In General
Getting Here
Map
Additional Information
Sights
Pictures
Bridges
Signals
Postcards
San Antonio Railroad History
Floobydust
USGS Maps
RAILROAD SIGNALS HOME
Location / Name:
San Antonio TX, Bexar County
What's Here:
Amtrak Station
Southwest Research Institute Locomotive Technology Center
UP railroad, 7 Sub-Divisions:
-- Laredo Sub
-- Del Rio Sub
-- Austin Sub
-- Glidden Sub
-- Corpus Christi Sub
-- Rockport Sub
-- Kerrville Sub
~9 Yards:
-- East Yard (former xxx RR)
-- Kirby Yard (former xxx RR)
-- Sosan Yard (former xxx RR)
-- Cadet Yard (former xxx RR)
-- SAIT Yard (former xxx RR)
-- Toyota Yard
-- Southton Yard (former xxx RR)
-- CPS Yard (Calaveras Power Station)
-- Mission Yard
Former Yards:
-- Sloan Yard (MKT)
Towers:
-- Tower 105
-- Tower 112
Junctions:
-- Coal Plant Junction
-- Alamo Junction
Greenbrier Railcar Services
San Antonio Zoo/Eagle Train
Six Flags Fiesta Texas Park Train
Landa Park Railroad (Park Train)
Former Railroads
-- MKT - Missouri-Kansas-Texas (now UP)
-- MoPac - Missouri Pacific (now UP)
-- Southern Pacific (now UP)
-- International & Great Northern (I&GN) → (MP)
-- Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio (GH&SA)
River Walk
Legoland Discovery Center
Last, but not least, THE ALAMO
Data:
GPS Coordinates: as needed
Phone A/C: 210
ZIP: 78205 (at the train station)
Access by train/transit:
Amtrak:
Geography:
Slightly Hilly
The Scoop:
San Antonio is an astounding city with history virtually everywhere you turn - not just for railfans, but for everyone in general!
♦ Depots:
San Antonio had stations built by three railroads:
-- The Southern Pacific (SP/Espee),
-- The Missouri Pacific (MP/Mopac),
-- And the Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT/Katy).
The Sunset Station was completed by the SP in 1902, and was designed by SP's architect Daniel J. Patterson in the Spanish Mission Revival style.
♦ Towers:
At one time, San Antonio had five towers. None remain today, but two of them are still used as reference points: Tower 105 and tower 112.
Adapted from TXRRHistory.comhttp://txrrhistory.com/towers/list_by_number.htm
From TXRRHistory.comIf you see reference to "VIA", it is San Antonio's Bus System.
Acknowledgements:
Bruce Ashton
Texas Transportation Museum
Texas Railroad History dot com
Google Maps
Google Images
Perry Planet
Open Railway Map
Open Street Map
Wikipedia
Bing Maps
Websites and other additional information sources of interest for the area:
https://www.txtransportationmuseum.org/history-rr-overview History of San Antonio Railroads
https://sanantonioreport.org/bexars-eye-amtraks-san-antonio-station-where-chicago-meets-la/ Nice account of taking the Texas Eagle
https://www.viainfo.net/
By Train:
Amtrak Texas Eagle, daily service from Chicago IL with San Antonio as it's southern terminus.
Amtrak Sunset Limited, three times a week.
By Car:
I-35 brings you on down from Austin TX (~76mi), Waco TX (~172mi), Dallas/Ft Worth TX (~257mi).
I-35 also brings you down from Minneapolis/St Paul MN if you feel like driving that far (>1,100mi), Oklahoma City OK (~450mi), Wichita KS (~600mi), Kansas City KS, Des Moines IA, and Mason City IA (~1070mi). All of these cities are excellent railfan hotspots!
I-35 south brings you up from Laredo TX, on the border with Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, MX.
Houston TX is ~187mi east via I-10, and New Orleans LA is a short hop of ~529mi.
I-10 heading west brings you in from El Paso (~530mi), on the border with Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, MX
Chihuahua and Tamaulipas are Mexican states - they have 31 of them, plus Mexico City, which is similar to Washington DC, in that it "is not in a state".
By Plane:
If you fly into San Antonio International Airport ( SAT ), it is about 8 miles north of Downtown via US-281.
Airlines at San Antonio include AeroMexico, Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, Spirit, Sun Country, United, Viva, and Volaris. 11/25
https://flysanantonio.com/home/flights/airlines/
Sights
-- Railroad Oriented --
The Amtrak Station
Southern Pacific's Sunset Station
the MKT Depot
Former I&GN Depot
SP #794
The Southwest Research Institute Locomotive Technology Center
The San Antonio Zoo
Six Flags Fiesta Texas
East Yard
Kirby Yard
Tower 105
Tower 112
the Kerrville Sub
Kerrville Sub Abandoned Bridge in Comfort
Old Tunnel State Park / Fredericksburg
the Hayes St Bridge
The Texas Transportation Museum
-- Non-Railroad Oriented --
The Alamo
The River Walk
Legoland Discovery Center
The Tower of the Americas
VIA
the San Antonio Amtrak StationGPS Coordinates: 29.41933, -98.47806
350 Hoefgen Street, San Antonio TX 78205
https://www.amtrak.com/stations/sas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Antonio_station_(Texas)
https://www.rome2rio.com/guides/travelling-across-the-usa-by-train/
The station Amtrak uses in San Antonio is a former Southern Pacific depot built in 1902. Amtrak moved in, in 1998.
