Richie Kennedy | route56.com

Welcome to route56.com

Welcome to my anchor point on the web. For over 20 years, I have shared various subjects regarding highway, railways, local radio, and more.

I chose the name “route56” in honor of the green and white variant of the US Highway shield that the Kansas Department of Transportation and its predecessor agency used specifically to mark US 56 from the designation of US 56 in 1956 until KDOT elected to adopt the standard black-and-white design in the mid-1980s

Click on the links above to access the pages devoted to the history of local radio and Kansas Highways, along with other creative outlets.

You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, and Flickr.

Latest Blog Posts

  • KDOT Lettings: August 2020

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    A list of projects and approved bidders from the Kansas Department of Transportation’s August 2020 letting.

  • Labor Day weekend railfanning

    Labor Day weekend railfanning

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    For me, Labor Day weekend would not be one without me going out and taking pictures of something railroad related. This year, I decided to head out to Camden, Missouri on the joint BNSF Marceline Sub and Norfolk Southern Kansas City District. I was last here on Labor Day weekend in 2018.

  • Primary Ballot not Counted due to USPS SNAFU

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    Because my family had to quarantine for two weeks leading to the Primary, my mother and I both applied for and received advanced ballots. After filling out and signing out ballots, I dropped them off together at the drop box at the Downtown Lawrence post office on August 1. The ballots should have gone from…

  • GOP Primary 2020

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    For this year’s primary election, I did not go to the polling place on Tuesday. Because of a COVID-related quarantine, I elected to receive a mail-in advance ballot. I mailed the ballot in on August 1st. There were only two contested races on my primary ballot. Both of the contested races were won by my…

  • Trio of Late Amtrak trains

    Trio of Late Amtrak trains

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    My exploits capturing a series of late Amtrak trains in late June and early July of 2020

  • KDOT Contract Lettings: July, 2020

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    There are 13 projects up for bids in July, including signage replacement along US 50 and K-61 in Reno County.

  • Makin’ my way to Newton

    Makin’ my way to Newton

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    Following up from my trip to Wedel Acres a couple of weeks ago… after leaving Wedel Acres, I pointed my Subaru west on US 50 and headed toward Newton. While in Newton, I went browsing through the local antique dealerships (mask on, of course). The first one happened to be trackside, and just as I…

  • Saturday Morning at Wedel Acres

    Saturday Morning at Wedel Acres

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    This past weekend, after seeing pictures and discussion on Facebook about Wedel Acres in Peabody, I finally decided to check it out. Peabody is located just northeast of Newton in Marion County just off of US 50. It is also where the BNSF La Junta Sub crosses the UP [née Rock Island] Lost Springs Sub. A…

  • A new view of an old train-watching site

    A new view of an old train-watching site

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    Although “Outdoor recreational activity” was allowed here in Kansas under the state’s “Stay at Home” order, I didn’t really feel a reason to get out of the house until last Saturday, when I headed out to Pomona to check out an old spot that has changed quite a bit since the last time I was…

  • KDOT Lettings: June, 2020

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    Here’s what’s up for bids at the June monthly letting.