GREAT PLAINS DISPATCHER

Transcription

1 GREAT PLAINS DISPATCHER The Official Newsletter of the Great Plains Transportation Museum and the Wichita Chapter National Railway Historical Society July 2008 Volume VII Number 7 The July 18th platform meeting will be in Newton. I have reserved the 5:30-7:00 time slot for us at the Harvey County Historical Museum. This will be a come-and-go. There is an admission charge of $3.I need an RSVP by Wednesday the 16th so that I have an indication of the number of people to expect. Note: The chapter will cover admission for the first 15 people to respond by the 16th. Call me at or me at jhkoehn@prodigy.net. JULY PLATFORM MEETING For those wanting the German buffet dinner at the Breadbasket at 7:00 also please RSVP by the 16th so that I have an indication of numbers and can make any necessary You never know what will go past at the Newton depot. arrangements. The cost is $9.99 plus tax and tip. The cost for seniors is $8.99. Sorry, but you are responsible for this cost. Afterward we will watch, observe, photograph, and discuss trains, but not necessarily in that order. You are welcome to do the same earlier if your schedule allows. You will need to provide your own seating, so bring a lawn chair, if desired. For anyone needing a ride to Newton please contact Harvey. FORTY YEARS AGO By Michael M. Bartels On July 1, 1968, the Chicago Great Western Railway merged into the Chicago & North Western, giving C&NW access to Kansas City. Some traffic C&NW formerly interchanged with the Santa Fe at Superior, Neb., could now be routed this way. (Flooding ended through C&NW service to Superior in 1969.) CGW crossed the Missouri River at Leavenworth, Kan., using Missouri Pacific trackage rights from there to Kansas City. The ex- CGW Kansas City line was abandoned in 1986 in favor of the former Rock Island "Spine Line." The Dallas section of Santa Fe's Texas Chief made its last run July 19, Trains 115 and 116 between Gainesville, Texas, and Dallas carried a through sleeping car and coach from Chicago, although the sleeper was absent the last few months. Through Chicago-Dallas passenger service was inaugurated Dec. 5, 1955, following completion of Santa Fe's Dallas main line: 46.7 miles of new track from Sanger to Garland on ATSF's Dallas-Paris branch. For a time after the train's removal, a Dallas-Gainesville bus connection was provided, but thereafter passengers had to go through Fort Worth. Kansas City Southern now operates the "new" line as part of its route to BNSF's Alliance yard near Fort Worth.. SEVENTY YEARS AGO Arkansas Valley Interurban passenger service between Wichita, Newton and Hutchinson ended on July 31, Freight operation continued until July 23, 1942, although after the H.E. Salzburg Co. bought the railroad in November 1939 it was renamed the Arkansas Valley Railway and dieselized in October A mile of track survived, sold to Hutchinson & Northern. See "Arkansas Valley Interurban: The Electric Way" by Robert Collins, available from Also "Arkansas Valley Interurban," Interurbans Special No. 19, by M.D. "Doc" Isely, Interurbans, Los Angeles, 1956, 1977.

