Nostalgia & History > Wichita Union Terminal

The Wichita Union Terminal was a “local” railroad in Wichita that switched a few industries and may have handled some interchange between the RRs that served Wichita. The Terminal was jointly owned by the Santa Fe, Missouri Pacific, and Rock Island. Each RR provided a locomotive for the terminal on a monthly rotating basis. The RI usually provided an EMD switcher and the Santa Fe and MOP a GP7 until later when the ranks of the Geeps got pretty thin. The UP took over this duty from the MOP and RI when they disappeared into the yellow monster.

The Terminal had a metal shanty on the east side of the Santa Fe tracks where they parked their locomotive and went on an off duty. It was a good place to go in the afternoon to photograph whatever locomotive was working on the terminal. But, this photographic spot has disappeared. In the late 1990s-early 2000s a flyover was built to take trains over several Wichita streets. If you were standing now in the spot where I took this picture you would have a beautiful view of a concrete wall. I assume the Terminal still parks their locomotive on the east side of the tracks, but no longer do they bathe in the afternoon sun. Progress I guess.

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I thought Frisco was a part owner also. am I wrong?

Cumbres Wrote:
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> I thought Frisco was a part owner also. am I
> wrong?

If Frisco was part owner, they never provided power to the WUT.

Ok the old memory started to come back. I believe there were 2 local switching companies. The Wichita Union Terminal owned and ran the union station and that area while the Wichita Terminal Association dealt with the industrial part of town in the north. It was owned by the Frisco, Santa Fe, MOP and the Rock Island. The WTA has a nice website at wtarr.com with a link to some history of the organization. Part of the reason I asked the question initially was that I remembered when I first came to town that the old WTA office had 4 logo's in the windows, Santa FE, BN, OKKT and UP. That is why I wondered.

Thanks for sharing the pics. I enjoyed it.

You're right it was the Terminal Association that did the switching. But if the Frisco was part owner, why did they not provide locomotives for the WTA?

I don't know the answer why the Frisco didn't supply locomotives for switching. But the following is a quote from the WTA website where it clearly states the Frisco was a 1/4 owner of the WTA.

"At the turn of the century, Wichita’s economy began to grow and more industries were created in north Wichita. Because of this increase, spur tracks were built to connect the factories and mills with the long haul carriers. On June 29, 1923, control of these tracks transferred to the four major railroads in town; the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Company, the Atchinson, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company, the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company and the St. Louis – San Francisco Railway Company. The new partnership became the Wichita Terminal Association, allowing each parent company to own a 1/4 share and one official from each carrier served on the WTA directors board."

I remember being told that the Santa Fe and Mop covered power obligations for the Frisco and the Rock Island, but I cannot say if that started for both at the same time. I also heard (at the time anyway) that their checks were from the Santa Fe on the Terminal.

Interesting. I can see why the Mop and the Santa Fe may have supplied most of the loco's since they had a bigger terminal presence then the Rock Island and Frisco. When I first came to town in the 80's Santa Fe and the Mop had what appeared to be 24 hr yard operations while the Frisco had a daily freight and I think 1 yard engine. I never saw much activity with the OKKT. I think they mainly had a nightly freight and I don't remember if they had a local yard engine or not.

Well, troops, you are just too young to remember. I have photos to prove that the SL-SF had steam power on the WTA. In the mid-fifties, the Fco had a deal with the Sfe to supply diesel power. At that time, we had two years of the Sfe, one Mop and one CRI&P years. The Rock went away in 1980 and then we just had two. wag216



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/15/17 13:10 by wag216.

Well Art if anyone would know I knew you would. Thanks for the update.

As an aside I just read that the WTA is going to start servicing the old Frisco yard and industrial trackage north of 29th St taking over for the BNSF. Same article also stated that their old office by Cargill has been sold and is/will be torn down. But, the loco's are still parked at the same location.

Progress. :)

Mark

Cumbres Wrote:
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> Interesting. I can see why the Mop and the Santa
> Fe may have supplied most of the loco's since they
> had a bigger terminal presence then the Rock
> Island and Frisco. When I first came to town in
> the 80's Santa Fe and the Mop had what appeared to
> be 24 hr yard operations while the Frisco had a
> daily freight and I think 1 yard engine. I never
> saw much activity with the OKKT. I think they
> mainly had a nightly freight and I don't remember
> if they had a local yard engine or not.

There was a job on the OKKT, but I don't know how long it lasted. It was a daylight job and a switchman on the job would visit with us when we'd be at the connections at the same time. He didn't have much longer to work and was always happy and fun to visit with. He did say that they were the only job on that side and got a lot of overtime.

Background history of WTA. Formed in 1889 as Wichita Union Stockyard & Packing House Tracks Association. Priavte siwtching line owned by city stockyards asnd three packing house to switch those firms. With more business setting up shop in north Wichita (many grain terminals & flour mills) the stockyard assn began to be operated by MoPac under the name Wichita Term Ry., beginning in 8/03. The stockyards & packing houses were still part owners, but now an actual rr was in charge of operations.
On New Yrs day 1910 the WTA was comp;etely taken over by the four rrs in town and renamed Wichita Terminal Assn (WTA). SF, MP, RI & SLSF each owned a 1/4 share and an official from each carrier sat on the WTA directors board. Switch power at that tike began to be used by the WTA from the cfour ity carriers on a rotation.Acutal turnover of the WTA operating the property took place a month later on 2/1/1910.
 When Frisco totally converted to all diesels at Wichita in 1950, they discontinued sendng engs to the WTA. Santa Fe power took over in the so called "Frsico yr" after that which meant two out of every four yrs, SF power would be used. 
Do not become confused w/the 1923 date listed. That is just an actual operating negoiated  agreement which was paced in effect that yr realted to billing, timekeeping, budgeting and operating methods.
The WTA is the carrier which switched the freight clients in north Wichita while Wichita Union Term was the owner/operator of downtown Union Station. The WUT WAS NOT the carrier doing the industry switching. Both carriers were totally unrealted to one another except they were under the operation of the same general manager.
There is much more to tell but I'll shut it down here
Sam from Wichita