Bidding the U.P. good-bye at Laramie, we headed southward for a visit to Central City, Colorado and
on to the east portal of the Moffat Tunnel. No trains due so no engine pictures here. The old grade,
which was used until 1928, up and over the backbone of the continental divide is still plainly visible at
this point. Across Loveland Pass and down to Como, famous as a junction on the old Denver and
South Park. Only a boarded up depot, a six stall roundhouse, and an empty turntable pit here now to
indicate there was once a railroad. Back to Aspen and on to Glenwood Springs at which point were seen
D. & R. G. No. 1 from the Royal Gorge line, eight cars behind an electromotive 2-unit diesel, and
number 1808 road-switcher bearing the inscription U.S. Army Transportation Corp on the side and with
no Rio Grande markings visible but attached to the local freight from Aspen.
The route from Glenwood Springs was to Montrose and Ridgeway, then following the now extinct Rio
Grande Southern over Lizard Head pass (the big trestly at Ophir has been dismantled) through
Delores to Durango. Here we arrived Thursday PM to learn that the Silverton train had added
another trip per week to its schedule, now making the run on Sun., Wed., Thurs., and Friday. All
aspects of the Friday trip to Silverton were greatly enjoyed from the garb of the brakeman (white
front shirt with studs, string tie, tight jacket, etc.) and the free coffee, poured into the paper cups
by the conductor without spilling a drop in spite of the rocking motion of the train, to the scenery
along the right-of-way and the laboring of number 478 as viewed from all parts of the train. Our
train on this trip consisted of a caboose, baggage car, 8 coaches, and the vista car and was pulled
by number 478 2-8-2.
Returning to Durango, we travelled to Chama, N.M. , a division point on the Alamosa-Durango line,
and where a great deal of narrow gauge business is picked up from from the local oil and lumbering
industries, then on to Alamosa, Walsenburg, LaJunta and home along the Santa Fe trail, to find
that Kansas had just enjoyed a very cool and comfortable week.
(From the December 1953 issue of "Sparks"; Volume #1/Issue #11):
"OSAGE COUNTY, KANSAS 1886" (By Walter R. Evans)---
No doubt about it, the little city of Quenemo was hit by railroad fever in 1886. Just three years
previous, in 1883 Quenemo received her first railroad when the SOUTHERN KANSAS, in reality part
of the SANTA FE system was constructed from Ottawa, 16 miles west to Emporia, 40 miles west. Later
on a connecting link was built from Olathe to Ottawa and now this line of the SOUTHERN KANSAS
is the main line of the SANTA FE.
The next line to come to the Quenemo area was a link of the MISSOURI PACIFIC system from
Ottawa to Council Grove upon which the finishing touches were added in 1886. The road missed this
hub of commerce and passed about a mile to the north. The good city fathers were incensed when one
of them, a man of property, was asked to donate some land for the railroad to build a depot upon.
They considered this the height of effrontery since the railroad had seen fit to bypass their city. In
time this became the main line of the MoPac when it was built to Pueblo, Colorado and so it remains
to this day. The controversial station mentioned above was called Lomax and here a torturous grade
continues westward to Vassar, the worst grade on the Missouri Pacific between St. Louis and
Pueblo.
The next railroad to appear on the scene was the OTTAWA, OSAGE CITY AND COUNCIL GROVE.
This line was also a part of the SANTA FE system, being incorporated on May 31, 1886 and after
the line was completed August 1, 1886, the editor of the Osage County Republican commented: "The
people are saying that the trains from Quenemo to Osage City run smooth as a ribbon and level as
a die twice a day."
One train left from Quenemo and returned daily being called trains #1 and #2. The other was called
an accomodation train and left from Osage City and returned to stay at Osage City overnight.
At this time Quenemo had a population of 600, Lyndon had 800 and Osage City had 4,000
inhabitants. So we see that every town which was on this short line has declined when we compare the
1950 census figures of 390 persons for Quenemo, 703 for Lyndon and 1,912 for Osage City.
This little line was merged into the ATCHISON, TOPEKA AND SANTA FE (who had controlled it all
along) April 10, 1901. However, this little branch, 20.41 miles long had become a part of the lives of
the people along its right-of-way and was affectionately known as the "Pea-vine."
My aunt and uncle used to ride over the "Pea-vine" in its heydey when they went to school at
Lyndon. They recall how the crew and passengers used to hunt rabbits from the train.
Finally came the day, December 14, 1993, when the last train operated. It was a sad occasion,
commented upon briefly by the Osage City Journal Free Press which I quote: "Tomorrow, Thursday,
the train on the Osage City-Quenemo branch line operated by the Santa Fe will make its last run.
This train has been operating between these two points for the last 47 years, but for the past several
years it has been operated at a loss to the Santa Fe. The Alma train will continue its trip between
Osage City and Alma. This branch train handles many carloads of cattle each year."
Also the KANSAS, NEBRASKA AND DAKOTA reached Quenemo in 1886, having built northward from
Fort Scott. The tracks were laid along Second Street which was promptly renamed Railroad Street and
a station was erected on this street between Maple and Hickory, while the rails were laid over
northward to finally terminate at the state capital, Topeka.
It was during the year 1886 that the townsite of Michigan Valley was laid out by the KN&D. The editor
of the Osage County Republican commented upon the rowdyism and drunkenness prevalent amount
the KN&D construction gangs and compared it to the good behavior of the construction workers of the
three previous railroads. This line was later taken over by the MISSOURI PACIFIC and still later
the portion from Fort Scott to Lomax was abandoned, while the line...(Continued on the next page-)