Nostalgia & History > A former important MoPac junction in Kansas

This is a view of SK Junction at the west end of the former Missouri Pacific Railroad switch yard in Osawatomie, KS, on Aug. 30, 1958. This picture was taken while looking west. The track that curves at the right is the line that led westward across Kansas to Pueblo, Colo. Other tracks in the photo converged on a main line that led south to a terminal at Coffeyville, KS, and other points in northeastern Oklahoma and on down into Arkansas. The tracks leading west out of Osawatomie were taken up in 1995 by the Union Pacific Railroad. A connection track between the routes (out of view in this photo) was left intact to allow for a engine-turning wye.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/07/11 20:06 by thtinc41ed.

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How did railroads come up with junction initials like "SK Jct"? Some make sense abbreviation wise, but others???

These two letter (actually sometimes a single letter) abbreviations go back to the days of telegraph. Some of the abbreviations may not be obvious at first glance. For instance, where I work, Spring City is abbreviated RH. So how does RH relate to Spring City? RH are the first two letters of the county that Spring City is in - Rhea county. But as was said, there is no apparent rhyme or reason to some. A lot of old head dispatchers (I'll reluctantly include myself here) use these abbreviations today, even though we never telegraphed. The first railroad I worked for (MoPac) used these two letter abbreviations for sidings, such as MD Siding and RG Siding, and they were listed in the timetable as such.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/07/11 18:52 by Rathole.

I thought D&RGW was still using the Pueblo route as late as the latter part of 1997. Wasn't 1997 the merger with SP/D%RGW which then allowed UP to abandon the Pueblo route?

The track between Oz and Herington was removed. The line west of Herington out to Peublo was still very active right up until it was pulled OOS after the UP/SP merger in '97.

"SK" apparently stood for "South Kansas."

The first siding north of Osawatomie was long known as "JB" siding -- short for John Brown Lookout, a landmark hill between Osawatomie and Paola.

The rail started comming out east of Council Grove in Dec of 94, and the rest of it was gone to Osawatomie by the summer of 95. The wye and a couple engine lenghts of track are all thats left.

That's the kind of photo that doesn't even need a train in it to be interesting. I love the pick up trucks too.

amen to that
thanks for posting

The lights were for the Order Boards. (or Hoop cranes??)

--Jim Baker

For clarification purposes, the track was left in from Herington west to Hope, Ks, a distance of about eight miles. Even a siding on the east side of Hope was left intact. The U.P. calls the route these days an "industrial spur", but there are no businesses served. Rails leading into a grain elevator in the city of Hope were taken out in recent years. The 8 miles of track remaining is often utilized for long-term storage of surplus railcars.