K&O in Barton County Kansas, January 2014

[CGW101c]

I had a couple of days in west central Kansas, visiting relatives. I decided to walk and drive 10 miles of the ex-Missouri Pacific, Kansas Division. The Hoisington Subdivision extends from Hoisington to Horace, KS. about 172 miles. From what I can find Hoisington, the division point, had a back shop, roundhouse and turntable. There are some buildings still standing. My sister-in-law lives in a small town called Olmitz. It is at MP 568. It used to have a passing track but still has a siding. Olmitz is on top of the hill so it must have been something to see a couple of 2-8-0's or even a 4-8-4 to pull out of that siding. The line is a roller coaster ride of curves and hills. Kansas isn't flat in this area. 6 miles to the south the ex-ATSF runs relatively flat following the Walnut Creek. Santa Fe must have got there first. You can see why UP gave it up. The K&O runs a train once a week or so. I saw a train on the ex-Santa Fe but not on the MOP line. Here are some pictures starting at Olmitz working my way back towards Hoisington.

First Crossing East of Olmitz

Down into a valley along the hill

View attachment 128204 After going up it comes down and up towards MP565.

The signals are almost at the top on a curve. Anybody know what the "G" means?

 

[CGW101c]

Not sure why that 3rd picture in the first post is an attachment. Anyway here is the view looking east

Up the hill toward the signals

Some of the insulators are still here

The eastbound signal

And the view down the hill around the curve to the east. It is almost a horseshoe curve

 

[CGW101c]

Around the curve the line heads north and then turns back east toward the "town" of Boyd

Looking west coming down the next hill

Looking East down and to the East

The local K&O striped Meadowlark

That's Boyd in the distance

 

[CGW101c]

Past Boyd the line heads toward Hoisington. Some more nice curves and then some shotgun targets for those who just can't resist shooting stuff.

Road crossing and then over some Criks

Shoot it! It's got a warning on it. Take that you stupid sign

A Crik or a wash who knows. This year it's just DRY!!

The signals, the last ones before Hoisington.

 

[CGW101c]

Nice thing is, if you shoot em enough it makes a nice bird habitat.

Nice grouping

Artsy

The west end of Hoisington

 

[CGW101c]

Looking east into Hoisington it curves again past the station and into the yard.

Long ago there was a track towards Great Bend to the south. A brick factory is about 4 miles south, hence the timetable name Kanbrick.

Still curves to the south

It ends at the first road south of town

 

[CGW101c]

A little overview of Hoisington Yard.

Overview

Back Shop

Diesel House

The front end of the 3835 on the ex-AT&SF outside of Great Bend

 

[CGW101c]

Back down in Great Bend the ex-CN Locos and then at the far north east end of Barton county is where there is an abondoned AT&SF line at the town of Holyrood. Hooray for Holyrood

A back lit shot of 2 K&O locos on ex-Santa Fe waiting for a crew to go to Great Bend. Really shows the difference in GP 38's and GP 40's

2 Ex-CN locos in Great Bend

Looking west at Holyrood

Looking east into Holyrood

There were AT&SF Lines all over this part of the country at one time. It was 65 degrees on Sunday the 25th of January. Thanks for viewing. Tom Z

 

[Bill Anderson]

Thanks for posting.

 

[Signals]

Really good pictures. Nice looking track for a short line.
Thanks
David

 

[Trainfanne54]

Nice pictures Tom.