following railroad companies became part of the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway (Frisco) system, usually through consolidation.
The Frisco started out as the Southwest Branch (heading west-southwesterly from St. Louis) of the Pacific (later Missouri Pacific) Railroad, and was split out in 1866. That same year, Congress incorporated the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, which would end up extending the line through Springfield and Tulsa to Sapulpa.[1]
| Name | Incorporation | Began operations | Succession | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis–San Francisco Railway (Frisco of 1916) | 1916 | 1916 | 1980 (to Burlington Northern Railroad)[2] | |
| St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad (Frisco of 1896) | 1896 | 1896 | 1916 (to Frisco of 1916) | |
| St. Louis and San Francisco Railway (Frisco of 1876) | 1876 | 1876 | 1896 (to Frisco of 1896) | |
| Atlantic and Pacific Railroad | 1866 | 1870 | 1876 (in Missouri, to Frisco of 1876); 1897 (in Oklahoma, to Frisco of 1896) 1897 (in New Mexico, Arizona, and California, to Santa Fe Pacific Railroad) | |
| South Pacific Railroad | 1868 | 1868 | 1870 (to Atlantic and Pacific) | |
| Southwest Pacific Railroad | 1866 | 1866 | 1868 (to South Pacific) | |
| Pacific Railroad | 1849 | 1852 | 1866 (Southwest Branch, authorized 1852, to Southwest Pacific) 1876 (main line, to Missouri Pacific Railway) | |
| St. Louis, Salem and Arkansas Railway | 1887 | 1887 | 1897 (to Frisco of 1896) | Cuba (on the main line) to Salem with branches |
| St. Louis, Salem and Little Rock Railroad | 1871 | 1873 | 1887 (to St. Louis, Salem and Arkansas) | |
| Sligo Furnace Railroad | 1880 | 1881 | 1881 (to St. Louis, Salem and Little Rock) | |
| Dent and Phelps Railroad | 1877 | 1878 | 1881 (to St. Louis, Salem and Little Rock) | |
| Crawford County Midland Railroad | 1904 | 1905 | 1905 (to Frisco of 1896) | Branch of the line to Salem |
| Springfield Connecting Railway | 1886 | 1887 | 1926 (to Frisco of 1916) | |
| Springfield and Southern Railway | 1882 | 1883 | 1885 (to Frisco of 1876) | Springfield to Chadwick |
| Springfield and Northern Railway | 1884 | 1884 | 1885 (to Frisco of 1876) | Springfield to Bolivar |
| Kansas City, Osceola and Southern Railway | 1891 | 1891 | 1900 (to Frisco of 1896) | Bolivar to Kansas City |
| Kansas City and Southern Railway | 1880 | 1885 | 1891 (to Kansas City, Osceola and Southern) | |
| Kansas City, Memphis and Mobile Railroad | 1871 | N/A | 1880 (to Kansas City and Southern) | |
| Missouri and Western Railway | 1875 | 1875 | 1879 (to Frisco of 1876) | Pierce City (on the main line) to Oswego, with a branch to Joplin |
| Pierce City and Kansas Railroad | 1875 | N/A | 1875 (to Missouri and Western) | |
| Oswego and State Line Railroad | 1875 | N/A | 1875 (to Missouri and Western) | |
| Memphis, Carthage and Northwestern Railroad | 1871 | 1872 | 1877 (to Missouri and Western) | |
| State Line, Oswego and Southern Kansas Railway | 1872 | N/A | 1872 (to Memphis, Carthage and Northwestern) | |
| St. Louis, Wichita and Western Railway | 1879 | 1879 | 1882 (to Frisco of 1876) | Oswego to Wichita |
| Kansas Midland Railroad | 1900 | 1900 | 1900 (to Frisco of 1896) | Wichita to Ellsworth |
| Kansas Midland Railway | 1886 | 1888 | 1900 (to Kansas Midland Railroad) | |
