Nostalgia & History > Maroon Monday: Without any maroon

In the early history of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific the Kansas town of McFarland became a ‘railroad town’ of some importance. Had the winds of change & chance blown a little differently McFarland might even have become a division point. With trackage branching off to the northwest through Manhattan & Clay Center toward Belleville, KS it was already a crossroads of sorts. This line tied in at Belleville with the future Rocky Mountain Rocket mainline between Omaha, NE & Colorado Springs, CO (and Denver via UP). At one time this line was actually considered to be a secondary main line. But McFarland’s role as a permanent division point never happened because a little further southwest down the future Golden State Route is a town called Herington which became the major division point instead. As a basic railroad town McFarland peaked in the 1920s, and thereafter experienced a very long & very gradual decline in strategic importance. The roundhouse, coal chute, ice house, section quarters, [etc] constructed early in the 1900s became less & less vital as the first half on the 20th century marched forward.

The fact that steam power starting to give way to diesel in the 1940s was more or less the death knell for McFarland. As railroad jobs evaporated, so did McFarland’s local population. With the ultimate bankruptcy death of the Rock Island itself in 1980 the branch to Belleville ceased to be used, at least as far as Manhattan. It was operated west of Manhattan by another entity for a short time, but most of the trackage was being torn out by 1984. In these modern days the Union Pacific trains breeze through McFarland without so much as a nod. There isn’t even one single spur track left anywhere in town.

The decline of McFarland represents a heartbreak for yours truly. A bitter heartbreak on a broader scale, considering the “branch” line to the northwest ran through my hometown. I grew up, lived in & cut my railfanning eyeteeth in Manhattan so I’m often filled with deep remorse that I didn’t chase & shoot the Rock on my home turf more than I did. As a result every time I pass through McFarland chasing the yellow & gray “builders of America”, I’m really chasing ghosts of the Maroon. Without the Maroon. (sigh…)

1. “Welcome to McFarland” in native Kansas limestone (I think). This very tasteful greeting to visitors is visible as you drive into McFarland from a northwest angle. The very same northwest angle the former branch line to Manhattan took. Photo date: July 4, 2015. (Personal memory era: 1976-1980)

Thanks for looking back!
Lance Garrels
santafe199



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/12/22 21:58 by santafe199.

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Lance, my heart is with you on reminiscing the Rock Island.  Last Tuesday we traveled from Hays west to Limon, CO on I-70, then via US24 from Limon to Colorado Springs where we spent the rest of the week in the Springs area and the mountains.  As I traveled on US24, I constantly tried to trace the old Rock Island route through the prairie and the various towns.  Several trestles, bridges, and culverts still exist while some others have had the steel entirely removed or trestle decking at least partially removed.  As the route wound below and through the rolling hills I could vision the Rocky Mountain Rocket behind a 1910 4-6-0 steamer with its string of passenger cars following it uphill toward the Springs area.  I can only imagine how this segment was sometimes a challege for the trains during winter blizzards.  The only segment still really intact is the roadbed known as the Rock Island Trail from Colorado Springs paralleling the highway eastward to Peyton.  Through this trail area the various trestles and steel bridges now have new open-spaced guard rails chest height to the decking so adequate protection is provided for those traveling the trail either on foot or bike along with resting benches along the route. 

After arriving home and having the time, I've been traversing the route via Google Maps and reliving areas I recall passing plus browsing for historical pictures.  I may attach some of these I've found on another posting later.

I grew up on the Golden State Line but in later years I followed the history of the Western Div. and did travel some in 1964 in the Denver/Goodland area but never got eastward beyond Phillipsburg.  I managed to see the RI rotary plow and tenders when they were still in Goodland.  Today it's sad to see the old RI searchlight signals forelornly aimed in various directions as the paint gradually weathers away on them.  At least it's good to see this Limon eastward portion still being operated by the Kyle RR and not abandonded as was the Colorado Springs/Limon route in 1984 following operation by the Cadillac &  Lake City RR.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/15 20:19 by rrman6.