Western Railroad Discussion > No Time At All In Wichita

Today I rode the Reno County Area Transit (RCAT) and Sedgwick County Transportation (SCT) Tuesday only integrated transit service to Wichita, both to ride the route and also to avoid driving in Wichita. It was raining this morning and looked threatening but although cloudy the rain held off while I was out in Wichita. Because Wichita Transit kind of sucks for the size of the city I only ended up with a little over an hour to check out the area surrounded by Broadway, 21st ST, Mosley and 17 th ST.
1) I got off the Wichita Transit at 23 rd Street. More time and this would be a nice prop for a picture of the BNSF on the former Frisco.
2) I walked across 21st Street and this UP was on what I believe is the former MoPac from El Dorado. 
3) I walked around on Mosley to 17th ST and heard a horn. To my surprise this UP came down what I believe is a stub if the former MoPac.
 

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I was surprised to see the UP as the signal had lit up for a southbound on the BNSF.
4) A southbound BNSF intermodal passing the UP local.
5) The area is target rich for cool looking 'stuff' to include in the background.
6) A giant mill still in operation looking south. The signal had been lit up for less than a half hour.

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As the southbound rolled across 17 ST a northbound BNSF which had been waiting started across. One of the construction trucks had to wait for both BNSFs.
7) The construction guy also had to wait for the Union Pacific local before he could finally cross.
8) Lots of construction and around 17th and Broadway. I ended up walking past a bus stop without noticing it but hey, it let me set up a shot with the approaching bus and the Mo Pac right of way looking back toward where the other pictures were taken. 
I also walked around downtown Wichita before and after riding up Broadway. I even saw the K & O. I also rode with a really sweat female driver from and back to the Sedgwick County bus. After returning to Hutch and eating at Village Inn I saw the signal was clear for a eastbound on the former Rock so I set up at the former Rock Island depot. 

Thank you looking!

Jim

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Interesting - I never knew about a public transit option from Hutch to Wichita. Bus service is not a huge priority in Wichita compared to other cities it's size. The main reason is out of the top 100 most populous cities, Wichita ranks 1st in terms of fastest average commute time to work - only 19.5 minutes. The city is spread out and there are plenty of highways. I would like to see expanded Q-Trolley service around downtown. I think it will be more of a priority after the ballpark opens and the arena starts having events again. But it's always a tough sell to the general population to increase funding for public transit when so many people here don't need to use it. 

That abandoned Treatco facility is a former slaughterhouse - and would catch on fire all the time.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/07/21 05:41 by ATSF3768.

Nice report and pics. I spent my college years in Wichita. All the "flags" were still operating there. The MOP had the most action but the Santa Fe was more interesting with their passenger trains.

Bismarck Bill 

I'm impressed you railfan by bus in Wichita!  I railfanned by transit for several decades in the SF Bay Area, but I think there's a higher density of transit here.  But Wichita may have a higher density of trains!

The happiest dog in the USA. I got a chuckle out of that bill board every time I went by on a train.

Posted from Android

The UP engs are powering a Wichita Term Assn job--not a UP train. WTAR is owned majority by UP, w/a smaller share by BNSF. In busines since 1889 (renamed WTAR in 1910).
Sam

Thank you all for the replies! I used to try and ride bus routes aimlessly in any new city. After taking my dad on a lot of these trips I adapted his idea of riding to a destination. It may have ended up being a board game store, hobby shop or railway junction but it gave a better idea of how usable a transit system really is to someone not used to it. I had seen this area on the maps and was not disappointed, other than having too little time there.

sfbrkmn Wrote:
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> The UP engs are powering a Wichita Term Assn
> job--not a UP train. WTAR is owned majority by UP,
> w/a smaller share by BNSF. In business since 1889
> (renamed WTAR in 1910).
> Sam

Wow! This is what I truly love about TO! I would have never known I was looking at the WTAR, let alone even known the WTAR existed or that it still exists. So I guess everything worked out better than I thought since I was able to see a surviving terminal railway in 2021! Thank you very much for this!

Jim