(rshsdepot) Frisco depot in Webster Groves, MO

[jdent1_@_optonline.net]

Via the Railroad Depots West list...

From   Ken Rimmel <kc0esl_@_juno.com>  

    Here is some information about what is happening at the 94 year 
old Frisco depot in Webster Groves, MO.  The Big Bend Railroad Club, 
Inc., owners of the depot since 1994 and occupants since 1938, tried 
to get a local historic status from the City of Webster Groves.  It 
was planned that the designation may help in the process of securing 
funds/grants from outside sources and to also lengthen a window of 
time that is set in the lease the club has on the property the 
building sits on.  The lease states that if it should be broken by 
either the club or the railroad (BNSF), the club will have thirty 
days to vacate the depot, move or demolish it and clean up the 
property to the railroad's acceptance.  Any structures in Webster 
Groves that carry an historical designation, cannot receive a 
demolition permit until a 180-day waiting period has elapsed.  The 
railroad blocked the application for historic status, reminding 
everyone at the meeting that the property is under federal and state 
regulations and is exempt from county and municipal control.  I have 
confirmed this with the local county office.  The railroad still 
refuses to consider selling all or part of the property, stating that 
they have a crossing control box at one end of the land and that some 
day they may have use for that narrow strip of land again.
    The other item is that the club and depot was featured on a local 
PBS station on March 29th.  Local PBS station KETC taped a segment 
for their Living St. Louis, a magazine-style program that airs Monday 
through Wednesday at 7:00 PM.  Since this particular segment only 
lasted about five minutes, they only briefly covered the club, model 
railroading and the depot itself.  Nevertheless, this coverage was 
longer than the combined coverage that KTVI did in 1985 and 1992.


Ken Rimmel, Secretary
Big Bend Railroad Club, Inc.
www.geocities.com/bbrrclub
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bigbendrrclub
 


=================================
The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

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End of RSHSDepot Digest V1 #881
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=================================
The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org