Garden City Western Railway
Encyclopedia
The Garden City Western Railway is a railroad operating in the U.S. state
of Kansas
. GCW was organized in 1916, first owned by The Garden City Sugar and Land Company and then owned by the Garden City Coop, Inc. The GCW is located in southwest Kansas
and totals 40 miles (64.4 km) of operating railroad and interchanges with BNSF Railway
. GCW was purchased by Pioneer Railcorp
on April 29, 1999. The primary commodities include grain, frozen beef, fertilizer
, farm implements, feed products and utility poles.
in a northwesterly direction about fourteen miles (21 km) through farm lands, held by the Garden City Sugar and Land Company. Road built to take care of products of Garden City Sugar and Land Company's holdings in land.
The Nebraska, Kansas and Southern Railway track was laid out 12.6 miles (20.3 km) from Garden City and was never operational. The rail, fastenings and ties from this railroad were sold in 1915 at a Sheriff's auction to the Garden City Western Railway Company, a subsidiary of the Garden City Sugar and Land Company.
On 1 September 1991 the Garden City Northern Railway
(GCNR) merged with the Garden City Western Railway.
A GCW steam locomotive
is currently on static display at the Lee Richardson Zoo
in Garden City, located behind the Snack/Gift Shop and across the Drive-In Entrance/Kiosk.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. GCW was organized in 1916, first owned by The Garden City Sugar and Land Company and then owned by the Garden City Coop, Inc. The GCW is located in southwest Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
and totals 40 miles (64.4 km) of operating railroad and interchanges with BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
. GCW was purchased by Pioneer Railcorp
Pioneer Railcorp
Pioneer Railcorp is a holding company for a number of American short-line railroads. Other subsidiaries offer locomotive and freight car leasing to its own railroads and to third parties, and also freight car cleaning. Pioneer also has interests in real estate and newsletter publishing.The...
on April 29, 1999. The primary commodities include grain, frozen beef, fertilizer
Fertilizer
Fertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use...
, farm implements, feed products and utility poles.
History
The Garden City Sugar and Land Company, at Garden City, Kansas, built a railroad known as the Garden City Western Railway, constructed in 1915. This railroad extends from the Sugar Factory at Garden CityGarden City, Kansas
Garden City is a city in and the county seat of Finney County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 26,658. The city is home to Garden City Community College and the Lee Richardson Zoo, the largest zoological park in western Kansas.-History:In February 1878, James...
in a northwesterly direction about fourteen miles (21 km) through farm lands, held by the Garden City Sugar and Land Company. Road built to take care of products of Garden City Sugar and Land Company's holdings in land.
The Nebraska, Kansas and Southern Railway track was laid out 12.6 miles (20.3 km) from Garden City and was never operational. The rail, fastenings and ties from this railroad were sold in 1915 at a Sheriff's auction to the Garden City Western Railway Company, a subsidiary of the Garden City Sugar and Land Company.
On 1 September 1991 the Garden City Northern Railway
Garden City Northern Railway
The Garden City Northern Railway line ran from Garden City to Shallow Water, Kansas about . This trackage was originally built by the Garden City, Gulf and Northern Railway on January 4, 1907. In July 1911, the GCG&N and its entire line came under Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway control...
(GCNR) merged with the Garden City Western Railway.
A GCW steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
is currently on static display at the Lee Richardson Zoo
Lee Richardson Zoo
The Lee Richardson Zoo is an AZA accredited zoo in Garden City, Kansas. The zoo has more than 100 species of animals located on inside Finnup Park and includes many animals that are non-native to southwest Kansas. Admission is free.-History:...
in Garden City, located behind the Snack/Gift Shop and across the Drive-In Entrance/Kiosk.