Sitting in the middle of Wilson Park near downtown Arkansas City is a massive, black steam engine from 1910. The city restored the old Atchison Northern Santa Fe locomotive in 2008. It’s a symbol of the importance the rail industry has played in Ark City’s 150-year history. “Rail is part of what our city was built on,” said Andrew Lawson, the city’s public information officer. “The rail’s always been here.” But, like the rest of south-central Kansas, the town hasn’t had passenger rail service since 1979. Amtrak ended its Lone Star route between Chicago and Houston, leaving a sprawling gap from Oklahoma City to Wichita. Some Ark City residents remember when the trains still passed through.
Source: KCUR News
