Pre-Amtrak Routing

[Ocala Mike]

Somebody at another site was bemoaning the fact that they couldn't use Amtrak to travel from Omaha, NE to Wichita, KS today without backtracking to Chicago and detraining in Newton, KS, the closest stop to Wichita.

 

It occurred to me that, even in the "golden years" of passenger rail, there wouldn't have been a direct route. I believe the trip would have involved two trains and a change of trains in Kansas City, MO, probably taking around 10 hours if you got a reasonable connection in KC. Am I right about this?

 

[jphjaxfl]

Both Burlington and MoPac had passenger trains from Omaha to Kansas City with Zephyrs and Mo River Eagle taking 4 hours. Santa Fe and Rock Island had trains from Kansas City to Wichita. San Francisco Chief, Twin Star Rocket and Texas Rocket made it in 4-5 hours so probably 8-9 hours with a lay over. Trains made much better connections until the late 1960s.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Somebody at another site was bemoaning the fact that they couldn't use Amtrak to travel from Omaha, NE to Wichita, KS today without backtracking to Chicago and detraining in Newton, KS, the closest stop to Wichita.

Tell them to bemoan to their Congressional delegation!

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

That's just 'cause Amtrak has their base in CHI and all the trains radiate from CHI.

 

[rusty spike]

FYI, you can't fly directly from Omaha to Wichita either according to Travelocity. You have to change at Denver, Chicago or St. Louis. I don't think Amtrak will pay much attention to routing of this pair of cities.

 

[jebr]

Nor can you take the bus. You have a six hour layover in Kansas City.