Texas Eagle (MP train)
Encyclopedia
The Texas Eagle was a named passenger train operated by the Missouri Pacific Railroad
and the Texas and Pacific Railway
between St. Louis, Missouri
and multiple destinations in the state of Texas
. The train began on August 15, 1948, with the renaming of the Sunshine Special
. For thirteen years, the Texas Eagle operated as two separate sections, leaving St. Louis
in the late afternoon, one following behind the other at an approximately 10 minute interval. At Longview
, the routes diverged. The west Texas section continued to Dallas and El Paso, while the south Texas section operated to Austin and San Antonio, where a connection was made to the Aztec Eagle for Laredo, Texas
and Mexico City
. In 1952, dome cars were added to the train. After 1961, the Texas Eagle was consolidated as a single, very long train, between St. Louis
and Longview, Texas
, where the train was split into several sections, each serving different Texas
cities. The west Texas section (the West Texas Eagle) of the Texas Eagle continued from Longview
to Dallas, Fort Worth, and El Paso
; the south Texas section (South Texas Eagle) served Palestine
, Austin
, San Antonio, and Laredo
, with a through Pullman
continuing to Mexico City
. A third section of the Texas Eagle split from the main train at Palestine
, providing service to Houston.
From its inception in 1948 the Texas Eagle carried through sleepers from the Pennsylvania Railroad
's Penn Texas, providing a one-seat ride from Washington, D.C.
and New York City
to Texas
. Through sleeper service ended on June 30, 1961, but it was still possible to make a connection between the two trains.
The western section ended May 31, 1969, leaving a San Antonio-St. Louis service. The Missouri Pacific discontinued the Texas Eagle on September 27, 1970. The Missouri Pacific bypassed the Interstate Commerce Commission
by arguing (to the Texas Railroad Commission) that the "Texas Eagle" was not an interstate train but rather three intrastate trains: one which ran San Antonio-Texarkana, another which ran from Texarkana to the Missouri border, and a third which ran from the Missouri border to St. Louis. The Texas Railroad Commission accepted this argument and permitted the Missouri Pacific to end the Texas portion of the Texas Eagle. The St. Louis-Texarkana rump continued running until the advent of Amtrak
on May 1, 1971, when it was discontinued.
listed the following for a southbound Texas Eagle:
Missouri Pacific Railroad
The Missouri Pacific Railroad , also known as the MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers, including the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway , Texas and Pacific...
and the Texas and Pacific Railway
Texas and Pacific Railway
The Texas and Pacific Railway Company was created by federal charter in 1871 with the purpose of building a southern transcontinental railroad between Marshall, Texas, and San Diego, California....
between St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
and multiple destinations in the state of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. The train began on August 15, 1948, with the renaming of the Sunshine Special
Sunshine Special
The Sunshine Special was inaugurated by the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad on December 5, 1915, to provide a premium level of passenger train service between St. Louis, Little Rock, and destinations in Texas...
. For thirteen years, the Texas Eagle operated as two separate sections, leaving St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
in the late afternoon, one following behind the other at an approximately 10 minute interval. At Longview
Longview, Texas
Longview is a city in Gregg and Harrison Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 80,455. Most of the city is located in Gregg County, of which it is the county seat; only a small part extends into the western part of neighboring Harrison County. It is...
, the routes diverged. The west Texas section continued to Dallas and El Paso, while the south Texas section operated to Austin and San Antonio, where a connection was made to the Aztec Eagle for Laredo, Texas
Laredo, Texas
Laredo is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, located on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 236,091 making it the 3rd largest on the United States-Mexican border,...
and Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. In 1952, dome cars were added to the train. After 1961, the Texas Eagle was consolidated as a single, very long train, between St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
and Longview, Texas
Longview, Texas
Longview is a city in Gregg and Harrison Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 80,455. Most of the city is located in Gregg County, of which it is the county seat; only a small part extends into the western part of neighboring Harrison County. It is...
, where the train was split into several sections, each serving different Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
cities. The west Texas section (the West Texas Eagle) of the Texas Eagle continued from Longview
Longview, Texas
Longview is a city in Gregg and Harrison Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 80,455. Most of the city is located in Gregg County, of which it is the county seat; only a small part extends into the western part of neighboring Harrison County. It is...
to Dallas, Fort Worth, and El Paso
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
; the south Texas section (South Texas Eagle) served Palestine
Palestine, Texas
Palestine is a city in Anderson County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 17,598, and 18,458 in the 2009 estimate. It is the county seat of Anderson County and is situated in East Texas...
, Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, San Antonio, and Laredo
Laredo, Texas
Laredo is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, located on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 236,091 making it the 3rd largest on the United States-Mexican border,...
, with a through Pullman
Pullman Company
The Pullman Palace Car Company, founded by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars in the mid-to-late 19th century through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Pullman developed the sleeping car which carried his name into the 1980s...
continuing to Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. A third section of the Texas Eagle split from the main train at Palestine
Palestine, Texas
Palestine is a city in Anderson County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 17,598, and 18,458 in the 2009 estimate. It is the county seat of Anderson County and is situated in East Texas...
