My Present Past
A genealogical experience
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Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad
1906 Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Employee Pass
1906 Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Employee Pass back
1906 Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Personal Pass back
1906 Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Personal Pass
Above and Left:
1906 Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Employee Passes

Below:
The "Topeka Plug" loading at the new depot in Argentine, Kansas, 1907.

The engineer in this particular photo was Amos Beeler.
Charles A. Beeler, brother of Amos was also an engineer for the
Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, domiciled in Argentine, Kansas.
Considered an institution in Kansas, the Topeka Plug operated between Topeka, Kansas and Kansas City from
1881 to 1931. It was the best and most reliable means of transportation offered from either points. For over
thirty years beginning in 1901, the Plug left Topeka at 7:40am and arrived in Kansas City at 9:30am, with the
returning trip starting at 4:30pm from Kansas City. Even though it was a only a local train, the Plug held the
longest continuous on time service record of any train in the entire Santa Fe system.
In 1911, the route was extended to Emporia but the schedule from Topeka and eastward was always the same.
For many years it was the "time ball" for hundreds of people living in the Kaw Valley between Topeka and
Kansas City. The train was so reliable that people would actually set their watches by the train. Because it
carried no parlor or sleeping cars it was considered a friendly sort of train. People between destinations would
visit and talk about their families, hunting, fishing or whatever else interested them.
In 1931 the "Topeka Plug" was discontinued because of the new paved road between Topeka and Kansas City.
It was replaced by the through trains, the Grand Canyon Limited and the California Limited #7, which ran over
the Topeka schedule. The westbound schedule from Topeka to Emporia remained a local line after 1931.
Amos Beeler was born in Ohio in 1863 to Frederick and Mary (Rich) Beeler. Both parents immigrated from
France to the Unites States, Frederick in 1853 and Mary in 1857. They lived in Ohio until about 1868, then
moved to Indiana. In 1869 they arrived in Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas following the westward expansion of
emigrants coming to that state. Amos married Ida May Janes in 1894, she was born September 18, 1867 to
John and Mary (Ellis) Janes in Olathe, Johnson County, Kansas. Amos and Ida had three daughters, Mabel C. in
1887, Myrtle L. in 1891 and Guenndolyn A. in 1905. Amos was an engineer for the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe
railroad starting around 1885 and most notably ran the Topeka Plug from 1891 until his transfer to
Colony City, Anderson County, Kansas in 1920.
Amos Beeler died in Colony City in 1921 and is buried at Topeka Cemetery in Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas.
Left:
1900 Census Amos Beeler

Below:
1920 Census Amos Beeler
Left:
Back of above photo of the Topeka Plug

Below:
Headstone of Amos Beeler,
Engineer for the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad