Missouri and Kansas Interurban Railway

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The Missouri and Kansas Interurban Railway, known as the Strang Line, was an interurban train that ran from downtown Kansas City, Missouri, through Overland Park to Olathe, Kansas. It operated from 1906 until July 9, 1940, and was the last interurban line in the Kansas City area.

The line was created by William B. Strang Jr., a developer who founded Overland Park. He built the railway to attract people to his new suburb, using the old Santa Fe Trail as its route. The line opened in 1906 between Kansas City and Overland Park and was extended in 1908 to Lenexa and Olathe.

The Strang Line used a mix of diesel and electric trolley cars kept in the Strang Carbarn. To power the system, overhead wires were added and power came from the Carbarn itself. At its height, the line was part of a busy network that offered a cheap way to travel between cities.

Strang died in 1921 and was succeeded by Thomas “Cap” Riley. The railway faced competition from buses and cars, and a fire damaged the Carbarn in Overland Park in 1925. The Great Depression reduced ridership, and in 1932 the company cut fares and wages.

By the late 1930s, new highways shortened travel times and hurt the line’s business. The Strang Line declared bankruptcy and closed in 1940, becoming the last interurban in Kansas City. After its closure, some passengers even kept seat cushions as souvenirs.

Urban rail returned to Kansas City in 2016 with the KC Streetcar, which shares part of the old Strang Line route on Main Street.

Remnants of the Strang Line remain. The Strang Carbarn in Overland Park still stands at 79th Street and Santa Fe Drive and now houses a furniture store. The depot at 80th Street and Santa Fe Drive remains, and the Overland Park Historical Society owns it. A small waiting station from the line was moved to Lenexa and is now with the Lenexa Historical Society. The northern end ran to downtown Kansas City at 9th and Main, crossing into Kansas at 39th Street, passing through Rosedale, Overland Park, and Olathe. Strang’s vision helped shape Overland Park as a garden-style suburb with utilities and amenities, contributing to its growth into today’s second-largest city in Kansas.