Railroad was part of Rock Island line

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, May 14, 2000 by Capital-Journal

Question: Along US-75 highway between Topeka and Holton, on the right side of the road, are indications of an old railroad bed. What railroad operated through that area? What time in history did it operate? What was its destination on both ends? --- H.T., Topeka.

Answer: That was the old Rock Island line, said Harry Briscoe, of Topeka, who retired in 1982 as general manager of the Santa Fe's eastern line and is a long-time railroad historian.

"The line began operating in the 1880s as the railroads pushed west," he said.

Rock Island lines from Chicago and Minneapolis came to St. Joseph, Mo., he said, and crossed into Kansas at Atchison.

"The Rock Island had major shops in Horton and its main lines came from Atchison through Holton to Topeka," Briscoe said. "The line then went on to Herington and into Oklahoma and New Mexico."

A railroad map in "Historical Atlas of Kansas" by Homer E. Socolofsky and Huber Self (University of Oklahoma Press, 1972) shows the Rock Island lines through Kansas went on from Herington through McPherson, Hutchinson, Pratt and Liberal before entering Oklahoma and New Mexico.

The Rock Island line you refer to probably was abandoned about the time Amtrak came into existence. Amtrak was created by the U.S. Congress in 1970 and took control of the trains in 1971.

Question: We have traveled south on the Turnpike many times and are always puzzled by the sign at Exit 76. It says it leads to "El Dorado North and Nick Badwey Plaza." What is Nick Badwey Plaza? --- B.G., Topeka.

Answer: The interchange at that location is named for Nick Badwey, a native of El Dorado who was chairman of the Kansas Turnpike Authority for many years in its infancy, said a spokeswoman in the public relations department at the Turnpike's Wichita offices.

She said Exit 76, one of two El Dorado exits, provides easy access to El Dorado Lake.

Exit 71, five miles further south, is closer to the city.

Question: I have several kitchen knives that I would like to have sharpened. I can find no one that does it. Does anyone in Topeka provide such a service? --- R.M., Topeka.

Answer: We can find no such service in Topeka.

We checked out two knife sharpeners who were in business here as recently as two years ago, but both apparently are out of business.

Sharpening Systems was at 818 S.W. 21st for many years, and neighbors said they understood he had relocated in the downtown business district. We could find no telephone number for the name of the company or the owner.

We were told that all telephone numbers we dialed for the two listed services and their listed owners "are not working numbers."

Readers may call questions 24 hours a day to 295-5610 or mail them to Q and A, 616 S.E. Jefferson, Topeka 66607.