| Joplin Railway | 1882 | 1882 | 1882 (to Frisco of 1876) | Girard to Galena via Joplin |
| Joplin and Galena Railway | 1880 | 1881 | 1882 (to Joplin Railway) | |
| Joplin Railroad | 1874 | 1877 | 1882 (to Joplin Railway) | |
| Pittsburg and Columbus Railway | 1886 | 1887 | 1926 (to Frisco of 1916) | Pittsburg to Weir |
| West Tulsa Belt Railway | 1909 | 1910 | 1922 (to Frisco of 1916) |
| Name | Incorporation | Began operations | Succession | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, Memphis and Southeastern Railroad | 1902 | 1902 | 1907 (to Frisco of 1896) | St. Louis to Luxora and Hoxie with many branches | |
| Crystal Railway | 1880 | 1881 | 1902 (to St. Louis, Memphis and Southeastern) | Branch from St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway to Crystal City; later formed part of the main line of the St. Louis, Memphis and Southeastern | |
| Crystal City Railway | 1878 | 1879 | 1881 (to Crystal Railway) | ||
| Cape Girardeau and Northern Railroad | 1901 | N/A | 1902 (to St. Louis, Memphis and Southeastern) | St. Louis to Cape Girardeau (completed by the St. Louis, Memphis and Southeastern) | |
| St. Louis and Memphis Railway | 1901 | 1901 | 1902 (to St. Louis, Memphis and Southeastern) | Cape Girardeau to Luxora (completed by the St. Louis, Memphis and Southeastern) | |
| St. Louis and Memphis Railroad | 1898 | 1898 | 1901 (to St. Louis and Memphis Railway) | ||
| Memphis and St. Louis Railroad | 1899 | 1901 | 1901 (to St. Louis and Memphis Railway) | ||
| St. Louis, Caruthersville and Memphis Railroad | 1897 | 1901 | 1901 (to St. Louis and Memphis Railway) | ||
| Southern Missouri and Arkansas Railroad | 1899 | 1899 | 1902 (to St. Louis, Memphis and Southeastern) | Cape Girardeau to Hunter, with a branch to Hoxie via Poplar Bluff (completed by the St. Louis, Memphis and Southeastern) | |
| St. Louis, Cape Girardeau and Ft. Smith Railway | 1891 | 1891 | 1899 (to Southern Missouri and Arkansas) | ||
| Cape Girardeau Southwestern Railway | 1881 | 1882 | 1891 (renamed St. Louis, Cape Girardeau and Ft. Smith) | ||
| Cape Girardeau Railway | 1880 | N/A | 1881 (renamed Cape Girardeau Southwestern) | ||
| Cape Girardeau and State Line Railway | 1869 | N/A | 1880 (to Cape Girardeau Railway) | ||
| Pilot Knob, Cape Girardeau and Belmont Railroad | 1859 | N/A | 1869 (renamed Cape Girardeau and State Line) | ||
| Arkansas Railroad | 1901 | N/A | 1901 (to Southern Missouri and Arkansas) | ||
| Hoxie, Pocahontas and Northern Railroad | 1896 | 1896 | 1901 (to Southern Missouri and Arkansas) | ||
| St. Louis and Gulf Railway | 1902 | 1902 | 1904 (to St. Louis, Memphis and Southeastern) | Cape Girardeau to Caruthersville with many branches | |
| Houck's Missouri and Arkansas Railroad | 1893 | 1893 | 1902 (to St. Louis and Gulf) | Cape Girardeau to Morley via Commerce | |
| Morley and Morehouse Railroad | 1897 | 1898 | 1902 (to St. Louis and Gulf) | Morley to Morehouse | |
| St. Louis, Morehouse and Southern Railroad | 1899 | 1901 | 1904 (to St. Louis and Gulf) | Morehouse to Pascola (completed by the St. Louis and Gulf) | |
| Pemiscot Southern Railroad | 1900 | 1901 | 1902 (to St. Louis and Gulf) | Pascola to Deering | |
| Cape Girardeau, Bloomfield and Southern Railway | 1887 | 1891 | 1902 (to St. Louis and Gulf) | Zalma to Campbell via Brownwood and Bloomfield, with a branch to Vanduser (completed by the St. Louis and Gulf) | |
