Upola

[W. Gray]

Is anyone familiar with the Upola area?

A few weeks ago, Shirley Sweet had an article in the Flint Hills Express about driving to Upola. So I decided on my last trip to find it.

She went north out of Oak Valley, but I went north out of Longton past the cemetery, turned right at the first turn, kept going, and somehow found it at Road 29. There is not much there except a couple farm houses and a red brick building. Don't know anything about Upola except it had a post office for twenty-two years ending in 1909. It must have been of some minor importance because it had a train station. Busby is north maybe two miles and west maybe one mile. Both Busby and Upola still appear on the latest county maps put out by the Kansas Department of  Transportation.

Shirley mentioned the red brick building might have been a train station but it appears to me too far from the track to serve that purpose. I noticed right next to the track was a cement slab and that may have been where there was a station. I don't know if there was ever a spur there.

The rail line going through Upola is the South Kansas and Oklahoma leg from Longton to Fredonia. As we were leaving, I saw the strangest thing I have seen in Elk County since the late 40's:  a passenger train went by.  It had three cars and a caboose and had to have been a special of some type.

[Flintauqua]

There is a group called Heart of the Heartlands bassed in Carona, Kansas (Scammon Zipcode) that has an excursion train that they take to special events. 

Most of the excursions are on shortlines owned by WATCO of Pittsburg, KS - the owner of the SKO.  The Webb family that owns WATCO provides generous assistance to this group to enable them to preserve the joy of riding the rails. 

You probably saw it on its way to or from a trip from Wichita to Yoder and back on the 12th.

Their website is:

http://www.geocities.com/heartland/pointe/8458/about.html

[W. Gray]

Thanks,

It sure would be nice if they would set up a special Elk County run from, say, Grenola to Fredonia and back.

[ddurbin]

Several years, as part of Kanza Days here in Winfield, this train would make free short trips from Winfield out to New Salem and back.  I made that ride a couple of different times.  A couple of other times, they offered, for a nominal fee, an all day excursion from Winfield to Fredonia and back.  I did that one time, and would do it again if given the opportunity.  The coachs were air-conditioned and gave a reasonably comfortable ride.  Saw lots of wildlife along the trip as well as a whole different view of some 'familiar' countryside.  A picnic-style lunch was served at the school in Fredonia, complete with an area Dixieland band providing entertainment.  If I ever hear of the group offering the trip again, I'll post it here.   

[Flintauqua]

Look what you did Waldo   You got us Durbin boys talking about one of our favorite subjects -Trains!!!!

[W. Gray]

Yes, me too.

The wife groaned when I mentioned an Elk County train ride. I have managed to get her on several excursions and she is trained out. Give me a train window and 15-20 mph and I am happy.

[Janet Harrington]

If that train ever does the trip from Winfield to Fredonia and back, I want to go.  I rode a special law enforcement train from Wichita to Dodge City and back one year.  I loved it.  I would go again in a heartbeat.  I've always wanted to take an AmTrak somewhere, but have never had the time or money to do that.  I'll put it on my wish list to do when I win the Publisher's Clearing House sweepstakes. 

[W. Gray]

My post from May 13, 2007. The brick building Shirley saw and thought it might have been a train station was a red brick school. I think it was determined later that there never was a station at Upola. The passenger train seen in 2007 was a special excursion.

Is anyone familiar with the Upola area?

A few weeks ago, Shirley Sweet had an article in the Flint Hills Express about driving to Upola. So I decided on my last trip to find it.

She went north out of Oak Valley, but I went north out of Longton past the cemetery, turned right at the first turn, kept going, and somehow found it at Road 29. There is not much there except a couple farm houses and a red brick building. Don't know anything about Upola except it had a post office for twenty-two years ending in 1909. It must have been of some minor importance because it had a train station. Busby is north maybe two miles and west maybe one mile. Both Busby and Upola still appear on the latest county maps put out by the Kansas Department of  Transportation.

Shirley mentioned the red brick building might have been a train station but it appears to me too far from the track to serve that purpose. I noticed right next to the track was a cement slab and that may have been where there was a station. I don't know if there was ever a spur there.

The rail line going through Upola is the South Kansas and Oklahoma leg from Longton to Fredonia. As we were leaving, I saw the strangest thing I have seen in Elk County since the late 40's:  a passenger train went by.  It had three cars and a caboose and had to have been a special of some type.

[upoladeb]

A train came thru here today it had about 4 observation cars and a cabbose,hard to rember as I was busy weed eatin  here in Upola.