2 GREAT PLAINS DISPATCHER PAGE 2 JULY 2008 THE MISSION OF THE GREAT PLAINS TRANSPORTATION MUSEUM To be THE Railroad Museum Of Kansas. Dedicated to record and exhibit the importance of railroad transportation in the human, agricultural, commercial and industrial heritage of Wichita, Kansas and the Great Plains. To showcase that heritage with an Action Display of rail equipment operation. Giving visitors an exciting learning experience through motion, set in an unique, historic and scenic urban location. To enhance the action display with significant and appropriate railroad locomotives, rolling stock, equipment and structures; through interpretive displays, dioramas, exhibits and media; and educational and community programs. The GREAT PLAINS DISPATCHER is the official monthly newsletter of the Wichita Chapter, National Railway Historical Society, Inc. and the Great Plains Transportation Museum, Inc. Members receive the DISPATCHER as part of their membership. All material submitted for publication should be submitted by the 25th of the month for publication in the next months DISPATCHER. Submissions may be sent to the editor at: editor@gptm.us, or 700 E. Douglas, Wichita, KS NEED A RIDE? For those who are not able to drive to the chapter meetings. If you would like a ride call and leave a message at the museum or with David Meek at FUTURE NRHS MEETINGS Aug.: Platform meeting Sept.: Annual banquet in Kingman Oct.: Kansas City Chapter exchange program Nov.: Joint Line Steam Dec.: Slide free-for-all FALL DRIVING TOUR Saturday, Oct. 18 will be the premier for our fall driving tour. A trip from Wichita to Anthony following the KCM&O is planned. KANSAS CITY CHAPTER BUS TRIP The Kansas City Chapter is planning a bus trip. Here is the note I received: Oct 4 we plan to charter a bus to Omaha and visit the new UP Museum, the Big Boy & 6900 in Kenefick Park and at least one other attraction of which there are several.. No solid details except date. Bus will run in the area of $50 +/-. More riders, less cost. Meals on your own. Lunch in the old riverfront warehouse district--pick your own place. TOPEKA CHAPTER MEETING August 8th, 2008: Topeka, Kansas Chapter NRHS Regular Chapter Meeting at the Great Overland Station; 7:30 PM. Wichita Chapter NRHS exchange program; Lynn Aldrich will be the presenter. OTHER EVENTS July Rails & Trails Days, Old Cowtown Museum, Wichita, KS July UPHS Convention, Capitol Plaza Hotel, Topeka, KS Aug. 9 - WTTC Town West Mall Run, Wichita, KS, 10 AM - 5 PM Sept RITS Convention, Burlington, IA. Sept Burlington Route Historical Society 2008 Fall (Annual) Meet - WIU at Macomb, IL Oct MPHS Convention, Leavenworth, KS Oct WTTC Swap Meet, 4-H Bldg., Wichita, KS. NRHS OFFICERS It is time to begin thinking about officers for next year. All positions are open for nomination. These are the offices of president, vicepresident (currently vacant), secretary, treasurer, and national director. If you want to run for one of these offices by having yourself nominated, or you may volunteer, let David or Harvey know. David's phone number is ; Harvey's is Harvey's is jhkoehn@prodigy.net. Elections take place at the December meeting.

3 GREAT PLAINS DISPATCHER PAGE 3 JULY 2008 ART IN THE AGE OF STEAM: EUROPE, AMERICA AND THE RAILWAY, September 13, 2008 January 18, 2009 The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art 4525 Oak Street, Kansas City, Mo ART A HISTORIC DAY IN HERINGTON, KS By Larry Byers A new pedestrian-motor vehicle overpass over two main line tracks of the Union Pacific Railroad (formerly Rock Island/St. Louis Southwestern Railway) and Lime Creek in Herington, KS, was opened shortly before 10:30 a.m. yesterday, Saturday, June 21, Art in the Age of Steam: Europe, America and the Railway, , is a major international exhibition that captures the excitement and range of emotions that steam-powered trains elicited as railroads reshaped culture around the world. Currently on view in Liverpool at the Walker Art Gallery until August, it shows how the best artists responded to the railroad from its beginnings in the 1830s to the end of the Steam Age in Artists from both Europe and America including Claude Monet, Charles Sheeler and Thomas Hart Benton are represented. Important paintings, lithographs and photography will show how the railroad changed the way we live. The exhibition appeals to art lovers and railroad fans alike. Entrance to the main museum is free. There is an $8 fee for the Art in the Age of Steam exhibition. RAILS AND TRAILS WICHITA S OLD COWTOWN MUSEUM Thundering hooves, clouds of dust and tired trail cowboys come to every mind as we think about the millions of Longhorn cattle driven north to cowtowns to meet the rail road. Rail road enthusiasts mix with drovers as they come into contact with fast food, orphan trains, model rail roads and more. The day will be filled with music, dancing saloon girls, gunfighters and an exhibition of railroads displays by the Wichita Toy Train club and Garden Railway will be located in Old Cowtown on July 19th and 20th Native American and transportation exhibits will be included, as well as an interpretation of the four horsemen. Old Cowtown is also proud to host the 1st Annual Texas Hold Em Poker Tournament on July 19th from 4:30-8:30 pm. Additionally, The "Coasters Bicycle Club" will be on display at the Visitor Center on Sunday July 20th. The Coasters Bicycle Club is an informal group of area custom and antique bicycle enthusiasts that have been around for a while and decided to adopt a name. The group plans and hosts bicycle related events and rides. Food will be provide by Carinos inside the Chuckwagon cafe. Regular admission rates apply for this event. The Rails and Trails event runs July 19th from 10 am-6 pm and July 20th from 11:00 am- 4 pm at Wichita s Old Cowtown Museum. The 1,839-foot long span, which was been named Railer Express, was built in less than 11 months. Its price tag will run more then $6.5 million. A ribbon-cutting program and ceremony, attended by about 300 persons, was held just prior to the opening of the overpass. Following the short program, pedestrians walked across the span, along with a color guard, followed by an ambulance, fire truck, police car and school bus. The overpass will eliminate a highly-traveled grade crossing on Walnut Street that has existed ever since the town was founded in The crossing---the only crossing in town on an east-west street---has always been a sore spot with local citizens because of the sometimes long wait for trains on a daily basis. Most irritating has been continued railroad switching operations over the crossing at all hours of the day and night by all railroads through the years. On various occasions, the blocked crossing sometimes delayed firefighters, ambulances and city police during emergency situations on the west side of Herington. Majority of the expense of the project was paid with federal and state tax dollars, but the Union Pacific and the City of Herington shared the balance of the remaining cost. The Walnut Street crossing, a popular spot for railfans to gather through the decades, was officially closed Saturday just minutes after the overpass was opened to motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic. A barricade was put in place. Trains no longer sounded their horns later in the day as they moved through the crossing.

