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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Locale | Mexico/United States |
| Dates of operation | 1900–1928 |
| Successor | Chihuahua al Pacífico/Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)standard gauge |
| Length | R |
TheKansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway, started in 1900 by American railroad entrepreneurArthur Edward Stilwell, was the predecessor of theChihuahua al Pacíficorailroad inMexico. It was intended to reach thePacific Ocean atTopolobampo,Sinaloa.[1]
The United States portion was incorporated in 1900 as the Kansas City, Mexico, and Orient Railway. It was completed betweenWichita, Kansas, andAlpine, Texas. Grading took place betweenEl Dorado andBazaar, Kansas. Primary shops were first located inFairview, Oklahoma. In 1910, the Fairview shops were destroyed by fire and the shops were then re-established in Wichita. The railroad was forced into bankruptcy in 1912, but its receiver,William T. Kemper, was to make a fortune when oil was discovered under its tracks.[2] In 1914, it was reorganized as the KCM&O Railroad. Another reorganization in 1925 returned it to its original name. It was popularly calledThe Orient railroad.[3]
At the end of 1925, KCM&O and KCM&O of Texas (the portions of interstate railroads in Texas wererequired to be under unique charters) together operated 859 miles (1,382 km) of track over 738 miles (1,188 km) ofright of way; they reported a total of 330 million net ton-miles of revenue freight and 8 million passenger-miles. The KCM&O was acquired by theAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in 1928, mainly to gain access to theWest Texas oil fields. The Santa Fe then sold the Mexican portions. The railway reachedPresidio in 1930 and thePresidio–Ojinaga International Rail Bridge was built.
Operating rights on the portion fromSan Angelo Junction (65 miles [105 km] NEE ofSan Angelo) to Presidio (known as South Orient Rail Line) later were awarded toTexas Pacifico Transportation.
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