MTFCA Forum

I recently acquired a large group of ancient (1910's to 1930's) negatives from the Kansas City Southern Railroad. These were once part of the railroad's files and are generally photos of railroad structures and the like. The Ford Model T manages to show up in some of the photos, so I thought I would share them here.

Jason Midyette

Very nice. Thank you, Sir.

Found a few more -

Notice that the same two gentlemen and their car show up in the Switch Shanty & Yard Office photos. Perhaps the photographer was with them.

Jason Midyette

Found another one;

Negative is fairly degraded, but still kind of a neat photo.

Kansas City Southern Bunk House, Fullerton, Kansas

A couple from Joplin, Missouri;

I always wonder if they survived.
Just found one.

Very cool to see the Decatur Arkansas depot and shed still with us!

Here are a couple more I found today, both from Neosho, Missouri;

Jason Midyette

Over to the left, first photo, like the bike in the back of the truck. Maybe belong to the kid running messages from the telegraph office.

Not a Model T this time but a bit of Model T era advertising in the form of a Champion Spark Plugs billboard from Siloam Springs, Arkansas.

Building is the railroad depot's "Coal House", used to store the coal supply for the depot stoves.

Jason Midyette

Yet another one, this time a Model T Touring Car parked under the water tower at the KCS's East Kansas City Shops.

Jason Midyette

A nice, shiny and new looking Model T Touring car in Shreveport, Louisiana

Jason Midyette

Very nice top installation on that touring car...

Found another one, KCS Division Office Building, Pittsburg, Kansas

Jason Midyetee

I searched the Long-Bell lumber company, and found it to have been a huge company, with different business types over a large part of the west and south west, including a short line railroad. There were huge acreages, other mansions, and lake homes and all the other fun things that come with wealth!

Since I came across the negative of the Model T's under the shed in Independence, Missouri (first post), I had wondered why a railroad would store worn out and rather decrepit looking automobiles under a shed. Scanning some more negatives today, I came across one that provides a little context for the cars under the shed. Turns out that by 1925 or so, the KCS was no longer using their depot in Independence and had leased the building to an auto dealer and the shed was next to the depot. My guess is that they were storing their used cars under the shed.

Note that in the photo of the depot you can see the shed behind it.

Jason Midyette