Nostalgia & History > Central Kansas Railway was short-lived

Some will remember a few years ago when the Central Kansas Railway was operating. The line was rather short-lived and no longer exists. Does anyone have the exact timeline or history for this fallen short line railroad?

These are the only pictures I have of the CKR. I rather liked the green color scheme. The two pictures were taken on Feb. 24, 2001, at the former Missouri Pacific/Union Pacific railroad yard in Hoisington, KS. Hoisington is presently served by the Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad.

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The green units were originally assigned to the Hudson Bay Railway in Northern Manitoba Canada in 1997 -- That's a GP18 in foreground, next green one is a GP35 and far end unit is a GP30 -- #2508

I heard that they were re-assigned, never repainted and then just relettered Central Kansas Railway

I don't have an exact timeline handy, but the CKRY started out in the late 1980s or early 1990s as a Chicago West Pullman shortline. Broe bought the CWP shortline group (I'm thinking around 1992) and then renamed it all OmniTRAX. OmniTRAX then sold the CKRY and the KSW (Kansas Southwestern)to Watco in the late 90s, who then called them the K & O.

I'll be on a real computer next week, and can look up exact dates then.

I recall these engines and their paint scheme but really don't miss this railroad group. Once they bought up the AT&SF branchlines, they operated some efficiently, others inefficiently to the point they got KCC permission in Kansas to abandon and scrap them out. I know this is business, but Watco has a much better management style and they salvaged business and rebuilt trackage the CKR and KSW would have otherwise scrapped out. Too bad Watco couldn't have been able to buy direct from AT&SF. I think there would be many more rails and business existing today.

I'll second that. I remember the term OmniSux being thrown around.