GREAT BEND, KANSAS

Passenger Train Schedule November 29, 1942

s 7:07am No. 127 Westward Passenger
s 8:12am No. 112 Eastward Doodlebug
s 9:00am No. 69 Westward Mixed to Scott City
s 3:45pm No. 70 Eastward Mixed from Scott City
s 10:45pm No. 111 Westward Doodlebug
s 9:55pm No. 128 Eastward Passenger

Great Bend was named after the "great bend" in the Arkansas River. At one time there was an important yard here but it has slowly, track by track, been removed over the years. A concrete coaling tower still stands in town. Joe McMillian has included several photographs of this depot in his book Wheat Lines and Super Freights on page 72.

There have been many photos of Great Bend taken from the rail side. This view shows the freight side of the depot and the streetside drivethrough which is now used as an open garage for Central Kansas Railway personel. This depot is now used for Central Kansas railroad operations.

There is a remarkable similarity between the Cherryvale depot and the Great Bend depot. There is a double arch on the open waiting room and the general size of the structure is comparable. The two main differences would be a very large mission cross at the apex of the Great Bend roof facade and of course the color of the brick. It would be interesting to know where the Santa Fe found this brick.

There is some evidence that the Great Bend freight house, shown here in disrepair, could have been the original combination freight passenger depot. Note the coaling tower in the distance to the extreme left.