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Nonprofit railroad excursion line hit by Kansas flood damage

Flood damage to the rail line-photo courtesy Midland Railway

BALDWIN CITY, Kan. (AP) — A nonprofit railroad that provides excursions between Baldwin City and Ottawa won’t be able to provide the trips to Ottawa because of damage caused by recent floods.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports Midland Railway will still offer a 4.5 mile excursion to a site about 4.5 miles south of Baldwin City.

Allen Kinsley, Midland Railway treasurer, said a flash flood on Aug. 22 washed out a quarter mile of track in northern Franklin County about five miles south of the Baldwin City depot and left a nearly 10-foot gully through the line.

A preliminary damage estimate was $50,000 but that was if Midland volutes do the repairs. Kinsley says the repair bill could be as high as $100,000 and the railroad can’t afford that cost.

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