Hi Todd. I can relate to Central City and Minden. I worked in Central City
one summer when I was at NU. Have a niece who teaches there. Have many
relatives in and around Minden (the Bergstens). I lived on the
Aurora-Burwell branch at Palmer, Wolbach, and Elyria. I was on this RR when
they still had passenger trains in the early 30's. I went into the service
from Palmer, and when I had to go to Kansas City for Navy V-5 exams, my dad
(who was depot agent at Palmer) got me a pass on the Burlington to KC, and I
rode the way-car to Aurora.
Those branches are all long gone. Can't even find signs of where they were
in some towns. Very depressing for someone who grew up on the RR.
I live in upstate NY where I don't see many Burlington fans. Good to be in
touch with you.
Dale Reeves
Dale:
Yes all the little lines are gone now. Ayr to Hildreth was finally
pulled up about two or three years ago. The south line through
Minden that ran west to Wilcox and east through Norman and I think to
Ayr was removed maybe ten or fifteen years ago. I'm not sure how far
north and west the line through Central City runs today, but I know
it doesn't make it to Burwell anymore. I keep intending to go to the
Central City library to look for an old atlas with a map of the
tracks in Central City as they were years and years ago.
Up until we moved to Minden in 1966 I literally grew up on the
Burlington line through Central. We played on and around it and near
a bridge just north of the intersection with the UP when I was a kid.
But we always got out of the way of the trains. I'm sure it would
have been frowned upon, but it was safer than hanging around the UP,
which was of course much busier.
Ever since then I've been fascinated with the Q, and branch lines
like that one in particular.
Are you related to Gene Reeves originally from Central? He was my
brothers buddy, and he papered our house in 1987.
Thanks for writing.
-Todd-
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