4 GREAT PLAINS DISPATCHER PAGE 4 JULY 2008 THE GREAT BEND RUNAWAY By Carl Fankhauser This article was submitted in response to Mike Bartels Forty Years Ago column in the June Dispatcher. I was at work in our drafting department and listening to a Gt. Bend radio station when it was announced that anyone near the tracks in that city or elsewhere to be clear of all crossings and to be on the lookout for these two runaway units. Meanwhile, there was a train off the mainline in Larned doing switching and a plan was that when the runaway passed through, that they would chase it between there and Kinsley and attempt to couple on and take control. They attempted, but with the high speed and condition of track it was decided an unsafe attempt, so it was decided then to split the switch on the wye at Kinsley. If they had not, the units may have derailed on a curve west of the depot there and possibly wiped out a support structure beneath an overpass span of US50 highway. As they approached Larned, I switched to a Larned radio station that monitored the law enforcement channels. As the units left Larned, I then left work in my 1963 Olds in which I had the local law radio to monitor and I and my wife high tailed it to Kinsley. On the east side of Kinsley I had to turn off US50 and drive northward toward the wye area and as I was driving north I saw the runaway coming hell-bent for election, but there were many trees coming between us. I managed to hurriedly park south of the Kinsley to Hutchinson La Junta Sub right-of-way, jump out and attempt to film it across the top of my car using my 8mm camera, but the train just beat me by seconds before I could get focused and switched on. All I could hear was rev-ed up engines and then what I saw was the nose of the lead unit aim downward and hit the dirt, thereby creating a humongous cloud of dirt. You could see nothing for a moment, but then as it settled, there laid the two units on their right-side and not breathing a breath. The local law enforcement had everyone stay well away prior, but then the crowd came upon the site and I joined them with my Polaroid camera and managed to get a couple of shots. The Kinsley fire department was cocked and ready for a fire, but nothing ever ignited, but there was some seepage of fuel. The horns were severely damaged and a friend threw them over his back and into a local salvage yard pile near the wye where I later retrieved them. The two horn bells were severely bent, and the mounting bracket missing, but I managed to get one mounted on a camper school bus that I once had. As for the runaway, a friend who worked in the Dodge City roundhouse later told me what had happened at Hutchinson was that a fairly new Hispanic gentleman was directed to slightly move the engines during some servicing. Evidently he wasn't properly trained or whatever, but when he throttled up the unit he pulled open several notches more than he had anticipated, and rather than reversing what he had done, he freaked out and instead bailed off the lead engine and away they went The runaway was derailed at the east switch of the Kinsley wye. The track on the left was the main line going northeast to Great Bend. Author s photo traveling through Hutchinson downtown with sparks flying and brake shoes smoking and then encountering the man with the Fairmont motorcar which got creamed as the runaway exited on the Northwest side of the city. RAILROADING IN WICHITA JULY 1908 By Fred Tefft Thursday, July 2, 1908 The four new trailer cars ordered by the Wichita Railroad and Light company arrived in the city last evening. They are brand new canopy top affairs and cost $4400. The cars will be tried over the lines this afternoon Tuesday, July 7, 1908 Saturday, July 4, was the busiest day in the history of the street car company here. Including transfers, 50,000 passengers were hauled during the entire day. Three thousand were hauled to the races in the afternoon and 6,000 to Wonderland park in the evening. Twenty extra cars were in service. Tuesday, July 7, 1908 City council yesterday ordered paving of East Douglas from Hydraulic to the street car loop on College Hill with brick. All Beacon employees will be given a trolley ride this evening in the new trailer cars of Wichita Railroad and Light company. Wednesday, July 8, 1908 Report of the Beacon s trolley car party last evening. Motorman was Amos Grable and pilot was A. J. Crow. Charles Dunn and L. M. Bowers were conductors. The new trailer cars could not visit Wonderland park, as they are too long to turn on the Wonderland loop. The street car company has men working on the double track being laid on South Main street. Most of the grading (Continued on page 5)

