Frisco Diner set to open

There are a number of rail cars scattered throughout Wright County, but only one will allow local residents and visitors alike inside for a nice, warm meal.
The Frisco Diner is a new destination eatery in Mansfield set to open early next month, offering a unique setting while also paying tribute to its rich past as a railroad town. The 77-year old railroad car from the Kansas City Southern Railroad is located next to the Mansfield Area Historical Society and Museum just off of the town square. The car was purchased several years ago by Mike and Connie Roberts. Mike had a dream of bringing something fresh and new to Mansfield that would enhance the town’s appeal as a destination for visitors.
“All these small towns are drying up,” he says. “We’ve got the Wilder Home here in town and Baker Creek Seed Company just north of town. Let’s add another destination point to capture a few more people. I think we have here.”
The first step in getting this new venture off the ground was procuring the car. As it turned out, Branson Scenic Railway had purchased a car from Amtrak 10-15 years prior at an auction and had been using it for storage and parts. “Old Plantation,” as it was called, was built in 1948 for the Kansas City Southern Railroad. Its travel route, known as “Southern Comfort,” stretched from Kansas City to Tulsa to New Orleans. “I told them what we were going to do with it [and] where we were going to set it,” Roberts said. “They gave us a very good deal on it.”

(Read the rest of the story in the March 26 issue of the Wright County Journal.)