, providing service to Houston.
From its inception in 1948 the Texas Eagle carried through sleepers from the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
's Penn Texas, providing a one-seat ride from Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Through sleeper service ended on June 30, 1961, but it was still possible to make a connection between the two trains.
The western section ended May 31, 1969, leaving a San Antonio-St. Louis service. The Missouri Pacific discontinued the Texas Eagle on September 27, 1970. The Missouri Pacific bypassed the Interstate Commerce Commission
Interstate Commerce Commission
The Interstate Commerce Commission was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads to ensure fair rates, to eliminate rate discrimination, and to regulate other aspects of common carriers, including...
by arguing (to the Texas Railroad Commission) that the "Texas Eagle" was not an interstate train but rather three intrastate trains: one which ran San Antonio-Texarkana, another which ran from Texarkana to the Missouri border, and a third which ran from the Missouri border to St. Louis. The Texas Railroad Commission accepted this argument and permitted the Missouri Pacific to end the Texas portion of the Texas Eagle. The St. Louis-Texarkana rump continued running until the advent of Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
on May 1, 1971, when it was discontinued.
Sample consist
The December 1952 edition of the Official Guide of the RailwaysOfficial Guide of the Railways
The Official Guide of the Railways, now known as the Official Railway Guide, was originally produced by National Railway Publication Company of New York City, beginning in 1868...
listed the following for a southbound Texas Eagle:
| Type | Seating | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 : St. Louis—Fort Worth—El Paso | |||
| Sleeper | 14 roomette Roomette A roomette is a type of sleeping car compartment in a railroad passenger train. The term was first used in North America, and was carried over into Australia and New Zealand... s, 1 drawing room Drawing room A drawing room is a room in a house where visitors may be entertained. The name is derived from the sixteenth-century terms "withdrawing room" and "withdrawing chamber", which remained in use through the seventeenth century, and made its first written appearance in 1642... , 2 double bedrooms |
St. Louis—Fort Worth | |
| Sleeper | 14 roomettes, 4 double bedrooms | New York—El Paso | Conveyed New York—St. Louis by the Pennsylvania Railroad Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.... |
| Sleeper | 14 roomettes, 4 double bedrooms | Washington—Fort Worth | Conveyed Washington—St. Louis by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which... |
| Sleeper | 14 roomettes, 4 double bedrooms | Memphis—Fort Worth | Conveyed Memphis—Little Rock by No. 201 |
| Sleeper | Roomettes and bedrooms | Dallas—Los Angeles | Conveyed El Paso—Los Angeles by the Southern Pacific Railroad Southern Pacific Railroad The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad.... |
| Lounge | 5 bedrooms | St. Louis—Fort Worth | |
| Diner | St. Louis—Fort Worth | ||
| Coach | St. Louis—El Paso | ||
| Coach | St. Louis—Fort Worth | Planetarium dome | |
| Coach | Memphis—Fort Worth | Conveyed Memphis—Little Rock by No. 201 | |
| Type | Seating | Route | Notes |
| No. 21 : St. Louis—Palestine—Houston/San Antonio | |||
| Sleeper | 14 roomettes, 1 drawing room, 2 double bedrooms | St. Louis—Galveston | |
| Sleeper | 14 roomettes, 4 double bedrooms | Memphis—Houston | Conveyed Memphis—Little Rock by No. 201 |
| Sleeper | 10 roomettes, 6 double bedrooms | Washington—Houston | Conveyed Washington—St. Louis by the Pennsylvania Railroad |
| Sleeper | 10 roomettes, 6 double bedrooms | New York—Houston | Conveyed New York—St. Louis by the Pennsylvania Railroad |
| Sleeper | 10 roomettes, 6 double bedrooms | New York—San Antonio | Conveyed New York—St. Louis by the Pennsylvania Railroad |
| Sleeper | 14 roomettes, 4 double bedrooms | St. Louis—San Antonio | |
| Sleeper | 14 roomettes, 4 double bedrooms | St. Louis—San Antonio | |
| Diner lounge | St. Louis—Houston | ||
| Diner lounge | St. Louis—San Antonio | ||
| Coach | St. Louis—Houston | ||
| Coach | St. Louis—Corpus Christi | Conveyed Houston—Odem by No. 11; Odem—Corpus Christi by No. 205 | |
| Coach | St. Louis—San Antonio | Planetarium dome | |
| Coach | St. Louis—San Antonio | ||
| Coach | St. Louis—San Antonio | ||
| Coach | St. Louis—San Antonio | ||
| Coach | Houston—Galveston | ||
| Type | Seating | Route | Notes |
| No. 201 : Memphis—Little Rock | |||
| Sleeper | 14 roomettes, 4 double bedrooms | Memphis—Fort Worth | Conveyed Little Rock—Fort Worth by No. 1 |
| Sleeper | 14 roomettes, 4 double bedrooms | Memphis—Houston | Conveyed Little Rock—Houston by No. 21 |
| Coach | Memphis—Little Rock | ||
| Coach | Memphis—Fort Worth | Conveyed Little Rock—Fort Worth by No. 1 | |