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 SEPTEMBER 2010 Volume IX Number 9 50 YEARS AGO The Sept. 1, 1960, Wichita Eagle "Silhouettes" had the biography of Clyde E. Russell, chief ticket clerk for the Wichita Union Terminal Railway Co. He was working at the Rock Island depot here and when the new Union Station was completed in 1914 he was among the first group to occupy it. The ticket office staff has remained fairly constant, with an average of 12 men employed. Members of the Old Street Car Conductors Club met Sept. 18, 1960, at the Minisa Park shelter house for their annual picnic and election of officers. The group was formed about 10 years ago with more than 100 members, but membership has declined with the years. About 50 attended. (Wichita Eagle, Sept. 19, 1960) 60 YEARS AGO Sept. 11, 1950, was proclaimed "Wichita Transit Progress Day." Wichita Transportation Co. now had 102 buses, with 20 more on order. Ten were to be delivered next month. Two buses had been operating on propane for several months and the 20 on order would use propane to cut costs. The rest of the fleet would be converted in the next few months. (Wichita Eagle, Sept. 11, 1950) 70 YEARS AGO Kansas City Southern inaugurated its Southern Belle, a mixed of streamlined and rebuilt heavyweight equipment, between Kansas City and New Orleans Sept. 2, The new service was made possible by acquisition of the Louisiana & Arkansas Railway in 1939 and completion of a new bridge over the Mississippi River at Baton Rouge, La. The train got new sleeping cars in 1948 and was discontinued Nov. 2, The Sept, 25, 1940, Wichita Eagle pictured scaffolding covering the front of Union Station, which was being modernized. 80 YEARS AGO Missouri Pacific asked to LOOKING BACK By Michael M. Bartels discontinue 10 trains in Kansas, including replacing the Wichita-Hardtner motor with a mixed. (Wichita Eagle, Sept. 13, 1930) Santa Fe completed its Orient extension from Alpine to Presidio, Texas, Sept. 26, (Wichita Eagle, Sept. 26, 1930) 90 YEARS AGO The city commission Sept. 7, 1920, voted to require jitney buses to load passengers on the far corner of intersections rather than the near corner used by streetcars. It also voted to install raised wooden platforms about 6 feet wide and 4 inches high at several car stops on Douglas Avenue as an accident prevention measure. Jitney owners protested and the city relented. It would set aside a separate portion on the near side of corners rather than requiring them to load on the far side. (Wichita Eagle, Sept. 8, 9, 17, 1920) City Manager L.W. Clapp suggested a change in the plan for loading streetcars NRHS ANNUAL BANQUET - FRIDAY, SEPT. 17 Details on Page 5 and jitneys at a conference with the city commission Sept. 18th. Wooden platforms four or five inches high and the length of a streetcar will be provided at the intersections of Douglas Avenue with Main, Market and Lawrence. The parking space for autos will also be shortened near the intersections to permit the jitneys to approach the curb for loading back of the street intersection so that streetcar passengers can reach the loading platforms without having to dodge the jitneys. By late September city workmen were building loading platforms at the intersection of Market and Douglas. (Wichita Beacon, Sept. 20, 30, 1920) The Kansas City, Mexico & Orient had a monthly payroll in Wichita of $91,500. (Wichita Beacon, Sept. 27, 1920) The city commission Sept. 29th allowed the streetcar company to increase its fare to 6 cents cash or nine tickets for 50 cents. (Wichita Beacon, Sept. 29, 1920)

