Texas Special 'Questions

[pgtr]

I've grown curious about this road name and would like to learn more. I kinda doubt it but it doesn't hurt to ask - is there a complete list of engine model releases of diesels in this road name from the manufacturers such as Lionel et al?

I know Lionel did this in post war era in F3 and Alco. And MTH did this in F3.

Is there a particular Texas Special Alco model over the years that stands out as a good 'bang for buck' model to consider?

Also did the real Texas Special run all these various diesels? And was it mostly (in real life) a passenger train? Was it typicalloy A, or ABA, or ...?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Original train was headed by a mathced pair of E-7's in a back to back A-A consist. One set for the Katy and one set for the Frisco as the train was a joint operation. The main diference between the original sets was the order of the heralds near the trains nose. NO ONE has made an off the shelf accurate model of the TS locomoives or it's paint scheme. Williams does make an E-7 but not in TS markings. MTH released a set of Alco PA's that were sort of close. Most accurate passenger car set was done by K-Line last year. The only real complaint for purists is that the cars were only 18" long instead of a true scale 21". Train ran from St. Louis to San Antonio

some links on the prototype:

http://www.katyrailroad.org/images/texspec.gif

http://www.katyrailroad.org/diesels.htm

http://thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org/lochist/frisco/friscoline/passtex.cfm

http://www.cbu.edu/~mcondren/Frisco_PaintShop_Es.htm

Modeling links:

http://www.user.dccnet.com/d.leech/mkttexas.html

http://www.railimages.com/gallery/russellstraw

There is an article in the paintshop section of Model Railroader, August 1996 on "Katy's colorful EMD cab units" This includes a set of detailed drawings of the E-7's in TS scheme.

chuck

[Anonymous]

I believe the Texas Special originally began with steam. However I have no knowledge of engine types or paint shemes. Maybe someone in these forums knows

Scott R. Conforto

[Anonymous]

The TS was introduced in 1948 as a streamlined train. The initial runs put a strain on the available equipment and some heavyweight cars were rebuilt/redressed to match the new streamlined cars.

[passengerfan]

If anyone is interested here is a short history of the TEXAS SPECIALS.

TEXAS SPECIAL MKT – SLSF Trains 1-2 May 16, 1948 St. Louis – San Antonio daily service each direction 1,038 miles 18 hours 25 minutes

The TEXAS SPECIAL was a jointly operated St. Louis to San Antonio operation of the MKT and StLSF railroads. Each railroad initially owned one train of the new lightweight streamlined TEXAS SPECIALS. The lightweight streamlined TEXAS SPECIALS began service May 16, 1948 replacing heavyweight trains in this service with a faster schedule. The StLSF better known as the Frisco operated the TEXAS SPECIAL over their rails between St. Louis and Vinita, Oklahoma, from there to Dallas, Fort Worth and on to San Antonio the MKT better known as the Katy operated the TEXAS SPECIALS. The trains were painted with bright red window bands, roofs, and car ends. The letter board and sides of the car were fluted stainless steel. The power was painted in a matching red scheme with only the lower third of the unit’s car sides having a stainless steel fluted panel. The TEXAS SPECIAL would carry through Sleeping Cars to and from New York and Washington operated over the PRR in their PENN TEXAS beyond St. Louis and in the B&O NATIONAL LIMITED to Washington.

FRISCO CONSIST

2000 EMD E7A 2,000 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit

2001 EMD E7A 2,000 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit

250 ROCK HILL Baggage 30’Railway Post Office Car

1250 OLIVETTE 56-Revenue Seat Coach

1251 PASADENA HILLS 56-Revenue Seat Coach

1252 BADEN 56-revenue Seat Coach

1650 STERLING PRICE 26-Revenue Seat Coach 25-Seat Buffet Lounge Car

650 ALEXANDER DONIPHAN 36-Seat Dining Car (St. Louis – Springfield)

1450 PIERRE LACLEDE 14 Roomette 4-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car (St. Louis – Fort Worth)

1451 THOMAS HART BENTON 14-Roomette 4-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car (St. Louis – Dallas)

1452 HENRY SHAW 14-Roomette 4-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car (St. Louis – Dallas)

1453 FRANCIS P. BLAIR 14-Roomette 4-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car (St. Louis – San Antonio)

1454 AUGUSTE CHOUTEAU 14-Roomette 4-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car (New York – San Antonio via PRR PENN TEXAS to and from St. Louis)

1455 GEORGE G. VEST 14-Roomette 4-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car (Washington – San Antonio via B&O NATIONAL LIMITED to and from St. Louis)

1360 JOSEPH PULITZER 2-Crew Dormitory 2-Double Bedroom 1-Drawing Room Buffet 21-Seat Lounge Observation (St. Louis – San Antonio)

MISSOURI-KANSAS-TEXAS CONSIST

101A EMD E7A 2,000 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit

101C EMD E7A 2,000 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit

1000 ANSON B JONES Baggage 30’Railway Post Office Car

1200 EDWARD BURLESON 56-Revenue Seat Coach

1201 DAVID E. BURNETT 56-Revenue Seat Coach

1202 J. PINCKNEY HENDERSON 56-Revenue Seat Coach

1300 MIRABEAU B. LAMAR 26-Revenue Seat Coach 25-Seat Buffet Lounge Car

1100 SAM HOUSTON 36-Seat Dining Car (San Antonio - Muskogee)

1500 JAMES W. FANNIN 14-Roomette 4-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car (Fort Worth – St. Louis)

1501 BENJAMIN B. MILAM 14-Roomette 4-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car (Dallas – St. Louis)

1502 WILLIAM B. DAVIS 14-Roomette 4-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car (Dallas – St. Louis)

1503 DAVID CROCKETT 14-Roomette 4-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car (San Antonio – St. Louis)

1504 JAMES BOWIE 14-Roomette 4-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car (San Antonio – New York via PRR PENN TEXAS to and from 5St. Louis)

1505 JAMES B. BONHAM 14-Roomette 4-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car (San Antonio – Washington via B&O NATIONAL LIMITED to and from St. Louis)

1400 STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 2-Crew Dormitory 2-Double Bedroom 1-Drawing Room Buffet 21- Seat Lounge Observation (San Antonio – St. Louis)

The joint operation of the TEXAS SPECIAL by the M-K-T and Frisco began March 4, 1917 with the Frisco being responsible for the train between St. Louis and Vinita, Oklahoma and the KATY responsible from that point to San Antonio.
A third consist became necessary when it was discovered the schedule was too tight to operate with just two train sets. The Frisco and MKT used the best heavyweight cars they could muster for the third train and the two extra sleeping cars as well as off line cars for the third train.
An interesting note on the TEXAS SPECIAL it split into two trains one through Dallas and one through Fort Worth between Denison, Texas and Waco where the two sections came together once again. Interesting that today’s Interstate 35 splits much the same to serve both Dallas and Fort Worth.

In 1959 the FRISCO withdrew from the TEXAS SPECIAL operation and the MKT operated it on its own as a Kansas City – San Antonio train after that time.

In 1964 the TEXAS SPECIAL became a Kansas City – Dallas only train.

Time ran out for the TEXAS SPECIAL finally in 1965.

TTFN AL