in 1887, the chicago, kansas and nebraska railway built a railroad north-south from herington through marion to caldwell. it closed in 1891. it was taken over by chicago, rock island and pacific railway, which closed in 1980 and became the oklahoma, kansas and texas railroad. it merged 1988 with missouri pacific railroad. it merged in 1997 with union pacific railroad. most locals still call this railroad as the "rock island".