The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-24
RAILROAD NEWS.
Rock Island Double Track From
Topeka to Heringt0n.
The 1910 Budget to Include
This Vast improvement.
TRAFFIC contested.
Present Road Cannot Handle
Increased Business.
Other Items of General Interest
i'm Railroad Circles.

than idle gossip around the local Of
fees of the Rock Island and is not de-
rjed by the officials states that the
Rock Island is making extensive plans
to double track the line lying between
Topeka and Herington, a distance of
81 miles ard including some of the rich
est territory on the Rock Island as
we'll as handling the heaviest traffic on
the system.
That the Rock Island officials are
planning 10 provide for this improve
ment in the budget for the coming
year Is an addition to the rumor which
comes from good authority. 1t is a
well known fact that the traffic be-
tween Topeka and Harrington on the
eastern end of the Kansas division of
the Rock Island is congested and is
losing the railroad time and money.
This strip of track is covered daily by
many passenger trains and three times
as many freights.
Since the opening of the California
line from Harrington, southwest fruit
business on the Rock Island has been
enormous. Not only this but the reg
u1ar local work in this prosperous ter
ritory is crowding the officials to the
ropes-they are utterly unable to han
die it, A dispatch from Hutchinson
in the State Journal today states that
LilS IlOCk 4SldIlu Is almost lieu up III
that city on account of the pressure of
fall business.
Then south of Harrington from Texas
and Oklahoma comes another series of
tIaffic for the Topeka Harrington
stretch to carry Added to this is all
comes down through Mcfarland and on
to- the same stretch of track.
Matters are coming to such crisis
that double track is the only remedy.
The company spent thousands of dol
lars block signaling this Topeka-Her-
ington line a couple Of years ago, max
ing it safe to travel. But the railroad
men say that it is a hard matter for
trains to get over the line without
tramping on some other trains block
block is cleared and the train in a
safe condition to proceed. Since the
installation of this new block signal
system the Rock Island has not had
an accident of any kind due to traffic
congestion-the block signals do the
work. But the traffic is necessarily
delayed by the safety appliances and
the double track must be built to take
care of the business.
Bridges Were Renewed.
For the last few years the Rock Is
land has renewed practically all of the
bridges between Topeka and Herring
ton. Not a wooden bridge remains
and all Of the new steel bridges are
double width for the accommodation
of another track. Especially during the
last year has this action been taken.
During the last few months number
of bridges have been renewed purpose
ly for the coming of the double way.
Not only has this been done but
number of the deep cuts along the line
have been dug out and widened. In
some places long sidetracks have been
laid. But the cuts have been cut and
dug whenever the road could spare
the men. Especially along the big
Alta Vista hill where the curves ara
short, sharp and reverse and again long
and winding-the cuts have been CHS
selled out and placed in preparation
for the coming Improvement.
Then there is still another advance
ment along this line-the Rock Island
has been placing in sidetracks out on
the prairies making them meeting
points. In some places a sidetrack is
stuck far from the cloest town-and 1t
is used every day-the rails are shiny:
At every station the sidetracks and
tracks extend for one TWO
and three miles outside the city limits
and they are always full OF trains
and cars.
With the double tracking between To-
peka and Harrington. the Rock Island
will have a complete double track pc
tween Harrington and Kansas City,
which IS considered one of the most |
valuable $50 miles of track in Kansas. |
The double track will also mean much
to Harrington. Harrington is now the |
gate of the Rock Island to the south |
west. 1t is also the Kansas entrance |
to the south down through Wichita;
It is so located that it is the real
freight point of the Rock Island for
the future With the plans of the new
double track will come the plans for
the complete remodeling of the yards |
at Harrington. These yards are now one |
of the largest on the system. The new
plans will give Harrington new yards |
new roundhouse capacity. new shop |
repair works, and a large add ton to |
he present stations and division Of |
fees. Topeka will also become a more |
point on the Rock Island.
Every year the Rock Island officials
make out their annual budget for the |
coming year. This budget takes the |
road by divisions-and there are 5000
miles of track in the Rock Island sys-
deposits the budget expenses |
here and there. The next budget Is |
now being planned. 1t is known that
i will include double track between |
Toneka ard Harrington.