Western Railroad Discussion > Here & Gone to History, at Lewis, KS,

Like as many pole lines across the country, here on the ex-Santa Fe (BNSF) LaJunta Sub, the same has now gone to history, stretching from Belpre, KS, 9 miles to the east and west to 10 miles at Kinsley. I had expected this disappearance to happen this past year following the implementation of the PTC signaling but that didn't happen until this past week. One week ago I noticed poles were being pulled at the west side of Kinsley, but never thought it would progress so fast eastward. This past Friday I was heading to Hutchinson, KS and as I left Lewis, the scene hit me head-on as I turned eastward from Main St. It was bare where the lines and poles had been, then I saw poles and cross-arms on the ground with all the wire gone. Yesterday, being Sunday, I'd later in the day get a closer look and to my amazement I found even no poles or cross-arms and only piles of wire that had been coiled and left for pickup. No signs of even broken insulators, let alone fair ones anywhere!
The Plains of Kansas are becoming "more plain"!! The harmonic hum of iced lines and blowing wind on them will be no more... gone for ever. Since the freeze of Jan. 17, 2017, they became further dilapidated and since no need longer needed after PTC, they remained in that fashion. Guess it's best they be on their way to recycling and disposal and gone the way of the telegraph practice. Here are some shots I took Sunday of what is the current state as well as some past.

1. Lewis grain elevator that oversees the BNSF
2. A glimpse of near MP296 3 miles west of Lewis just prior to PTC installation
3. A 1998 signal at same location awaiting removal



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/09/18 07:28 by rrman6.

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4. 1 mile east of Lewis near MP293 1-17-17 following ice storm
5. Same location looking westward toward Lewis
6. 2 mile east of Lewis near MP 292 after ice storm at Garfield KS crossing

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7. Same location looking westward
8. Another of same location looking westward
9. Near MP293 at approaching train 2-9-17

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10. Same train passing crossing with pole line in view
11. Same train with poles as close up
12. Sunday- looking east from Main St. following the pole line removal. Now the only poles are power line poles, those near track delivering power to the BNSF trackside electrical equipment.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/18 21:21 by rrman6.

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13. 1 mile east of Lewis between MP292 and MP293 looking toward the PTC signal now located east of the county road crossing.
14. 1 mile west of Lewis at crossing looking at pile of coiled pole line wire- steel copper coated.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/18 21:24 by rrman6.

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A very timely post! It just so happens that I have recently reconnected with a fellow Santa Fe train service employee. "John" is a retired engineer who also happened to be a picture shootin' railfan. I ran into him at a swap meet in Lawrence earlier this year. Even though we never work together more than a couple times 30-some years ago, we chatted back and forth comparing memories like it was old home week! He told me he had shot a considerable number of slides of Santa Fe action & scenes west of Newton, KS in the 80s and 90s. John was particularly keen on recording the semaphore signals before they were all gone, especially at Lewis, KS! I now have access to many of those slides, so there is a future thread in the works about those semaphores. Unfortunately I have taken my computer into the shop where it will be undergoing a massive tune up in the next few days. So keep an eye on ol' santafe199 in the next few weeks. If it takes too long please DO rattle my cage. It means my Lewis project has probably gotten lost among the seven or eight other proverbial irons I always have in the fire...

Lance/199

Posted from Android

Surely, you (la)jest? wag216

rrman6 Wrote:
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> 14. 1 mile west of Lewis at crossing looking at
> pile of coiled pole line wire- steel copper coated

Hopefully these coils will be properly recycled and not claimed by wire thieves.

Lance, sure glad to hear of you connection with John. I have a 8 1/2 x 11 copy of a photo I think John took of the old cantilever plus the westbound semaphore 2921 near what originally was the east passing siding switch before that track was removed. This photo has the sun setting above the main line. So glad you'll be working on the semaphore project and will be awaiting the postings. I'm sure your production will be great as your usual Lance! Good luck meanwhile with your computer tune up!

TTownTrains, I understand your thoughts and I agree. When I shot that pic I was curious of the material makeup since I saw the greenish corrosion on some spots. Some coils had this wire tying them together so I tried to bend it and it sure wasn't like copper, so this is why I feel it had a copper coating on steel. If the meth heads were on the watch I'm sure they would be investigating more than I, as you know!! At the rate the salvage crew is moving I'm sure the coils will soon be gone. Seems these piles are spaced about every two miles at crossings.

I had 3 more photos I'd hoped to add to this posting but found I've reached my allowed limit for the month by TO's, so will have to wait or forget them.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/09/18 11:34 by rrman6.

They don't call US50 the loneliest highway in US for nothing.

Very interesting series! Used to run around that area in the 1980's and 90's. I don't like the new look.

Larry

wag216 Wrote: > ... Surely, you jest?

...and don't call me Shirley!

;^)

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Wasn't Lewis, KS the site of the last ATSF operating mainline semaphore ?

UP951West Wrote:
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> Wasn't Lewis, KS the site of the last ATSF
> operating mainline semaphore ?


Still a bunch on the Raton sub. Maybe the last in KS?

The last semaphores in this area extended east from Kinsley toward Hutchinson as I recall. These were removed and replaced with the vertical tri-lights in 1998. When the PTC was installed nearly two years ago, these are mostly relay cabinet mounted and they became spaced differently so many of the 1998 tri-lights were removed. CTC that was between Kinsley and Dodge City had the US&S H5's and a few H2 heads, but some of the vertical tri-lights were implemented also in 1998. All PTC everywhere here now!
I believe SD45X is correct in that the Raton area is the last semaphores on the BNSF.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/09/18 20:06 by rrman6.

UP951West Wrote:

> Wasn't Lewis, KS the site of the last ATSF
> operating mainline semaphore ?

It was the site of the last cantilever-mounted semaphore on the former Santa Fe:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,3722704

According to Semaphores.com, the last semaphore in Kansas was mast-mounted signal 2471 located just west of Sylvia, KS, about 46 miles east of Lewis:

http://www.semaphores.com/resources/SlidePix/Slide-Info.00001.html

As others have mentioned, a number of former Santa Fe semaphores are still in service in New Mexico on the passenger main west of Springer. BNSF owns the track and signals, but only Amtrak and maintenance of way/company service moves use the line.

Lewis was the location of the last semaphore on a cantilever.