Two train stations for a town of barely 10,000 seems like overkill, but Independence, KS hosted several railroads. Less than 12 miles away, Cherryvale had its own station. Now stripped and boarded up, the Independence train station was once a hub of travel and freight delivery. For many it's just an eye-sore of no discernible history or worth, but for me it was a school, an escape to adventure and an entry to the fascinating world of travel by rail. My older brother Fuzz and I traveled to Chicago nearly every summer to stay with our grandmother. Not only did we go to the Windy City, we went by ourselves.
When I was in high school I went to Kansas City or Tulsa to visit friends. Sometimes I went just to enjoy the ride. For speed in travel, nothing beats an airplane, but for ambiance, comfort and relaxation, nothing beats a train. No one needs to sit on the hump rubbing elbows with a fat aunt or wait to the next stop to use the bathroom.
I could stand up and go to the front of train or to the rear and watch the countryside roll past. I could climb the stairs to the glass observation deck and relax, have a soda and just watch the world looking back at me. If I was hungry I could get a sandwich and a drink or I could go to the dining car and have a full meal like steak and a baked potato.
Walking down the aisle was different because turbulence had no effect on the train's stability. Or I could sit in my wide seat and fall asleep without a worry. Friends and family came to visit on the train. I went to Minneapolis, New York, St. Louis and, of course, Chicago, which I considered the greatest station on the planet. From Chicago you could travel to the West Coast through the towering snow-capped Colorado Rockies or to the legendary Grand Central Station in New York.
Many memories rode te rails with me and still do, but as always, "all good things must come to an end." The last time I rode the train I was leaving for the army. When I retuned three years later, the Independence depot was closed. However, all is not lost. With the enormous wait times at airports increasing, charges for baggage and even charges for a pillow and blanket, railroads are beginning to look like an alternate mode of transportation. Airline tickets have steadily increased, while amenities are disappearing. Even the terribly edited in-flight movies have disappeared on some airlines allegedly to save weight.
There are still some great train rides out there a d if you have the time you might find that rail is the only civilized way to travel.xwa
If you get a chance to ride
I rode the train from KC KS to Indy ONCE and loved it,
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