2 GREAT PLAINS DISPATCHER PAGE 2 SEPTEMBER 2010 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 THE SEPTEMBER BANQUET AND PROGRAM Our annual banquet will be at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church on Friday, September 17, Notice the change in day and date. Normally we have been holding the banquet on the Saturday following the third Friday, but that will be different this year. Deborah Fischer-Stout of the Northern Flyer Alliance will present the program after the meal. The NFA is the group promoting the return of Amtrak through Wichita. See page 5 for further details. OCTOBER This will be the exchange program with the Kansas City Chapter NRHS. NOVEMBER Our own Mr. Lee Swanson will present a program on railroading in and around the Cincinnati, Ohio area. DECEMBER Annual slide free-for-all and election of the chapter board for LOOKING AHEAD TO 2011 by J. H. Koehn The annual election of officers for 2011 is only a few months away. One position that has been vacant for two or more years --I have lost track -- is that of the vice-president. The VP is the one in charge of the monthly programs and I have been taking care of those duties of the unfilled position. The Chapter board hopes that someone steps forward to be VP and fulfill the duties and responsibilities. I will take care of the February, April, and October programs. Someone, or several others, will need to either present or schedule someone to do each of the other monthly programs and activities. We have numerous resources within our own membership, and some of you have contacts who would do an excellent job on a program. OTHER EVENTS Sept RITS Convention, Comfort Suites Hotel, Burlington, IA. Sept Frisco Convention, Crown Plaza Lenexa, contact: Richard Napper, renapper@centurylink.net Oct Missouri Pacific Railroad Historical Society Convention, State Fair Inn, Sedalia, MO. Oct Two Depot Train Show, Kingman Co. Activity Center, Sat. 9:00-5:00, Sun. noon-4:00. Displays also at Santa Fe Depot and MoPac Depot. sfdepot@sbcglobal.net or Oct Western Ks. Train Show, Ellis Co. Fairgrounds, Hays. Sat. 9:00-5:00, Sun 11:00-4:00. klk@mchsi.com Nov Mid-Continent Prototype Modelers, Lions Activity Center, 150 S. Main, Benton. Sat. 9:00-5:00, Sun 11:00-5:00. mcpmmeet@hotmail.com Dec Oklahoma City Train Show, Oklahoma State Fair Grounds, Oklahoma City. Sat. 9:00-5:00, Sun. 11:00-5:00. Dec MacTrax Show, McPherson Comm. Bldg., 122 E. Marlin, McPherson. Sat. 10:00-5:00, Sun 11:00-4:00. skytracker@ks-usa.net Feb , Wichita Train Show & Swap Meet. Cessna Activity Center. Sat. 9:00-6:00, Sun. 11:00-4:00. Contact Phil Aylward

3 GREAT PLAINS DISPATCHER PAGE 3 SEPTEMBER 2010 RAILROADING IN WICHITA SEPTEMBER 1910 By Fred Tefft. September 1 The Arkansas Valley Interurban Railway company is making preparations for use of the terminal point in Wichita at the corner of 1st and Water streets. The brick building at that location is being refitted for the uses of the company and will be used as a temporary terminal house and depot until a new station is erected and more permanent arrangements made. The South Riverside street car bridge is to be torn out and rebuilt as soon as it can be done. Work will commence early next week. September 2 The tickets now sold by the street car company have changed their color from the previous brown colored tickets to bright yellow ones. The reason is that the tickets are printed in half a dozen different colors in large lots of about 10,000 of each color. It is easier to check up if the tickets are divided up in this manner, and if a large amount of tickets should be stolen, the color can be changed, making it easier to detect the use of the stolen tickets. Superintendent Morrison said yesterday that work on the relaying and double-tracking of the North Market street line from 13th street to 21st street will begin next Tuesday. The work on the concrete bridge on the South Riverside car line will also be started on the same date. September 7 The Rock Island today commenced reballasting its main line from Caldwell to Herington at a cost of about $208,000. Burnt clay will be used entirely. Gumbo baking ovens have been built by the Rock Island on a tract of land south of Wellington to manufacture this. September 9 Work will commence today on the laying of steel on the stretch of the Arkansas Valley Interurban from Valley Center to Sedgwick. The graders have completed their work on that division. The sub-power plant at Valley Center will also be completed this week. September 15 H. E. Chubbuck, general manager of the Illinois Traction System and the Western Railways and Light corporation visited in Wichita today. He said the plans for the new car barns to be built on North Waco were completed and as soon as they had been approved, work on the buildings would begin. This, he thought, would be within the next month. September 16 The Arkansas Valley Interurban Railway company has taken out a building permit for a one-story repair and waiting room to cost about $1200. Article says decision has been made to build a union depot in Wichita costing $200,000. To be located south of Douglas avenue on the site of the old Santa Fe depot and south of the old station on ground now occupied by the express company offices and the Santa Fe s old freight house. Two or more elevated tracks will also go over Douglas avenue on the Santa Fe right-ofway and pass the site picked out for the union depot. September 19 The Stock Yards street car line double track should be completed in about two weeks. The Wichita Railroad and Light company has just received four car loads of copper wire valued at $20,000, which will be used for the new feeder system from the new power plant. The company has also received twelve car loads of heavy steel for the North Main and North Market street lines. September 25 Photograph showing a completed stretch of Arkansas Valley Interurban track just above Sullivan s dam. The poles are 30 feet high, very straight, and set 110 feet apart. They are partly equipped now with the usual hangers and brackets and when fully fitted out will carry the high tension wire, the feeder wire, and two telephone wires for train despatching. <sic> The poles are set eight inches in the ground. Some day this week the first palatial car will be shipped from the factory at Newark, Ohio. It will be of the standard Pullman color, lettered in gold on both sides, with the official and legal company symbol, A.V.I. Route. The interior will be a dull finish with plush upholstered seats in the passenger compartment, leather folding emergency seats in the baggage compartment, and handsome appointments for the smoking end. It is a standard interurban type car, seating 50 people. The steel rails on the Arkansas Valley Interurban are all laid within one and a half miles of Sedgwick City. Yesterday a crew strung six miles of heavy copper feeder wire, double the size of the trolley wire used in the city railway service, and known as September 29 Report on progress of Arkansas Valley Interurban. Sub-station at Valley Center has been completed and the machinery is being installed. The copper feed wire has been strung half way from Valley Center to Wichita. The trolley wire will be put up within a few days (it is already up from 21st street to Wichita city limits). North of Valley Center the road has been graded to Sedgwick and the track laid to within two and a half miles of that town. Dr. Edward N. Tihen's Notes from Wichita Newspapers, Special Collections and University Archives, Wichita State University Libraries

