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In 1858 a group of Lawrence businessmen supported the idea of
a railroad route to the Gulf of Mexico. They chartered the Leavenworth,
Lawrence & Fort Gibson Railroad Company by the Territorial
Legislature Act of Kansas on February 12, 1858. The war between
the states delayed progress of their venture. The charter was
amended by an act of the State Legislative and approved February
29, 1864 and authorization was given to build a railroad from
Leavenworth to the southern border of Kansas.
Senator James Lane was the first president of the LL&G. During
the year of 1865, he promoted the line to communities along the
route to vote in construction bonds. Senator Lane's suicide in
1866 changed the management.
Construction began in late 1867 and on New Years day of 1868
track had been laid to Ottawa. Construction resumed in the spring
of
1869 and reached Coffeyville in 1871. Making a total distance
of 143.83 miles for the railroad line.
On March 5, 1875 the LL&G RR Co. went into receivership and
was sold under foreclosure. Struggling to survive, the railroad
was sold October 22, 1878. The new owners changed the name to
the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston Railroad Company.
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In 1879 the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston Railroad Company
name was changed again to the Kansas City, Lawrence and
Southern.
The quickly growing Santa Fe Railroad took control of the stock
in November of 1880, but ran it under the name of the Kansas
City,
Lawrence and Southern Railroad Company.
During 1880's the highest rate of speed allowed for express passenger
trains was 25 - 35 mph. The highest rate of speed allowed for
mail and freight trains was 15 mph.
In December of 1880 the Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern Kansas
RR, Ottawa & Burlington RR, and the Kansas City & Olathe
RR Companies were consolidated under the name of the Southern
Kansas Railroad Company.
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From the first of May in 1882, until the mid 1970's, the line
ran under the name of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway
Company.
The first Rail Trail in Kansas was a half-mile of track, of this
line, in the south part of Lawrence that the Santa Fe abandoned
in 1988.
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