Western Railroad Discussion > Here's a Whereisit for Wichita Jct.....................

See if you can guess this one------------------


bnsf100

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Another picture clue to help(??) you out..........

bnsf100

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By the way, I have a couple more Whereisit's, so look for them soon.


bnsf100

Uh, well, there is not a whole lot to work with here in the way of landmarks. Obviously we are looking at some abandonded ROW. I would guess somewhere in eastern Kansas since there ain't that mnay trees in one place anywhere in western Kansas. Some likely Santa Fe candidates would be the Topeka to Atchison line or Wilder to Bonner Springs but I believe both of those have been long since been taken up. Maybe the line from Neva that went up to Abilene (?) and then up to Superior Ne. ? Or maybe even some of the old MOPac line around Topeka ?

Let me give you a clue, amigo.

ATSF Branch line south of Lawrence, Kansas.

Think you might have it now????


bnsf100
(Waiting on your reply---)

Well, that would be the Lawrence to Ottawa branch on the Santa fe but I thought that was all taken up years ago 'cept for trackage around Baldwin that they used for that dinner train operation.

Well, I should make you guess a little bit longer :)
but I won't.

The track that you saw in the two pictures belongs to the Midland Railway (Tourist Railroad based out of Baldwin City, Kansas). The first picture shows the bridge over Ottawa Creek south of Norwood, Kansas back in 1996.

The second picture, of course, shows the area just before Ottawa Creek trestle---as it looked back in 1996.

The Midland is planning on running over this section of former Santa Fe Baldwin (KS) branchline this year, possibly as early as Easter or Memorial Day at the latest, all the way to North of US-59 Highway near Ottawa!!!!!!!!

Gotta ya pretty good there, didn't I????????????

Might include another picture from back in 1996 that may clear things up a bit more.


bnsf100

Here's a picture showing former NYC RS-3 #8255 preparing to couple onto two ballast cars full of rock at Fogle Quarry Company near Ottawa, Kansas. The rail line that #8255 is on is the former Santa Fe Baldwin (Kansas) branch, which originally ran from Lawrence, Kansas through Baldwin City to Ottawa, Kansas and on to Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Lawrence to Baldwin segment was abandoned in the 1960's---and the Baldwin to Ottawa segment was purchased by the Midland Railway in the 1980's.

This rail line looks to have regular passenger service again, as the Midland is planning to run two trains daily from Baldwin to just North of US-59 Highway near Ottawa sometime this spring (Easter or late May).

bnsf100
(Midland RR Volunteer since September 1995)

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