Abilene was an important Union Pacific town. However the Santa Fe held its own. The Rock Island also had a presence in town. All three intermingled their trackage. All three had depots. All three still stand. The Santa Fe's previously mentioned trackage rights with the Union Pacific is an example of the intermingled trackage. The Rock Island also shared trackage from a point 4/10ths of a mile west of the Santa Fe depot to AB Junction which was considered the Salina District route. The track west of Abilene is confusing at best.
The Union Pacific Passenger and Freight depots are located downtown just off of State Highway 15 to the west. The freight depot is a block further west. Both are of a similar classic design using the same construction elements of stone and ceramic tile. The Rock Island depot is loactaed in Old Abilene town which by the way is for sale. It is located in the south part of Abilene on the east side of State Highway 15. This frame depot has been preserved in excellent condition. It serves as a museum for the small amusment center.
The Smokey Valley Railway runs excursion trains on the former Rock Island trackage just to the south of town.
A special note of triva, Abilene was the home of Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Abilene was graced with a very attractive depot. It is unknown why it was of such a large size but it was an important branch line junction point. The depot sits right off of SH 15 in North Central Kansas. Turn of the century vintage railroad benches still sat in the depot in 1992.
Upon the occasion of my Honeymoon on May 25, 1991 on my way to catch an Amtrak train from Lincoln, Nebraska to Portland, Oregon, I caught this image of a Santa Fe work train tying up in Abilene. I have later learned that it was probably the track crew that was laying welded rail from Miltonvale to Abilene. What a chance occurance on such a special day.
The work train was lead by several SD-45 units and this SDFP45 No. 95. These were some of the first railroad photographs that I had ever taken so they did not turn out too well but they did document a rare occurance.