WICHITA'S PASSENGER TRAINS

OF THE PAST

Intercity passenger trains serving Wichita in 1942, 1956, and 1971 immediately prior to the creation of Amtrak.

THE STATIONS

The major stations serving Wichita, during the golden age of passenger trains. Most passenger trains used Union Station.

Union Station
701 E. Douglas St.
Opened 1913, consolidating the stations of some railroads

Number of station tracks: 4 through/3 stub
Interlocked switches controlled from North Tower and South Tower

Missouri Pacific Station
302 W. Douglas St.

EARLIER RAILROADS/STATIONS

Midland Valley Station
515 W. Douglas St.

Midland Valley Railroad service was discontinued in 1934.

SANTA FE

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 28  Antelope              Kansas City     2:00
 24  Grand Canyon Limited  Chicago         2:25        1:10
 27  Antelope              Oklahoma City   3:30
 23  Grand Canyon Limited  Los Angeles     4:25        1:45
  1  San Francisco Chief   San Francisco               3:50       10:50 pm
 15  Texas Chief           Galveston                   5:10        5:25 am
 45  (Motor Train)         San Angelo      5:00
 47  (Motor Train)         Englewood       6:00        5:40
 67  (mixed train)         Pratt           6:10        6:10
 12  Chicagoan             Chicago         9:50        8:00
  4  California Limited    Kansas City                10:05
 16  Chicago Express       Newton         10:45
  5  Ranger                Galveston       1:06        1:40
  3  California Limited    Los Angeles                 2:10
  1  Scout                 Los Angeles     2:45
  2  Scout                 Chicago         3:20
 68  (mixed train)         North Wichita   4:30
  6  Ranger                Chicago         5:20        3:40
 15  Fast Fifteen          Galveston       8:15
 16  Texas Chief           Chicago                     9:15        9:05 pm
 11  Kansas Cityan         Oklahoma City   9:15        9:35
  2  San Francisco Chief   Chicago                    11:45        7:05 am
Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 46  (Motor Train)         San Angelo     12:40
 28  Antelope              Oklahoma City   1:55
 24  Grand Canyon Limited  Los Angeles     2:20        1:10
 27  Antelope              Kansas City     3:20
 23  Grand Canyon Limited  Chicago         4:15        1:45
  1  San Francisco Chief   Chicago                     3:50       10:50 pm
 15  Texas Chief           Chicago                     5:10        5:25 am
 67  (mixed train)         North Wichita   6:10
 12  Chicagoan             Oklahoma City   9:50        8:00
  4  California Limited    Los Angeles                10:05
 16  Chicago Express       Galveston      10:35
  5  Ranger                Chicago         1:01        1:25
  3  California Limited    Kansas City                 2:10
  1  Scout                 Chicago         2:35
  2  Scout                 Los Angeles     3:15
 68  (mixed train)         Pratt           4:30        2:40
 48  (Motor Train)         Englewood       5:01        3:30
  6  Ranger                Galveston       5:15        3:30
 15  Fast Fifteen          Newton          8:05
 16  Texas Chief           Galveston                   9:15        9:05 pm
 11  Kansas Cityan         Chicago         9:15        9:35
  2  San Francisco Chief   San Francisco              11:45        7:05 am
Passenger service initially retained by Amtrak in 1971, with the Texas Chief.

ROCK ISLAND

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 18  Twin Star Rocket      Herington      12:35  508   4:42 am
509  Texas Rocket          Dallas          1:00 pm     1:17 pm
510  Texas Rocket          Kansas City     4:36 pm     3:16 pm
 17                        Dallas          7:30  507   1:43 am
Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 18  Twin Star Rocket      Dallas         12:25  508   4:36 am
509  Texas Rocket          Kansas City     1:00 pm     1:11 pm
510  Texas Rocket          Dallas          4:36 pm     3:06 pm
 17                        Kansas City     7:20  507   1:36 am
Passenger service discontinued in 1966, last train was the Twin Star Rocket.

ST. LOUIS SAN FRANCISCO

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

349  (mixed train)         Ellsworth       7:10 am
310                        Monett          3:55 pm     3:35 pm
Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

303                        Monett          2:40 pm     1:40 pm
350  (mixed train)         Ellsworth       3:20 pm
Passenger service discontinued in 1960.

MISSOURI PACIFIC

(Missouri Pacific Station)

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

753  (mixed train)         Hardtner        7:25 am
420                        Pleasant Hill   8:00  426   4:30 pm
411                        Geneseo         8:45 pm     9:30 pm
Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

412                        Geneseo         5:45 am     7:00 am
419                        Pleasant Hill   7:00  425   3:00 pm
754  (mixed train)         Hardtner        1:30 pm
Passenger service discontinued in 1964.

STATIONS TODAY

Union Station was used by Amtrak until 1979. The building still stands, and is occupied by various businesses.

The Missouri Pacific station was eventually demolished. Now occupying that location is the Garvey Building.

Wichita Union Station
Web link to a postcard picture of Union Station.

MAPPING THE STATIONS AND RAILROADS

Links to locations of past and present stations and railroads, using Google Maps. Satellite views are also available.

The Santa Fe main lines between Chicago and Texas and California was the main railroad through Wichita. Wichita Union Terminal Railway operated Union Station. And WUT trackage extended from North Jct., 1/2 mile north of Union Station, to South Jct., 1 mile south of Union Station. At South Jct., Santa Fe branch lines diverged west. At Wichita Jct., 3 miles southwest of Union Station, the branch lines separated into lines west to Pratt and southwest to Englewood. Some branch line service was provided by mixed trains terminating at North Wichita Yard, 3 miles north of Union Station. The Rock Island main line between Kansas City and Dallas passed through Wichita, using the WUT trackage from North Jct. to South Jct. And at North Jct., a connection was made with the St. Louis San Francisco branch from Neodesha to Ellsworth. Missouri Pacific used a separate station, with trains operating on branch lines east to Durand and Pleasant Hill, northwest to Hutchinson and Geneseo, and southwest to Hardtner. The latter two branch lines split at HD Jct., west of Wichita.