Kansas will soon have an official state heritage railroad and it’s in the historic city of Abilene.
A week ago, the Kansas Legislature passed HB2481, which, among other things, designated the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad (A&SV) as the heritage railroad and also named the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe 3415, a 4-6-2 Pacific-type engine as Kansas’ Official Steam Locomotive. The bill is awaiting Gov. Laura Kelly’s signature, which is expected to come soon.
Ross Boelling, president and general manager for A&SV, said this designation is an honor and speaks to the work that volunteers have put into making this heritage railroad a reality.
Our organization was founded three decades ago on the idea of preserving the legacy of railroads as builders of our state,” Boelling said. “It’s great to make our mission an official Kansas tradition. More importantly, this designation is a great recognition of our volunteers and the tens of thousands of hours they have dedicated to the A&SV.”
This new designation will help in various ways, including in grant writing as the railroad looks to raise funding for the 3415 locomotive, which went out of commission last year to undergo a Federal Railroad Administration mandatory overhaul.
Boelling said a new capital campaign for the overhaul is expected to be kicked off soon, and this new designation will be used to enhance this and other funding options.
Additionally, a new logo for the A&SV Railroad has been designed, incorporating the 3415 locomotive and the state designation.
