I would like to find out what all I can about Lyons, Kansas. I know a great deal about the RR history here in Lyons, I live "here". I know mostly about the ATSF's presence here in Lyons, but not much about the Frisco, and even less about the MoPac (I guess I should save the MoPac questions for their forum). Any and all info is appreciated. Kyle Gomez 17 years Senior, Lyons High
Here's some construction and abandonment info from my notes. Any additions/corrections welcome. I was through Lyons last month and shot the former ATSF depot there. ATSF Marion & McPherson RR Florence to East line of Barton County 93mi 1879-80 Marion & McPherson Extension RR E. Line of Barton City to Ellinwood 5.5 1881 Combined as Marion & McPherson RY, 1882 To ATSF 1901 To Central Kansas 1993 To Kansas & Oklahoma 2001 Lyons to Conway abandoned by CK 2001 MP Salina, Sterling & El Paso RR Sterling to Geneseo 22.2 1887 To Kansas, Colorado & Pacific RY 1891 To Missouri Pacific RY 1909 To K&O 2001 SLSF Kansas Midland RY Medora to Ellsworth 57mi 1888 To St Louis & San Francisco RR 1900 To Burlington Northern RR 1980 To Central Kansas RY 1993 Medora to Lyons abandoned by BN 1985 Lyons to Lorraine to Galatia abandoned by CKRY 1997 You may want to check the KS Department of Transportation web page. It has old county road and rail maps available for download back to the 1930s and 40s. They also have a Kansas rail map with abandonments listed on it. Rick Morgan
Kyle - The Frisco "Official List of Officers, Stations, Agents, Etc." No. 18 from 5-1-1926 lists no agent for Lyons (Station F577), MP 577.4 "NS" is the telegraph call, and there is a Western Union Telegraph Office listed there - call sign "CD" There is also a "Lyons Salt Co." listed at MP 574.7 (Station F575). It is not listed as a railroad freight or ticket station. This reference also lists Lyons as a coaling station, with "cars" as the source (e.g. coal brought in gondolas or hoppers and shoveled to the locomotive tender as needed). Interestingly, there are no stock pens listed for Lyons.
Matthew, Just a guess on my part, but I reckon it was mostly boxcars in the pre-WWII era. The November, 1926 "Frisco Employee's Magazine" has a feature article on the Western & American Salt Companies in Lyons, KS. http://thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org/lochist/frisco/magazines/fem_1926_11/fem_1926_11.pdf It notes that 600 cars of salt a month were moved over the Frisco from Lyons. The salt was apparently shipped in at least two ways, salt that was apparently sacked and sold to the commercial trade for farmers and others for general purposes, and then shipped in bulk for general purposes.
If modeling this in the 80's would I be safe in assuming covered hoppers and boxcars still? I may have to take a trip to central KS and document all remaining industry along the line.
In the 1980's mostly boxcars with some covered hoppers. I work for Watco/KO and we still get boxcars of salt and a few covered hoppers today from North American Salt in Lyons. John Chambers