SKOL Fall River Bridge (Fredonia)

In 1871, the Southern Kansas Railroad (SK) would construct a new railroad, extending 10 miles from Cherryvale, Kansas to Independence, Kansas.  In 1879, the Southern Kansas and Western Railroad Company (SK&W) began constructing an additional 138 miles from Independence to Harper, Kansas.  This route would be completed in 1880.  Both railroads were consolidated into the Kansas City, Lawrence and Southern Kansas Railroad in 1879, which would be consolidated into the Southern Kansas Railway in 1883.  In 1885, the Chicago, Kansas & Western Railroad would construct an additional 43 mile connection, between Chanute, Kansas and Longton, Kansas.  The Southern Kansas Railway would be leased by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway (ATSF) in 1899, and entirely consumed by the ATSF in 1901.  The ATSF had acquired and constructed a large number of railroad lines throughout the western United States, particularly in Kansas and Oklahoma.  This line was utilized as a secondary mainline, connecting a number of ATSF mainlines in Southern Kansas.  The line between Longton and Independence would be abandoned in 1968.  The Chanute to Wellington segment would be sold to the South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad (SKOL) in 1990.  In 2000, the Chanute to Fredonia segment would be abandoned, and purchased for future trail use.  In approximately 2002, the segment between Oxford, Kansas and Wellington was abandoned.  The remainder of the line continues to be operated by SKOL, serving mainly agricultural traffic.  As of 2024, work is underway to convert the 19-mile Chanute to Fredonia segment to the Osage Cuestas Trail.