I was playing around with the website "rail.guide" while sitting in the airport today waiting on a connecting flight. The site has information on rail lines including "early owners" and "abandoned lines." A really great way to pass some time. https://rail.guide/#11.57/37.3765/-94.7624 Anyhow, I was reminded of this old clip from 1889 that suggested that the Santa Fe would connect at (or near) Cherokee Kansas (to the KC - Ft. Scott & Memphis at the time). I always thought that if this was true at some point, it would be a great add for my "Crawford and Cherokee" layout. I can't really speak to the accuracy here, but someone added data showing the Santa Fe within about three miles of Cherokee. I'll assume a branch that visited some coal mining sites around Chicopee(?). This image from the "Legends of Kansas" site does indeed show Santa Fe coal cars at the tipple there. Comments? Am I at the end of the investigation here? -Bob T.
The way these things go I suspect you are only at the start of your investigations not the end...........
