MKT 626 South loaded coal, south of Paola, Kansas; July 24, 1988
A loaded coal train off the Union Pacific at Kansas City heads south on the MKT toward Texas. Katy traffic was going through the roof in the late 1980s as a flood of Powder River Basin mined coal destined for utilities in the south was straining motive power needs. Witness the second out second hand Illinois Central Gulf GP38AC rust bucket. Katy bought 18 of these from the ICG in 1986.
You could say the success of moving PRB coal was also the downfall of Miss Katy as the Union Pacific was in the process of completing their purchase of the M-K-T at the time of this photo.
MKT 626 South loaded coal, south of Paola, Kansas; July 24, 1988
A loaded coal train off the Union Pacific at Kansas City heads south on the MKT toward Texas. Katy traffic was going through the roof in the late 1980s as a flood of Powder River Basin mined coal destined for utilities in the south was straining motive power needs. Witness the second out second hand Illinois Central Gulf GP38AC rust bucket. Katy bought 18 of these from the ICG in 1986.
You could say the success of moving PRB coal was also the downfall of Miss Katy as the Union Pacific was in the process of completing their purchase of the M-K-T at the time of this photo.