Nostalgia & History > WAG Wednesday: the UP is under water!

In Kansas the great flood of 1951 was one for the books. Other than immediate life & property loss there were subtle & long term effects part of which involved the state's railroads. The RR map of the State of Kansas would see a drastic alteration. Many branch lines would just disappear to the coming system of flood control reservoirs, especially in the eastern third of the state. The Union Pacific branch line pictured here was one of those casualties. I'll get back to you on that...

But the 2 photographers on the scene here were in search of another, already long gone railroad. The William A. Gibson team, both Bill (Sr.) & Art (Jr.) were chasing the ghosts of the Leavenworth, Kansas & Western. And they found one! At a tiny place in north central Kansas that used to be called Garrison there stood a neglected water tank. The first 2 images shown here were taken in 1956, and they both show this rather large tank. Image #1 is looking east along the former LK&W right-of-way. Image #2 is looking north along the UP's branch between Manhattan (my hometown) & Marysville. I must confess to a severe lack of historical or statistical knowledge for either of these 2 branch lines even though they were almost virtually in my back yard. One thing I do know for a certainty: The rights-of-way for both branches are now under the waters of the largest man-made lake in the state of Kansas; Tuttle Creek Reservoir.

For good measure I tossed in image #3 of the old UP depot at Randolph, now just upstream from old Garrison. Snorkel & fins, anyone???

1. The old Leavenworth, Kansas & Western water tank at the site of the crossing with the UP at Garrison, KS.

2. Bill is shown standing on the UP branch, looking at the old water tank. No doubt he is lost in historic thought at a scene that will be under water within 6 years. That would be the faded Garrison signboard off to the left.
Two photos taken by William A. Gibson Jr. (Art) on January 1, 1956.

3. The UP Randolph depot as it looked with days numbered on February 7, 1960.
Photo taken by William A. Gibson Sr. (Bill)

Thanks for looking back!
Lance Garrels (santafe199)
Art Gibson (wag216)



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/22 16:21 by santafe199.

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Nice set of pictures, Lance. I haven't seen many pictures taken of the LK&W as recent as these. That line died and early death. Also, I'm not sure if I've ever seen any pictures of the UP's Manhattan branch at all.

Thanks Lance,
In my collection I have some photos I took of the trip where we were heading to Illinois and were staged in KC for the trip east. The Kaw was very full as was the Missouri. Steve took us out west and looking back toward Armstrong and Armourdale yards were barracades across the mainline. The river had invaded them. Then we went at took a look and saw the diesel locos lined up on the high bridge over the Kaw. That reminded me of a photo I had seen of a time when the same issue was happening and they lined dead steam locos up on that very same bridge to help hold it in place.

Okay back to the dungeon to see if I can locate them.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Bob3985 Wrote:

> Okay back to the dungeon to see if I can locate
> them....

We'll leave the light on for ya....

;^)

If memory serves me correctly, Randolph was the site of a terrible motor car accident due to a bridge wash out at Fancy Creek around 1915. At least thirteen were killed and more than 30 were injured. I have seen a photo of the wreck aftermath but my memory fails me as to where....Many sections of the LK&W ROW are still visible, particularly around Benedict, KS and Miltonvale, KS.

Thanks, Lance, for posting pictures of this UP branch. In early September of 1956, I was visiting some relatives with my folks who lived in Irving, Kansas. I was 12 at the time and went for a walk to the west edge of town where the rail line was in the process of being torn up. I thought it was a UP line but maybe I'm wrong if you have shots of the line taken as late as 1960.
The town of Irving is long gone but the Tuttle Creek Reservoir waters never did reach the site.

Tom

Did a little checking, a large portion of the LK&W was officially abandoned in 1934 and was taken up in 1935. This line was originally built as a narrow gauge and operated that way for 20+ years. The N/S line via Irving between Manhattan and Marysville was abandoned in 1958 between Manhattan and Schroyer (Bestwall)so it is very likely to have been the line you saw being removed in 1960. Irving, to this day, has never been under the flood pool of Tuttle Creek reservoir and can be visited today. There is even a guest registry. Irving's big claim to fame are the two tornado's that struck the town in 1879(?) which to this day still are considered one of the top ten largest tornado's to strike KS. This line became a branch after the construction of the Topeka cut-off between Topeka and Marysville in the 1920's. The Junction City, KS branch suffered a similar fate due to dam construction in 1964.

My grandmother, two uncles, an aunt, and a cousin all lived in Randolph prior to the Tuttle Creek dam being built. I remember seeing the depot pictured, but am I correct in thinking it was located a couple of miles east of the town of Randolph. I remember it being just before you reached the Blue River bridge east of town.

Actually, the Union Pacific's Leavenworth Westerm branch was abandoned on January 8, 1935. And the Topeka Northwestern started service in 1908. wag216

My apologies for the bad data. The state of KS transportation web site lists the LK&W abandonment as 1934. Was the Topeka & Northwestern in service between Topeka and Marysville by 1908? I had it in my mind that it took longer than that for it to be a through route.