4 GREAT PLAINS DISPATCHER PAGE 4 SEPTEMBER 2010 JOHN LAROE, OWNER OF ENGINE HOUSE HOBBIES PASSES AWAY Former WPD Reserve Officer John D. LaRoe died Thursday morning, Aug. 19 at 11:00 at Via Christi - St. Francis Hospital from the liver cancer that came on rather suddenly. John was quite the guy and a good friend who will be missed. John D. LaRoe June 2, August 19, 2010 A memorial celebration of his life to be held at 6:00PM, Thursday, September 9, 2010 in the Lionel Alford Branch Library, 3447 S. Meridian, Wichita, KS Memorial: Great Plains Transportation Museum WICHITA TERMINAL ELEVATOR By Sam Andrews The Wichita Terminal Elevator is located on 25th street on the east side of the Santa Fe yard. It was built in 1917 under a common ownership of flour mills, elevators and farming associations--much like today s COOP businesses. The property was expanded when more grain bins were added in 1925 and in 1937 the company was featured in a issue of National Geographic. Newton flour mill owner GM Ross purchased the elevator in 1944 and in 1959 the Newton mill and Wichita elevator became part of the new milling firm of Ross Industries. The elevator complex now is an asset of Horizon Milling with mills in both Newton and Wichita. SOUTHWEST CHIEF NEWS In an attempt to move the Southwest Chief to the southern Transcon route, BNSF Railway has lowered the speed limit for passenger trains on 180 miles of track between Hutchinson, KS and Las Animas, NM. The new speed restriction is 60 mph for passenger trains. Following an inspections train trip officials determined the jointed rail is worn and in need of replacement. Amtrak has an agreement to pay for track maintenance in maintaining the track for 79 mph operation, but the cost of this will run into millions of dollars. THE CLOCK RAN OUT IN JENKS The Midland Valley depot from Jenks, Oklahoma and two Frisco passenger cars are gone. The cars were SLSF chair car 762 and coach were demolished August 17. An effort was made to save the cars, but it was too little, too late. The depot had been donated to the city and was last used as a senior center. Renovation cost was reported to be $120,000. The cars were part of the failed Sunbelt Historical Trust and had been abandoned and left with the city. Attempts were made to sell or donate the cars. Finally the city signed a contract for demolition so a road construction project could proceed. News of the impending destruction was reported August 2. Local railfans and modelers banded together to save the passenger cars. In two weeks they found a company to place the cars on active rail and have the cars moved by the Tulsa-Sapulpa Union Railway. Funding was located to pay for the movement. An agreement with the contractor was made to save the cars. All that was left was to find a home for the cars. Before a home was found time ran out and the cars and depot were razed, per the contract with the city of Jenks. A sad ending that is occurring too often. Once the depot was razed, chair car 762 was the next victim. Photo courtesy Tulsa World. Left to right, the Jenks MV depot, chair car 762, coach Photo courtesy Jenks Journal.

5 GREAT PLAINS DISPATCHER PAGE 5 SEPTEMBER 2010 Wichita Chapter National Railway Historical Society Annual Banquet 2010 Friday, September 17 Place: Gloria Dei Lutheran Church 1101 N. River Blvd. Wichita, Kansas Time: 6:30 p.m. (social time) 7:00 p.m. (dining) 7:45 (program, Deborah Fischer Stout of the Northern Flyer Alliance) Menu Chicken Green Beans Roll Baked Potato Dessert Iced tea or Coffee Early bird reservation, per person: $15.00 (due by Sep. 10 ) Regular reservation: $17.00 (due by Sep. 15) Make check payable to Wichita Chapter NRHS. Mail reservation to Annual Banquet c/o J. Harvey Koehn 237 N. Lakeside Dr. Andover, KS Detach and enclose with check. Name(s): Make reservations for people. Contact Information: (phone) ( )

6 September 2010 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat GPTM BOD NRHS Banquet GREAT PLAINS DISPATCHER Great Plains Transportation Museum 700 East Douglas Ave Wichita, KS (316) Return Service Requested