| Brownwood and Northwestern Railway | 1886 | 1887 | 1898 (to Cape Girardeau, Bloomfield and Southern) | ||
| Missouri Southeastern Railway | 1891 | 1894 | 1898 (to Cape Girardeau, Bloomfield and Southern) | ||
| St. Louis, Kennett and Southern Railroad | 1890 | 1891 | 1902 (to St. Louis and Gulf) | Campbell to Caruthersville | |
| Pemiscot Railroad | 1892 | 1894 | 1895 (to St. Louis, Kennett and Southern) | ||
| Clarkton Branch St. Louis, Kennett and Southern Railroad | 1901 | 1901 | 1902 (to St. Louis and Gulf) | Gibson to Tallapoosa via Clarkton; branch to Malden built by the St. Louis and Gulf | |
| St. Francois Valley Railroad | 1898 | 1898 | 1902 (to St. Louis and Gulf) | Campbell to Caligoa | |
| Kennett and Osceola Railroad | 1896 | 1897 | 1902 (to St. Louis and Gulf) | Kennett to Leachville (completed by the St. Louis and Gulf) |
| Name | Incorporation | Began operations | Succession | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis Railway | 1901 | 1901 | 1901 All track goes into operation by the Frisco (the Frisco buys off the last shares of stock in 1926) | Kansas City to West Memphis with many branches |
| Gulf, Arkansas and Northwestern Railway | 1898 | N/A | 1901 (to Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis Railroad) | |
| Arkansas North Western Railway | 1894 | N/A | 1898 (to Gulf, Arkansas and Northwestern) | |
| Kansas City, Fort Scott, and Gulf Railroad | 1888 | 1888 | 1901 (to Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis Railway) | Kansas City to West Memphis with many branches |
| Kansas City, Fort Scott and Springfield Railroad | 1888 | 1888 | 1888 (to Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis Railroad) | Kansas City to West Memphis with many branches |
| Kansas City, Fort Scott, and Gulf Railroad | 1879 | 1879 | 1888 (to Kansas City, Fort Scott and Springfield) | Kansas City to Baxter Springs (later extended to Afton) |
| Missouri River, Fort Scott & Gulf Railroad | 1868 | 1868 | 1879 (to Kansas City, Fort Scott, and Gulf Railroad) | |
| Kansas and Neosho Valley Railroad | 1865 | 1868 | 1868 (renamed Missouri River, Fort Scott & Gulf Railroad) | |
| Fort Scott, South Eastern and Memphis Railway | 1874 | 1874 | 1888 (to Kansas City, Fort Scott and Springfield) | Fort Scott to Arcadia |
| Kansas and Missouri Railroad | 1882 | 1882 | 1888 (to Kansas City, Fort Scott and Springfield) | Arcadia to Weir |
| Cherokee and Memphis Railroad | 1882 | N/A | 1882 (to Kansas and Missouri) | |
| Fort Scott and Carthage Railroad | 1881 | 1881 | 1882 (to Kansas and Missouri) | |
| Memphis, Kansas and Colorado Railroad | 1877 | 1881 | 1888 (to Kansas City, Fort Scott and Springfield) | Weir to Cherryvale |
| Memphis and Ellsworth Narrow Gauge Railroad | 1876 | N/A | 1878 (to Memphis, Kansas and Colorado) | |
| Fort Scott, South Eastern and Memphis Railroad | 1880 | 1880 | 1888 (to Kansas City, Fort Scott and Springfield) | Arcadia to Ash Grove |
| Springfield and Western Missouri Railroad | 1877 | 1878 | 1888 (to Kansas City, Springfield and Memphis) | Ash Grove to Springfield |
| Springfield Western and Southern Railroad of Missouri | 1875 | N/A | 1877 (renamed Springfield and Western Missouri) | |
| Kansas City and Memphis Railroad | 1872 | N/A | 1879 (to Springfield and Western Missouri) | |
