Katy and MOP Schedules

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

Need some help here, folks. Katy and Missouri Pacific train schedules are very difficult to come by, and web information is little and none. Here is the question:

Can anyone provide the scheduled times in both directions for the following MKT passenger trains at Waco Jct. or Bellmead, Taylor, Smithville and San Antonio, TX: The Texas Special, The Bluebonnet and The Katy Flyer.

Can anyone provide the scheduled times in both directions for the following MP passenger trains at Valley Jct., Taylor, Austin, New Braunfels and San Antonio, TX:

The Sunshine Special and the Texas Eagle (not Amtrak’s).

Would appreciate any info, especially for the years 1950-1955, or where to hunt for said info.

Many thanks.

2

Have you tried the MP or MKT historical societies?

Dave H.

3

Just dawned on me, I have a 1928 “Official Railway Guide”. Here are the 1928 times:

Texas Special No 1 (s/b): Waco 355-400pm, 458pm Temple,(Taylor not on the schedule of any MKT train), 700pm Austin, (doesn’t go through Smithville), 935pm San Antonio

Texas Special No 2 (n/b): 910am San Antonio, 1130am Austin, 125pm Temple, 220-225pm Waco

Bluebonnet No 7: 1130-1145am Waco, 1238pm Temple, 320pm Austin, 430pm San Marcos, 555pm San Antonio.

Bluebonnet No 8: Originates at Waco going North.

Katy Flyer No 5: 1159pm -1220am Waco, 125am Temple, 405am Austin, 520am San Marcos, 700am San Antonio.

Katy Flyer No 6: 900pm San Antonio, 1033pm San Marcos, 1140pm Austin, 230am Temple, 335-415pm Waco

None of these trains operate via Smithville or Taylor. They all operate via Granger and Austin.

MP/IGN trains:

Sunshine special IGN No 1: 405pm Valley Jct, 535-545pm Taylor, 700pm Austin, 755pm San Marcos, 825pm New Braunfels, 830-1130pm San Antonio.

Sunshine Special IGN No 2: 630-900am San Antonio, 951am New Braunfels, 1018am San Marcos, 1110am Austin, 1215-1220pm Taylor, 205pm Valley Jct.

Texas Eagle: Did not exist in 1928.

Dave H.

4

Thanks for the assist. Now if anyone has Texas Eagle times, we may be in business. The MKT and MOP historical societies have nothing of any use in this arena. And of course, I should have remembered the Katy had “passenger mains” in the Austin area…Thanks again.

5

I believe I have MKT and MOP passenger timetables from 1950s-- in a place where I can’t get them tonight. Will try to get back to you. Oh, and I have a 1958 Official Guide, I’ll check that too.

6

MKT timetable No.3-139, corrected to May 1, 1955

The Texas Special #1-11 southbound

Waco 9:50am

Temple 10:28AM

Austin 11:59am

San Antonio 1:55PM

The Texas Special #2-12 northbound

San Antonio 12:01PM

Austin 1:42PM

Temple 3:15PM

Waco 3:50PM
The Texas Special does not operate via Taylor or Smithville.

The Katy Flyer #5-25 southbound

Waco 12:55am

Temple 1:45am

Austin 3:45am

San Antonio 6:15am

The Katy Flyer #6-26 northbound

San Antonio 10:30pm

Austin 12:17am

Temple 2:28 am

Waco 3:20am

The Katy Flyer does not operate via Taylor or Smithville.

The Bluebonnet #27-7 San Antonio section southbound

Waco 11:55am

Temple 12:37pm

Austin 2:18pm

San Antonio 4:45pm

The Bluebonnet #8-28 Houston section southbound

Waco 12:01PM

Temple 12:50pm

Taylor 1:44pm

Smithville 3:00pm

Houston 6:01pm

The Bluebonnet #8-28 San Antonio section northbound

San Antonio 12:35PM

Austin 3:05PM

Temple 4:52pm

Waco 5:35pm

The Bluebonnet #27-7 Houston section southbound

Houston 9am

Smithville 12:42pm

Temple 2:40pm

Waco 3:30pm

I

7

Man, does it! That is EXACTLY the stuff I was hunting for. Now I can get operations on an accurate roll. Looking forward to the MOP stuff. Thanks much!

8

Missouri Pacific timetable September 25, 1955

Texas Eagle #21 southbound

Valley Jct. 8:46am

Taylor 9:53am

Austin 10:33am

New Braunfels 11:30am

San Antonio 12:06PM

Texas Eagle #22 northbound

San Antonio 1:30PM

New Braunfels 2:48pm

Austin 3:43PM

Taylor 4:25PM

Valley Junction 5:19PM

The Southerner #7 southbound

Valley Jct. 11:55PM

Taylor 2:00am

Austin 3:27am

New Braunfels 4:46am

San Antonio 5:45am

“Southerner” #38/8 northbound

San Antonio 8:15PM

New Braunfels 9:02pm

Austin 10:35PM

Taylor 11:45PM

Valley Junction 5:19PM

The Sunshine Special did not travel via Valley Jct, Taylor, Austin, Sann Antonio in 1955. It traveled between Saint Louis and Texarkana.

9

Interesting about the Sunshine Special. Many thanks for all the responses.

10

I believe the Sunshine Special actually travelled much farther before 1955. But I do not have timetables.

See Pullman’s Elegant Palace Car p.520

See photo Houston-Valley Junction section of Sunshine Special, 1951 at Spring TX

Model Railroader June 07 p.43