The Santa Fe Trail began in Westport, Missouri, (now part of Kansas City) and traced a curving diagonal route across Kansas, southeastern Colorado, and into New Mexico to Santa Fe. Early goods were transported by huge freight wagons pulled by oxen or smaller ones pulled by mules, or horses. The Santa Fe Trail was an important early economic artery of the young United States. Colonel Cyrus K. Holliday was one the founders of my community, Topeka, Kansas, and devoted much of his life to economic development of the city. His greatest achievement was the organization of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad in 1863. Earlier, in 1859, Holliday and a group of Topeka and Atchison businessmen secured a charter from the State of Kansas. The following year it was incorporated as the Atchison Topeka Railroad. Santa Fe was added to the name in 1863. Construction was delayed by the Civil War and did not begin until late 1868 when tracks were laid at Topeka. The railroad's route often followed the ruts of the original trail. It took four years for AT&SF to reach the colorado boarder and several more reach Santa Fe. Like all railroads of the period, the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe was granted huge blocks of land to either side of the railway in order to sell off or develop for potential developers. The AT&SF, therefore, was an important promoter of Kansas settlement the mid to late 1800s. This picture portrays an early train moving through the Flint Hills southwest of Topeka. Enjoy. Jeremy ****** Engine, boxcars, and caboose were Net downloads. The engine was retextured by me, but the others cars were extensively remodeled by me from the original. The flat car was modeled by me, as was railroad, grade, terrains, and wagon. Horses modeled by me in Poser 5. Their textures are by MoonRose.