The Katy Blues
The Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad had a sole route into Houston from the west, by way of Smithville, Sealy, and the namesake Katy. After absorption by the Union Pacific in 1988, the route out of Houston was deemed excessive and was severed in Katy, with the trackage to the west remaining. Since then, UP has kept traffic on this former mainline at a slow and steady pace. Once a week, a local based in Smithville makes an eastbound run towards the city. Some weeks it makes it as far as Katy, some weeks it doesn't. Today's train is a measly one car for Builders FirstSource on the west side of Katy.
Also of note, the leader of today's train. UP 1371 was built for the MKT in 1968 as GP40 207, sold off the roster with the UP acquisition, and made its way into SP hands after a rebuild program by Morrison-Knudsen. It's safe to say this locomotive has seen plenty of Texas soil in its previous lives.
Brookshire, Texas
December 15, 2025
The Katy Blues
The Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad had a sole route into Houston from the west, by way of Smithville, Sealy, and the namesake Katy. After absorption by the Union Pacific in 1988, the route out of Houston was deemed excessive and was severed in Katy, with the trackage to the west remaining. Since then, UP has kept traffic on this former mainline at a slow and steady pace. Once a week, a local based in Smithville makes an eastbound run towards the city. Some weeks it makes it as far as Katy, some weeks it doesn't. Today's train is a measly one car for Builders FirstSource on the west side of Katy.
Also of note, the leader of today's train. UP 1371 was built for the MKT in 1968 as GP40 207, sold off the roster with the UP acquisition, and made its way into SP hands after a rebuild program by Morrison-Knudsen. It's safe to say this locomotive has seen plenty of Texas soil in its previous lives.
Brookshire, Texas
December 15, 2025