| Kansas City, Springfield and Memphis Railroad | 1881 | 1883 | 1888 (to Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis Railroad) | Springfield to West Memphis |
| Springfield and Memphis Railroad | 1880 | N/A | 1883 (to Kansas City, Springfield and Memphis) | |
| Kansas City, Clinton and Springfield Railway | 1885 | 1885 | 1928 (to Frisco of 1916) | Olathe to Ash Grove, with a branch to Pleasant Hill |
| Kansas City, Clinton and Springfield Railroad | 1884 | N/A | 1885 (to Kansas City, Clinton and Springfield Railway) | Raymore to Ash Grove (completed by the Kansas City, Clinton and Springfield Railway) |
| Pleasant Hill and De Soto Railroad | 1877 | 1877 | 1885 (to Kansas City, Clinton and Springfield Railway) | Cedar to Pleasant Hill |
| St. Louis, Lawrence and Western Railroad | 1874 | 1874 | 1877 (to Pleasant Hill and De Soto) portion to Kansas City, Topeka and Western Railroad | |
| St. Louis, Lawrence and Denver Railroad | 1865 | 1871 | 1874 (renamed St. Louis, Lawrence and Western) | |
| Lawrence and Carbondale Railroad | unknown | N/A | 1873 (to St. Louis, Lawrence and Denver) | |
| Pleasant Hill and Lawrence Branch of the Pacific Railroad | unknown | N/A | 1870 (to St. Louis, Lawrence and Denver) | |
| Lawrence and Pleasant Hill Railway | 1869 | N/A | 1870 (to St. Louis, Lawrence and Denver) | |
| Rich Hill Railroad | 1880 | 1880 | 1888 (to Kansas City, Fort Scott and Springfield) | Pleasanton to Rich Hill |
| Short Creek and Joplin Railroad | 1879 | 1880 | 1888 (to Kansas City, Fort Scott and Springfield) | Baxter Springs to Webb City via Joplin |
| Mineral Belt Railroad | 1886 | 1900 | 1901 (to Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis Railway) | Joplin to Webb City |
| Greenfield and Northern Railroad | 1886 | 1886 | 1895 (to Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis Railroad) | Greenfield to Aurora |
| Greenfield Railroad | 1884 | 1886 | 1886 (renamed Greenfield and Northern) | |
| Current River Railroad | 1887 | 1887 | 1901 (to Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis Railroad) | Willow Springs to Grandin |
| Bonnerville and Southwestern Railroad | 1905 | 1905 | 1920s (to Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis) | Bono to Algoa |
| Tyronza Central Railroad | 1902 | 1902 | 1920s (to Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis)[3] | Tyronza to Lepanto |
| Deckerville, Osceola and Northern Railroad | 1897 | 1900 | 1901 (to Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis Railroad) | Turrell to Luxora |
| Kansas City and Memphis Railway and Bridge Company | 1887 | 1892 | 1928 (to Frisco of 1916) | |
| Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham Railroad | 1886 | 1887 | 1928 (to Frisco of 1916) | Memphis to Birmingham, with branches to Aberdeen, Bessemer, and Sipsey |
| Memphis and Birmingham Railroad | 1886 | N/A | 1887 (to Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham Railroad) | |
| Memphis and Southeastern Railroad | 1886 | N/A | 1886 (to Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham Railroad) | |
| Memphis, Birmingham and Atlantic Railroad | 1885 | 1885 | 1887 (to Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham Railroad) | |
| Memphis, Selma and Brunswick Railroad | 1881 | 1885 | 1885 (to Memphis, Birmingham and Atlantic) | |
