The Quincy, Omaha & Kansas City Railroad (called the OK Railroad) was constructed in 1896-97. In Daviess County the line linked Pattonsburg to Coffeyburg and then on to Gilman City in Harrison County, MO. It was abandoned in 1939. Lettering under the engineer’s window reads “Q.O. & K.C. R.R.” On the coal car is “Travel Via the Picturesque QO&KC Rails.” (courtesy Leta Wade)
The last run of a Quincy, Ohio & Kansas City (QO&KC) train through Pattonsburg was on Aug. 26, 1939. The depot on Main Street at the south edge of town was later relocated to 1st Street. “A farewell party was given by the citizens of Pattonsburg. A large crowd gathered at the station where the 3 p.m. train made its last run. Accompanied by the band, several local people dressed in costumes of the period of the time when the train made its first run… Jim Morton was among the people who rode the last train through. He was the conductor who brought the first train into Pattonsburg. George Koger boarded the morning train and came back on the evening train. He had been a passenger on the first train in here on the completion of the road. Workmen started Monday morning to tear up the tracks.” — newspaper clipping dated Aug. 26, 1939
Miles of railroad within Daviess County: Quincy, Omaha & Kansas City — 13.13 miles; Wabash — 35.81 miles; Rock Island (main line) — 28.26 miles; Rock Island, St. Joseph branch — 7.07 miles; Kansas City, Peoria & Chicago — 6.39 miles. By rail, St. Joseph, Omaha, Leavenworth and Kansas City are within a few hours; St. Louis and Chicago are within a night’s run. (map dated 1902)