5 GREAT PLAINS DISPATCHER PAGE 5 JULY2008 (Continued from page 4) has been done and some of the steel has been laid. Monday, July 13, 1908 Street car No. 164 with motorman C. E. Gear and conductor Don Hayworth struck and killed an 80 year old deaf man residing at the Masonic home this morning. Tuesday, July 14, 1908 Special work on East Douglas avenue for the laying of the track on Hillside avenue was commenced by the Wichita Railroad and Light company today and the ties have been placed in the center of the street. The stretch of double track on South Main street has been completed. Wednesday, July 15, 1908 Eagle employees all entertained on a trolley excursion and then trip to Wonderland park. The large green cars and the new trailers were used to carry the force of newspaper workers. Saturday, July 18, 1908 Street cars operated on the new Hillside avenue line yesterday for the first time, although the track is not entirely completed yet. It is completed from near 1st street to Central avenue. The line from Douglas to Central on Rutan avenue has been torn up, so passengers from Fairmount must walk from near 1st street to Douglas avenue to transfer to the College Hill line. The two and a half blocks of track has been laid in just a day or two. Wednesday, July 22, 1908 Orient Railroad expect to have trains in operation between Wichita and Sweetwater, Texas by November 1st. At present trains run from Wichita to Elmer. Distance west to Sweetwater is 430 miles. Thursday, July 23, 1908 Street car company has finished the track laying on the new Hillside line to Fairmount. All that remains to be done is to string the trolley wire. Track work was completed yesterday. The wire will be put up today. Then cars will be run through from Fairmount to Main and Douglas on Hillside instead of around by way of Rutan avenue. The company will be able to cut about five minutes off the through schedule. An attempt is being made to improve the appearance of the Santa Fe passenger depot by painting the woodwork of the building. It will doubtless take away a portion of the dingy appearance of the place. Friday, July 31, 1908 The work of moving the street railway bridge over the Arkansas river to make way for the new street bridge was begun yesterday morning. During the day the passengers on the West Side line were forced to walk across the street bridge. The street railway bridge has to be moved only a few feet and new piling have been driven and the track will be slipped north onto the new piling. Dr. Edward N. Tihen's Notes, Special Collections, WSU Libraries THE SANTA FE RAILWAY AND THE LOST LOCO- MOTIVES OF TOPEKA Review by Fred Tefft Authored by James J. Reisdorff and Lloyd E. Stagner 56 pages, softcover South Platte Press, David City, NE $19.95 The Lost Locomotives of Topeka was written by Lloyd Stagner and James Reisdorff. Following intensive research by several individuals, this book was to become the final book authored by Lloyd. A few weeks before his death, Lloyd Stagner had reviewed the manuscript for The Lost Locomotives of Topeka. With encouragement from Lloyd s family, Jim Reisdorff was able to complete the book. The spring of 1951 saw the end of a drought in northeast Kansas. Droughts in this area are typically followed by excessive amounts of rain, and July of 1951 was no exception. In the week before the flood, five to nineteen inches of rain fell in northeast Kansas. This resulted in a near-record flood in the Kansas River basin. In Topeka, two railroad bridges and two highway bridges were partially washed away on July 13. Thus begins the story of three locomotives, which had not been compiled in over 55 years. The authors have followed many leads, reviewed numerous photographs and news articles, and interviewed individuals who still remembered details from the flood of This laid the foundation to solve the mystery behind the lost locomotives. Ten brief chapters tell the story. From the basics of the flood to the rebuilding of the railroad, a thorough investigation has been accomplished. The facts have been sorted from the legends in a professional manner. The result, three locomotives were lost that day. The remains of two have been confirmed, with no traces of the third existing today. A thank you must go out to James Reisdorff for finishing this work. It is a fitting remembrance of Lloyd Stagner. Our dear friend certainly left his signature in the manuscript with his attention to detail and factual style of writing. This book is a must-have for anyone who has an interest in either Kansas rail history and the history of Topeka. The book will soon be available in the museum gift shop.

6 July 2008 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat NRHS Platform Meeting GREAT PLAINS DISPATCHER Great Plains Transportation Museum 700 East Douglas Wichita, KS (316) Return Service Requested