The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-05-14
FASTER TRAIN TO K. C.
Union Pacifc's Double Track Has
Been Completed.

After arduous work covering
period of two years and involving an
expense of over two million dollars
the Union Pacifc's double track line
between Topeka and Kansas City has
been completed finally and was opened
in its entirety for the operation Of
traffic on Saturday.
This line is used jointly by the
Union Pacific and the Rock Island
and now that it has been finished and
is in operation it viii not be long be-
fore both roads make a considerable
cut in their running time between this
city and Kansas City. About all Of
the present train schedules between
these points fix the running time at
two hours. Under the traffic agree
ment between the Union Pacific and the
Rock Island the latter's trains do not
stop at points Intermediate between
Topeka and Kansas City All of the
Rock Island trains run through with
out stops, the local traffic being hand
led by the Union Pacific So under
these conditions it is probable that the
cut in the running time OF the Rock
Island trains viii be the more material
and it is likely that some of these
trains Will soon be making the run IN
an hour and twenty minutes. The
distance is sixty-seven miles and such
q. schedule will be fast going, for con-
siderable time is needed in getting the
Rock Island trains from the local sta
ton on the Union Pacific track and
also in getting into the station at Kan
sas City, but the new double track
which has been laid by the Union Pa
ciflc is a model of railroad building
and viii be able to stand the hardest
kind of traffic and fast speeding.
For some time past good portion
of this double track has been used
The parts so used have been between
this city and Lawrence and from
LinWood, twelve miles east of Law
renee, to Kansas City This twelve
mile gap was finished on Friday last
and the whole line put in operation
on Saturday.
All of the many remarkable physical
features of this double tracking have
been described in detail Practically
speaking 1t is an entirely new line
merely the route on the old line having
been followed Many severe curves
and grades on the old line have been
done away with. Creeks and chasms
have been bridged with modern stee'
or concrete structures, new stations
have been built and the work has beer
accomplished without interfering yer.
seriously with the running of either
the Union Pacif1c or Rock Island
trains, the only times that their ser
vice was appreciably interfered with
being when floods in the KaW and its
tributary streams washed awav the
track entirely.
Had 1t not been for these floods the
line would have been completed much
quicker ard at considerably less ex-
pense- On several occasions floods
have washed away great portions 81
preliminary embankment work buf
every setback was met by the TTnior
Pacific engineers with renewed viro1
and at last the line has been finished
Tt is on an elevation quite bit above
normal high water marks and Ia,
been built to Withstand the ravages Of
any normal Hood The entire line 1.
rock ballasted and great norton =,
the rock ballast has been covered VIII
gravel and all of it will be before long
It Is considered Nv experts to be .,
good piece Of track as there is II
the west