UPDATE: Museum drives gold spike to complete track; approvals needed to move collection
July 28, 2012 / Updated August 29, 2012
Heritage
Track work at the Museum of the American Railroad’s new site in Frisco, TX, was complete Thursday with a ceremonial driving of the last spikes.
The benchmark completes some 4,000 feet of track as part of Phase 1A construction which allows for movement of the Museum’s collection of cars and locomotives to Frisco. A schedule has not yet been set for the move the collection which mostly resides at Fair Park in Dallas.
Two ceremonial spikes were driven in the final stretch of track that connects the Museum with BNSF Railway and the general railroad system. Frisco Mayor Maher Maso and Council Members Jeff Cheney, Bob Allen and Will Sowell took turns driving the first spike. Honors for the second and final spike were reserved for track workers who built the lead from the BNSF main and two main line tracks on museum property over several weeks.
With the Museum’s lead track now complete, final preparations are under way for movement of the first train to Frisco. Once approvals are in place, and BNSF’s schedules are adjusted to accommodate moves at reduced speeds, the rolling stock collection will begin its journey northward.
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