The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-27
RAILROAD NEWS.
Rock Island Plans Big Improve
ments at Kansas City.
Extending Switching Yards and
Terminal Facilities.
ROUNDHOUSE = SHOPS.
VIII Build New Conveyor Type
Coal Chute.
Gossip and Matters Of Interest
in Railroad Circles.

Kansas City. Sept. 27.-The plans OF
the Rock Island contemplate the maxi
ing of continuous freight yards from
Twelfth and Mulberry streets, in this
city, across the Kaw river through
Armourdale to a point north of the
Proctor and Gamble soap works. To
carry on these Improvements the Rock
Island bought additional land all along
its right of way in Armourdale. 4
bridge was built across the Kaw river
at cost of $3.50, 000, and now the
same company has authorized the
spending OF more than one-half million
dollars for other improvements.
B. L. Winchell, president of the
Rock Island system, announced a year
ago that the already large terminals
at Arnourdale were to be still further
increased. Six miles of storage and
switch tracks had been built in the
yards since 1901 and other improve
ments had been made at cost of
$350,000. The tracks built in 1901
had been laid to add TO the Rock
Islands switching facilities, but the
growing business of the company has
brought about an urgent demand for
a large increase in the original yards
The present roundhouse and yards are
to be torn down to make room for
tracks and the new buildings that are
to be erected on the land recently pur-
chased.
The plans provide for the building
of thirty-nine miles of yard tracks.
making a total of eighty miles of track
in the Kansas City terminals with an
approximate capacity of 5000 cars. It
will require about 100000 chic yards
of sand for filing before the tracks
can be laid. This sand comes from the
Kaw river about three miles from the
point where it is to be used. The work
involves the building of yards to be
used for inbound freight west of the
present Rock Island junction at
Twelfth street in Armourdale. The
yards for outbound freight reach from
Fourth street to Twelfth street In Ar
rnourdaIe. New yards for passenger
trains will be built IN the west end OF
Armouradle.
In the city freight yards lying be-
tween Bell and Genesee streets and
extending south from Twelfth street TO
Sixteenth street team tracks, with a
capacity for $50 cars, are to be laid
The other Improvements are:
Thirty stall roundhouse with modern
equipment, built OF brick and concrete
Gravity coal chute of $50 tons ca
pacity to handle all Of the ROCK ISL
and's coal IN Kansas City.
Independent water plant for storing
and purifying water for engines.
Ice house for the Rock Island sys-
Shops 65x165 feet fer heavy and
light repair work
An air plant for cleaning and reno
waiting passenger equipment.
once building for officers of the
transportation and mechanical depart
More than $50. 900, 600 has been ex-
pended in the last five years by the
railroad systems that center in Kansas
city for freight facilities alone. The
Santa Fe. Union Pacific and Missouri
Pacific railroads have practically COM
plete terminals. The Chicago & Alton,
the Rock Island, the Burlington. the
Frisco. the Missouri. Kansas & Texas,
Kansas City Southern and the Chicago.
Milwaukee & St. Paul are making ex-
tensfve additions to their facilities.
The carving out of the programme
described will take a year. When
finished the Rock Island will have as
complete terminal facilities for the
handling of freight as any railroad in