1880 and 1881 Kansas Central Railway Passes | 1 Comments - Click Here :

 

    

    Robert Stears - The Kansas Central Railway Company was incorporated under the law of the State of Kansas on June 1, 1871, to build a railroad and telegraph line from Leavenworth to the western Kansas boundary. It was constructed and opened for operation to Holton, Ks. in 1872, a distance of 55.3 miles, and on to Onaga in December of 1877, a distance of 27 miles. In 1881, the track reached Clay Center and in 1882, it was completed to the Miltonvale terminal.

    It was built as a narrow gauge railroad because the owner thought the issue would pass easier if the cost per mile was less. Hard times and strikes were common and on April 15, 1879, all of the property, rights, and franchises of this company were sold under foreclosure by P. G. Lowe, Sheriff of Leavenworth County, to C. K. Garrrison and L. T. Smith. They immediately transferred all of the property to the Kansas Central Railroad Company. In 1890, this railroad converted to standard gauge rails.

    After standard gauging of the line, narrow gauge equipment was transferred to other Union Pacific affiliates. The UPD&G received box cars from the Kansas Pacific. These boxcars can be identified because their door runners are mounted below the side fascia boards. Inherited boxcars from other Union Pacific affiliates apparently had the side door runners placed superiorly into the side fascia board.

Respectfully submitted,

Robert Stears