Saturday, October 23, 2010

On the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe


Mazon Depot-Mazon, IL, originally uploaded by William 74.

The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad was one of the largest roads in America, stretching from Chicago to the Pacific, through the lower midwest and the desert southwest. Although a major freight hauler (and one of the pioneering railroads behind intermodal shipping), the Santa Fe was probably best known for it's passenger trains, particularly the Chief series. The Chiefs were renowned for their speed and luxury, and the Santa Fe was one of the first railroads to feature dome cars and bi-level coaches. The Chief survives today as Amtrak's Southwest Chief, which runs from Chicago to Los Angeles.

This tiny depot is in the town of Mazon, Illinois, which is well south and west of Chicago on what is now the BNSF line. It's a fairly typical small town depot, and still has a brick platform next to the tracks. It's still in use today as a line office, and still features the old, pre-1960 Santa Fe logo.

1 comment:

  1. Ahhh, Mazon. I have been there- my grandfather was big on interesting little diners and restaurants and he took my parents and I to a place in Mazon called the Feed Bag at one point- you probably saw it, as there's not a whole ton else in Mazon.

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