| Memphis, Holly Springs and Selma Railroad | 1881 | N/A | 1881 (renamed Memphis, Selma and Brunswick) | |
| Selma, Marion and Memphis Railroad | 1868 | N/A | 1881 (to Memphis, Holly Springs and Selma) | |
| Memphis, Holly Springs, Okolona and Selma Railroad | 1867 | N/A | 1870 (renamed Selma, Marion and Memphis) | |
| Memphis, Holly Springs and Mobile Railroad | 1859 | N/A | 1867 (renamed Memphis, Holly Springs, Okolona and Selma) | |
| Birmingham Belt Railroad | 1899 | 1899 | 1968 (to Frisco of 1916) |
Because of a provision of the Texas Constitution, railroad companies operating in that state had to be incorporated in Texas. The Frisco's primary Texas subsidiary was the St. Louis, San Francisco and Texas Railway (Frisco of Texas).[4]
| Name | Incorporation | Began operations | Succession | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas and Choctaw Railway | 1895 | 1895 | The line came under control of a Frisco financial syndicate in 1902, and changed names to become the St. Louis, San Francisco and New Orleans Railroad the same year.[5] The railroad property was deeded to the Frisco on November 30, 1907. | Main line from Hope, Arkansas to Ardmore, Oklahoma[6] |
| St. Louis and Oklahoma City Railroad | 1895 | 1898 | 1899 (to Frisco of 1896) | Sapulpa to Oklahoma City |
| Oklahoma City Terminal Railroad | 1900 | 1900 | 1901 (to Frisco of 1896) | |
| Oklahoma City and Western Railroad | 1899 | 1902 | 1907 (to Frisco of 1896) | Oklahoma City to state line near Quanah |
| Oklahoma City and Texas Railroad | 1901 | 1903 | 1904 (to Frisco of Texas) | State line to Quanah |
| Quanah, Acme and Pacific Railway | 1909 | 1910 | 1981 (to Burlington Northern Railroad) | Quanah to Floydada |
| Acme, Red River and Northern Railway | 1902 | N/A | 1909 (renamed Quanah, Acme and Pacific) | |
| Motley County Railway | 1913 | 1914 | 1926 (to Quanah, Acme and Pacific)[7] | Branch of Quanah, Acme and Pacific to Matador |
| Sapulpa and Oil Field Railroad | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 (to Frisco of 1896) | Depew (on the line to Quanah) to Shamrock |
| St. Louis, Oklahoma and Southern Railway | 1895 | 1900 | 1901 (to Frisco of 1896) | Sapulpa to state line near Denison |
| St. Louis, San Francisco and Texas Railway | 1900 | 1901 | 1964 (to Frisco of 1916)[8] | State line to Denison (acquired other lines in 1904) |
| Red River, Texas and Southern Railway | 1901 | 1902 | 1904 (to Frisco of Texas) | Denison to Dallas and Fort Worth |
| Sulphur Springs Railway | 1902 | 1903 | 1907 (to Frisco of 1896) | Scullin (on the line to Dallas-Fort Worth) to Sulphur |
| Arkansas Valley and Western Railway | 1902 | 1904 | 1907 (to Frisco of 1896) | Tulsa to Avard |
| St. Louis, Arkansas and Texas Railway | 1880 | 1880 | 1882 (to Frisco of 1876) | Monett (on the main line) to Fort Smith; completed by the Frisco |
| Missouri, Arkansas and Southern Railway | 1880 | N/A | 1881 (to St. Louis, Arkansas and Texas) | |
| Fort Smith and Van Buren Bridge Company | 1885 | 1886 | 1907 (to Frisco of 1896) | |
| Fort Smith and Southern Railway | 1886 | 1887 | 1887 (to Frisco of 1876) | Fort Smith to the state line near Paris; completed by the Frisco |
| Paris and Great Northern Railroad | 1881 | 1888 | 1928 (to Frisco of Texas)[9] | State line to Paris |
