The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-05
RAILROAD NEWS.
Kansas City Expects to Use New
Union Depot Soon.
Work Probably Will Be Com
plsted in Two Years.
TO COST $3O,OOO,OOO.
Will Have Track Room for
Thirty-TW0 Trains.
Other Items of General Inter-
TO COST S3O,OOO,OOO.
Other Items of General Inter-
est in Traffic World.

Kansas City, Nov. 5.-If construction
work on the new union depot in Kan
sas City, continues at its present rate,
that structure will be ready for use
within two years. Unusual activity has
been seen on the station site for the
past two months, since w. s. Kinnear,
the new president of the Kansas City
Terminal company, has taken charge.
The main work at present is being
done on the station site. A big hill con-
tanning 100000 cubic yards of earth is
being torn down by two steam shovels
to make room for the new building.
These have been at work two months
and already have cleared away $50 900
yards of dirt. This is being used at
various places over the city where fills
are required.
Not only must this hill be torn down.
but a creek must be stopped up and it's
waters drained. This creek also occu-
pies a portion of the station site. A
large sewer will be built. Plans are
nearly complete and work on this will
start within few weeks.
Two hundred and fifty carloads of
dirt are being taken from the station
site daily. At this rate the hill will
disappear entirely by the latter part of
March or early in April.
AS soon as one portion Of the site has
been completed work will start on the
building. This work will be done by
contract. 1t is estimated that 1t will
require from 10 TO 10 months 10 COM
plete the building.
The plans for the station will be of
the most modern type. The waiting
room will be on the second floor, which
is on the street level. 1t will be nee
essary to go down stairs to catch trains
Baggage and express rooms will be in
the first floor and in the basement.
Elevators and electrical appliances
will be used for handling baggage. From
the basement under ground tracks will
carry the baggage to the outside plat
form to which it will be raised by ele-
vators. This will do away with the
necessity for trucks, which always are
in the way Of passengers.
Thirty-two trains will be accommoda-
ted at the new depot at one time. Room
for eight additional tracks will be left
will stand under long sheds, and the
smoke will be carried away through
improved appliances which have been
found satisfactory for this purpose.
In size the new station will compare
favorably with those in large eastern
cities. It will be larger than the ST.
Louis union depot. also considerably
structure in Chicago. In interior fin
ish and convenienees it will surpass
anything west of the Alleghenies.
When completed the new station with
its improved properties will cost $780,,
OO0, 900. The belt line which in the outer
district Is douple-tracked, will have
five tracks. Corresponding increases
will be made all over the city:s New
yards are being built in Sheffield, Ar
mourdale, and Kansas City, Kan,
which will facilitate the movement of
freight. The old union depot, built in
the seventies, will be RACED to make
room for freight tracks.