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The Joplin-Pittsburgh Railway of Kansas And Missouri

The Joplin-Pittsburg Railway Company began as the Pittsburg, Frontenac & Suburban Electric Railway Company in July, 1894. Its first line was purchased from the Forest Park Electric Railway and extended from Pittsburg north to Frontenac. Its second line was purchased in 1895 from the Pittsburg Electric Railway Company which extended the railway to the many coal camps surrounding Pittsburg. By 1907, the railway had lines throughout Crawford and Cherokee Counties in Kansas, and Jasper County, including Joplin, in Missouri. The line to Joplin was completed in 1908, and it was named the "Air Line" because of its direct route and the speed of its cars. The Air Line cars were large and could attain speeds of 60 mph.

The Joplin-Pittsburg Railway suffered labor troubles from 1911 to 1919 in which six strikes took place. Regulation-forced rate cuts, jitney competition, lawsuits and labor issues after 1920 cut into the line's profits, so it entered receivership in 1924. Special weekend fares, more Air Line cars to Joplin and freight connections to steam railroads were attempts to revive the line. But by the late 1920s, it was still deeply indebted, and the last blow was losing its Joplin connection in 1929. On May 14, 1929, the company was sold at auction. Pittsburg businessmen bought the line to save it from being junked. Passenger service ran until 1932, and the freight business continued to 1954 when all operations ceased.

Joplin & Pittsburg Ry MapJoplin & Pittsburg Ry @ FranklinJoplin & Pittsburg Ry Car 203 nJoplin & Pittsburg Ry Car 203Joplin & Pittsburg Ry Car 204

Attachments

Images (5)
  • Joplin & Pittsburg Ry Map
  • Joplin & Pittsburg Ry @ Franklin
  • Joplin & Pittsburg Ry Car 203 n
  • Joplin & Pittsburg Ry Car 203
  • Joplin & Pittsburg Ry Car 204

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