| Arkansas and Oklahoma Railroad | 1898 | 1898 | 1901 (to Frisco of 1896) | Rogers (on the line to Fort Smith) to Grove via Bentonville |
| Bentonville Railroad | 1882 | 1883 | 1900 (to Arkansas and Oklahoma) | |
| Fayetteville and Little Rock Railroad | 1886 | 1887 | 1887 (Fayetteville to Patrick, to Frisco of 1876); 1926 (remainder, to Frisco of 1916) | Fayetteville (on the line to Fort Smith) to Pettigrew |
| Ozark and Cherokee Central Railway | 1901 | 1903 | 1907 (to Frisco of 1896) | Fayetteville (on the line to Fort Smith) to Okmulgee (on the line to Dallas-Fort Worth) |
| North Arkansas and Western Railway | 1899 | N/A | 1901 (renamed Ozark and Cherokee Central) | |
| Muskogee City Bridge Company | 1901 | 1903 | 1903 (to Ozark and Cherokee Central) | |
| Shawnee, Oklahoma and Missouri Coal and Railway Company | 1899 | 1903 | 1903 (to Ozark and Cherokee Central) | |
| Little Rock and Texas Railway | 1887 | 1887 | 1926 (to Frisco of 1916) | Hackett (on the line to Paris) to Mansfield |
| Kansas City and Southwestern Railroad | 1884 | 1885 | 1897 (to Frisco of 1896) | Beaumont (on the line to Wichita) to state line near Arkansas City |
| Kansas, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway | 1897 | 1899 | 1899 (to Frisco of 1896) | State line near Arkansas City to Blackwell |
| Blackwell, Enid and Southwestern Railway | 1900 | 1901 | 1907 (to Frisco of 1896) | Blackwell to state line near Vernon |
| Blackwell, Enid and Texas Railway | 1901 | 1902 | 1904 (to Frisco of Texas) | State line to Vernon |
| St. Louis, San Francisco and New Orleans Railroad | 1902 | 1902 | 1907 (to Frisco of 1896) | Hope to Ardmore, with a branch to near Denison |
| Arkansas and Choctaw Railway | 1895 | 1896 | 1902 (renamed St. Louis, San Francisco and New Orleans) |
| Name | Incorporation | Began operations | Succession | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle Shoals, Birmingham and Pensacola Railroad | 1924 | 1924 | 1928 (to Frisco of 1916) | Aberdeen to Pensacola |
| Muscle Shoals, Birmingham and Pensacola Railway | 1922 | 1922 | 1924 (to Muscle Shoals, Birmingham and Pensacola Railroad) | |
| Gulf, Florida and Alabama Railway | 1911 | 1912 | 1922 (to Muscle Shoals, Birmingham and Pensacola Railway)[10] | |
| Gulf Ports Terminal Railway[11] | 1916 | 1916 | 1927 (to Muscle Shoals, Birmingham and Pensacola Railroad) | Pensacola to Muscogee, with an incomplete branch towards Mobile |
| Pensacola, Mobile and New Orleans Railway | 1907 | 1908 | 1917 (to Gulf Ports Terminal) | |
| Pensacola and Perdido Railroad | 1869 | 1870 | 1915 (to Pensacola, Mobile and New Orleans) | |
| Pensacola, Alabama and Tennessee Railroad | 1892 | 1893 | 1915 (to Pensacola, Mobile and New Orleans) | |
| Alabama, Tennessee and Northern Railroad | 1918 | 1918 | 1971 (to Frisco of 1916) | Reform to Mobile |
| Alabama, Tennessee and Northern Railway[12] | 1913 | 1913 | 1918 (to Alabama, Tennessee and Northern Railroad) | |
| Alabama, Tennessee and Northern Railroad | 1906 | 1906 | 1913 (to Alabama, Tennessee and Northern Railway) | |
| Carrollton Short Line Railway | 1897 | 1899 | 1906 (renamed Alabama, Tennessee and Northern Railroad) | |
| Mobile Terminal and Railway Company | 1910 | 1910 | 1913 (to Alabama, Tennessee and Northern Railway) | |
| Tombigbee Valley Railroad | 1904 | 1904 | 1913 (to Alabama, Tennessee and Northern Railway) |