Dru from McPherson, Kansas, regarding old Mopac th

[Anonymous]

I used to live near Herington, Kansas years back, and the Mopac/SP ran plenty of interesting action through there. I am wondering what has become of the old Mopac mainline to Pueblo, Co. I have read that some of the line is abandoned and some is still in service. Apparently the UP merger brought about the demise of this line. I remember up to two dozen SP trains per day were using this line in the mid 1990's. Do you have any knowledge of the status of the remains of this once-busy route? Thanks Rick G.

[Anonymous]

Hey Dru,
From Herington to Osawattamie this line is ripped up, but is "railbanked" meaning it could eventually be put back in service (doubtful though). From Herington to Hope the track is still there and is used mainly to store auto racks when they aren't needed. From Hope to Bridgeport it is torn up, bridges knocked down etc. I'm not 100% sure but I believe a shortline leases it from bridgeport west, don't know about service frequency or anything like that. Most of the traffic off this line (primarily coal) now goes the old KP main out of Denver, the manifests that you used to see were out of Eugene, Or (old symbol EUCHQ), Roper yard, Denver(symbol ROKCM) or Roseville yard, California (symbol RVKCM). Virtually all this manifest business now goes UP's main across Wyoming and Nebraska. There also used to be an auto rack that ran to oakland (KCOAF), but it too now goes to North Platte. There is still plenty of coal out of Colorado, but it all runs KP main through Salina. Also used to be taconite (iron ore) trains to Geneva steel, but until Geneva Steel shut down they were running through North Platte. You might find it interesting that there is a rumor flying (has been for a while) that if Amtrak gets off the old BNSF line from Hutch west, the UP wants to buy it. What for I really don't know, but we'll just have to wait and see.

[favuprailroadfan]

Dear Rick, I only lived about 15 miles from this old line. The line was ripped up at Bridgeport into Lindsborg, but from there west, the line is still there but I'm sure that the UP is ripping it up. I haven't been there for about a month. So I'm not quite for sure what is going on. I'm sure that if you call UP, you can get a real good deal on some old ties. There were probably 20,000 ties stacked in Lindsborg. But just this past Tuesday, I was coming back from Colorado and I happened to come across this line at Eads CO, and yes the line is still there. THe signals are out of service, and even the old DTC block signs are still there. I believe that this part of the line is a part of the CK&P (Colorado Kansas and Pacific. And one other thing. Derek, I spent some time by the old KP line in Denver and yes there is plenty of coal through there. On the average of about 10 a day. All these trains with DPU (2 up front and 1 on rear, I have seen one with 5 on lead and 1 rear. That was really weird. Plus a 2-1-2 combo. But I seen a BNSF with 5 SD70MAC's up front and 4 on the rear. This thing was even empty! But I wonder if they had put 2 together. I didn't count the cars but it was larger than a normal coal. Probaly the reason UP wants that old BNsf line is because it would send trains directly to Pueblo AGAIN. But isn't that the reason why they got rid of that Central Corridor line through Herington?! Derek, I have seen Cajon Pass and Tehachapi in California. Quite the site, I will give you all the details later. Go to go, Dru