Gone but not forgotten - Trains Magazine

mudchicken

I just helped a surveyor in Chicago find mapping for the abandoned Panhandle line east of Dolton.

Nominees would include:

Salina, KS (nothing like it used to be) or Parsons, KS

Raton, NM

Chadron, NE

Oelwein & Marshaltown, IA

Minturn, CO

I am going to 'cherrypick' on Mudchicken's list, and single out Parsons.

   Parsons,Ks. was the Central Division point on the MKT System.  At one time I'm told the Katy employed some 7,000 people (give or take). There were Back Shops, that were capable of building steam locomotives, and cars, and all maintainance activities.

    The former Union Pacific Southern Division came down from Herrington,Kansas.( more or less from the Northwest direction). The Pasrpons to Tulsa and Oklahoma City line ran kida Southwesterly out of Parsons. (abandoned in the late 1950's,)

   The line from Parsons, to St. Louis via  Ft. Scott,Ks. to Sedallia,Mo. (abandoned in the 1960's?.Before abandonment, it was said to be so poor that a standing train was known to derail itself from the action of the wind rocking the cars)).

   What is left of the Katy (now UPRR) is the North-South Main (Kansas City to  Dallas,Tx)

    At one time the Corporate HQ for the Katy was in a very large brick station building, it burned in the 1960's after the Katy moved it HQ to Denton,Tx and finally to St.Louis.

   Parsons was also host to a line of the former Narrow gauge Denver,Memphis, and Atlantic. It was graded but never built ( It's ROW hosted an Interurban Operaton from Parsons, to Cherryvale,Ks., and down to terminus near Nowata,OK.

    There was also an East-West service on that ROW from Pittsburg,Ks to Parsons and then to Chanute,Ks.  It was the Frisco (SLSF),which also branched at Parsons, and ran down to Cherryvale,Ks., on part of the Interurban ROW.

     Cherryvale,Ks., another community that has seen its railroad fortunes change. was home to a North-South AT&SF line between Kansas City and Tulsa, Ok. It also hosted the (SLSF) The MoPac more less  ran East-West.(now is Sk&O RR -(Watco)

      The large Santa Fe station is now the HQ for the SK&O RR, Frisco's Station islog gone.