Alden, KS: Grain Elevator and Railroad Transit Tarrif

(Satellite)

Bob Summers posted four photos with the comment:

Alden branch of the Central Prairie Co-op based in Sterling Kansas shows several things. The original main working house appears to be a Sampson build. The concrete annex could be a Chalmers & Borton. Then they added a steel flat storage building filled via an auger from the main working house. In more recent times three McPherson Concrete jump form tanks have been added, likely because when, the railroads eliminated "transit," country elevators had to add space locally since they could not ship Grain to terminals for storage pending sale by the producers so it could be marketed. Also of interest is the outside truck receiving pit and leg so they could handle the larger grain trucks being used to deliver the grain to the elevators from the field during harvest. This facility also has an overhead auger so they can pile Grain outside on the ground if needed. The rail road is now the K & O (Kansas & Oklahoma) operating on a former AT&SF branch line. I am thinking the K & O allows loading cars at multiple elevators on their line so their "short line" railroad can then deliver the full unit train to the BNSF or UP, likely where they connect in Hutchinson, for shipment to destination.

Jim Merrick Thanks for the explanation, especially the "why" of the change in "transit."
Marc Mcclure Love the shots from all angles. Definitely a Sampson house.


From this and other postings that Bob has made, I think the railroads did not charge the farmer or the local elevator for hauling grain from the local elevator to a terminal elevator. The railroads added the cost of the local haul to the haul from the terminal elevator to its final destination. That is, the railroads accepted delayed payment for the local haul.

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