Olathe, KS, Kansas City Subdivision, MP 20.5

Olathe, KS

Do you guys know if the Olathe depot would have been rebuilt or extensively remodeled?

If this photograph is Olathe then I am wondering if the B&B crew hacked it down a bit similar to what was done at Ft. Scott, KS, Springfield, MO and other locations during the depot modernization kick?

http://www.frisco.org/vb/showpost.php?p=8909&postcount=6

 

FYI,

I am in Olathe right now; another weekend with our little granddaughter, Addi, her mom and dad. Fun!

The BNSF does not seem to be as active as usual this visit.

Hope that is not another indication of the state of our economy!

Ken

 

Eureka!

Thanks to a bit of searching the Johnson County Historical Society website, I have found a 1953 picture of the Olathe depot.

http://www.jocohistory.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/jcm/id/2341/rec/4#.UA9Kknjiodg.email

I may very well just go with this version for 1943, as it looks a bit easier to model!

 

Frisco Folk,

Are there any photos out there of the old, separate baggage room and storehouse at Olathe, KS?

See the Sanborn map above. It sat to the south southwest of the circa 1887 depot. I have a floor plan of it via the Frisco depot floor plans from Louis Griesemer, as posted to Mike Condren's website.

http://condrenrails.com/Frisco/Station Floor Plans/Kansas Stations/list.html

I had originally figured that I would not have room to model this building, but after laying track and sketching out the depot platform at Olathe, it will certainly fit.

With board and batten exterior, I could probably imagineer the structure similar to how Karl has done with the old KCC&S engine house at Olathe.

http://www.frisco.org/vb/showthread...CCS-Eng-Hse-Olathe-KS&highlight=Olathe+engine

I thought I would check first on any possible photographs.

Best Regards,

 

Olathe, KS

I am about at the point that I can start depot construction.

I had scaled down the platform size and depot/baggage house footprint for the original depot and adjacent baggage house, using the depot plans on Mike Condren's site.

However, the proportions look out of whack for the available real estate. Consequently, I am going to go with Rancho's information and model the "new" Olathe depot. I have laid out the dimensions of the platform and I think it will look just about right.

Plus, the depot should be a much faster build. I do think that I will have to wing it on the upper siding pieces and the windows. With care, patience and a good square, hopefully the siding will not end up catawampus.

Note the 1953 photo above: it looks to my eye like the train order stand has 3 forks?

Best Regards,

 

Olathe, KS

Good luck my friend.

Get some progress pictures up as this project unfolds.

Keeps the forum jumping.

 

Olathe, KS

Nice photograph.

Chris, you are going to have fun building that roof.

 

Karl,

Even without a detailed drawing, the text information and bill of materials fills in all of the blanks.

The annotations showing the "lineman's room" on the north-side waiting room, and what appears to be an extra commode added to the south-side restroom are interesting.

Best Regards,

 

Ultimately, I do think that I'm leaning toward the "newer" Olathe depot.

I made 2 of 4 mock-up walls on Friday evening and I think it will look much better.

It also so happens that I have just enough old Holgates and Reynolds (H&R) HO-scale brick that will make a nice-sized platform.

I have some Plastruct brick sheets but am hoping to hold onto those for a model of Kansas City Terminal (KCT) Tower 5.

Now, to get to work on it.

Best Regards,

 

Would the era being modeled dictate the depot's appearance or did it change during a time that your layout encompasses?

 

Excellent question, Jim.

The short answer: "Yes!"

However, that is also my dilemma. What I know is:

• The original depot and baggage house was constructed in 1887
• A replacement depot was constructed at some time prior to circa 1955
• My modeling "year" is 1943.

What I do not know:

• Exactly when was the replacement depot put up?

So, in the absence of any specific information, I decided to figure out (a) which of the two iterations seems to "fit" better in the available space, and (b) which depot could I build reasonably quickly.

The new depot is the answer to both (a) and (b), for me.

It does stress me a little to not know exactly when the changes were made. However, I am already fudging from exactly prototype modeling on Olathe, so I figure I can allow myself this wiggle room.

It is a slippery slope, eh?

Best Regards,