ISD & FA
Railroad

Division of Calico Meadows

The ISD&FA Short Line Railroad is a two division railroad. With its mountain and river divisions running on former St. Louis - San Francisco "Frisco" Railroad rails, the railroad provides needed services to small customers up and down both divisions. Calico, Texas is located deep in the a valley and it is the only way to get up, over, or through the mountains to the rest of the Southeastern region.

Calico Meadows, The Farm model train railroad pike is located in a 40 foot x 16 foot train room. The current railroad pike is 10 foot x 20 foot with two mainline loops, 2 reverse loops, and one spur. At one end of the pike is the sleepy little village of Calico, Texas. As you drive north out of town, you pass a small suburban area, a small farm, pass the river side park, and then the highway enters into the mountains for points north.

The shortline spur that services the sleepy little village of Calico, Texas, has a small freight station and an oil and gas storage battery. The small freight station has been taking in all kinds of goods and supplies ever since the railroad came to town. They receive goods and materials for all the merchants and retailers. Besides our school and church, some of the businesses that supply the residents of town are,

• Grocery Store,
• 5 and 10 Store,
• Bakery Shop,
• Hardware Store, with Cigar Indian out front,
• Newstand, (Lionel #114),
• Liquor Store,
• Frosty Bar,
• Drug Store,
• Full Service Gas Station,
• U. S. Post Office,
• The new Hard Rock Cafe.

Elevated Trolley Line Under Construction
Downtown Calico, Texas

Calico, Texas also makes its contribution to the economy of the Southeastern region. Calico, Texas was once a crew change point for the former SL-SF Frisco Railroad and when the line was sold, the new owners were determine to keep rail service alive to this region. You still see Frisco freights coming through town and when business really gets good, the ISD&FA RR makes its lines available to the Union Pacific and Santa Fe railroads. Although Calico, Texas is not on the regular Amtrak passenger routes, the ISD & FA RR occasionally runs specials and excursion passenger service through town.

Calico, Texas has been a timber shipping point for many years. Timber is loaded on waiting rail cars and shipped off to the mills and cut into lumber. In recent years, oil has been found along the foot of the mountains. As wells are drilled and turned into producers, a new industry is developing. Oil is trucked down from the wells and loaded into rail tank cars for shipment to the refineries in the south.

The city's patriarch, who held all the mineral rights, used the royalties to bring new amenities to Calico, Texas. The biggest project to date was the building of a trolley line. The line carries town folks down to the river side park. There you can picnic, fish, swim, wade, and enjoy the company of your neighbors. The park is at the base of the mountain and near a beautiful water fall. It is also a great spot to watch trains. It had been reported that Miss Calico had been seen riding the trolley and dipping a toe or two into the river.

Because Calico, Texas is on the major route through the mountains, they have a lot of car and truck traffic. Due to this heavy traffic, Calico, Texas has always been a good spot to stop and get gas, eat a meal, and do a little shopping before heading up into the mountains, or down into the valley. You see, you have to go through Calico, Texas to get to anywhere in either direction. With this increase in traffic, Miss Calico ordered traffic signal lights be installed in town.

The first traffic light to go up will be by the school. The children of Calico, Texas must cross the highway through town to get home. So, Miss Calico decided it was time to install a traffic light system.

Calico, Texas has been honored over the years to host many international world summits. Leaders from all over the globe have come to the quite little Texas town. Leaders like U. S. President Roland Raygon, Elizabeth II, Prime Ministers from Canada and England, Presidents from Mexico, France, and Poland have been to Calico, Texas.

When the summits were over, Miss Calico would always host a big Texas style Bar-B-Q at her estate for all the honored guests and town's folk. Miss Calico always worked with the Frisco and Santa Fe Railroads to have special passenger train bring the international dignitaries from Fort Worth to Calico, Texas. The old Calico, Texas passenger station was always a buzz of activity.

With the passing of Miss Calico in June, 1999, international dignitaries from all over the world came to say goodbye, to thank her for her hospitality, kindness, generosity, and guidance offered over the years. Miss Calico's passing will be missed.

The village of Calico, Texas continues to be a sleepy little town and growth is expected to occur. It has been rumored that a new industrial park will be constructed sometime in the future to handle the growing timber and expanding oil and gas industries. It has even been hinted there may be coal in them there mountains. With the town of Calico, Texas holding the mineral rights to the region, we are sure that this industry will be developed slowly, so that everything continues to progress at a very slow and steady rate.