San Antonio hosts two Amtrak trains:
♦ "Daily" service (actually 4 times a week) from Chicago via Dallas, Ft Worth, Little Rock, and St Louis on the Texas Eagle.
♦ Tri-Weekly service from Los Angeles to New Orleans with the Sunset Limited. I took this train EB four months before the Amtrak Takeover! :-)
♦ The Texas Eagle meets up with the Sunset Limited on three days for riders wishing to continue west to Los Angeles.
The Texas Eagle is a former Missouri Pacific train, while the Sunset Limited is a former Southern Pacific train.
From the Amtrak page: Amtrak serves this vibrant city from a facility adjacent to the former Southern Pacific Sunset Station. Founded in 1718, San Antonio is at the heart of Tejano culture and tourism.
From Wikipedia: San Antonio station hosts two long-distance Amtrak services: the tri-weekly Sunset Limited and the daily Texas Eagle. Four days a week, San Antonio is the southern terminus of the Texas Eagle, which originates in Chicago. The Texas Eagle joins with the Sunset Limited three days a week, continuing westbound to Los Angeles. It is the second busiest Amtrak station in Texas, behind Fort Worth Central Station.
Amtrak previously used the historic Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) Station, also known as Sunset Station. It was designed by SP's architect Daniel J. Patterson in the Spanish Mission Revival style, and built in 1902 by the SP. The train station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
Amtrak moved operations in 1998 to a smaller depot that was built adjacent to the older Sunset Station. Under its owner, VIA Metropolitan Transit, the historic Sunset Station underwent an extensive restoration and now serves as an entertainment complex. The station also neighbors the Alamodome and the Robert Thompson Transit Station.
Note: The info above in the last two paragraphs concerns the Sunset Station, and not the current station used by Amtrak. The Wikipedia page is kinda a waste and useless because it does not give us any details about the Amtrak station pictured below.
Southern Pacific's Sunset StationGPS Coordinates: 29.42035, -98.47814 (see the map above)
1174 E Commerce St, San Antonio TX 78205
https://www.greatamericanstations.com/stations/san-antonio-tx-sas/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Antonio_station_(Texas)
https://www.american-rails.com/sunset.html
https://www.dees-stribling.com/2019/02/03/st-paul-square-sunset-station-the-sp-794/
From Great American Stations: Amtrak’s San Antonio station sits between the Alamodome sports facility and the historic Sunset Station, which has long been considered one of the most impressive train stations in the South. Prior to 1998, Amtrak occupied space in Sunset Station, but due to the structure’s deteriorating condition, it relocated to the newer, smaller depot.
Sunset Station was built in 1902 for the sum of $115,000 by the Southern Pacific (SP) Railroad and designed by architect Daniel J. Patterson. Other reports credit John D. Isaacs, an architect whose official title was Assistant Engineer of Maintenance-of Way for the Southern Pacific Company in San Francisco, along with his assistants D.J. Patterson and W.E. Milwain. The depot opened to the public on January 31, 1903, following an elongated period of construction that began in November 1901.
The station design is Spanish Mission Revival style, featuring broad, unadorned stucco walls, an arcade and low-pitched clay tile roofs. Sunset Station Group, L.L.C. was formed in 1995 to redevelop the building, which was too large for Amtrak and was increasingly expensive to operate. With VIA Metropolitan Transport as the new landlord, it would experience something of a rebirth, a new purpose and new popularity as an entertainment complex.
In the building’s north end, a 16-ft window fills the hall’s grand staircase and vaulted ceilings with light. It is thought in some quarters that a Southern Pacific CEO removed the original window and had it shipped to his home in California. Upon his death, the window passed to his sister, who stored it in a warehouse in the Northwest, where it is said to remain.
Sunset Station was known as the “Building of 1,000 Lights” or “the Crown Jewel” because of the many electric lights installed during its construction. On February 26, 1907, a fire started (possibly due to the lights) and badly damaged the roof and southwest corner of the station. The station was reopened seven months later. (End GAS)
For more info, visit the Great American Stations page listed above.
1908
From the "old days", the SP Sunset Limited approaching Los Angeles.
the MKT DepotFrom the Texas Transportation Museum page: The Missouri, Kansas & Texas opened its own station at the corner of Flores and Durango in 1917. This is after using stations from the SP and I&GN after it arrived in San Antonio in 1901. The depot was closed in 1964 (1) and torn down in April of 1968. I'm not sure if I have the correct building on the USGS map pointed out or not, but in looking at the picture of the station, the outline of it looks about right - yes, no?
Former I&GN Depotxxx
Southern Pacific Steam Engine #794GPS Coordinates: 29.42117, -98.47799 (see the map above)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Antonio_station_(Texas)
From Wikipedia: A preserved 2-8-2 Baldwin "Mikado" steam locomotive, Southern Pacific No. 794 was donated to the City of San Antonio at the end of its service life in 1956, and placed on static display at nearby Maverick Park for decades before being relocated to the station in January 1999. Since September 2008, it has been under the care of volunteers from the San Antonio Railroad Heritage Museum.
The Southwest Research Institute Locomotive Technology CenterGPS Coordinates:
The
The San Antonio Zoo TrainGPS Coordinates: 29.46139, -98.47377 (At the train depot)
210-734-7184
https://sazoo.org/experiences/explore/zoo-train/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Antonio_Zoo
https://sazoo.org/zootrain/
From the Zoo Train page: The railroad was built in 1956 and at the time, was the longest miniature railroad in the world! One million passengers rode the train during the first 2 years of it running.
Since 1956, the San Antonio Zoo Train, formerly known as the Brackenridge Eagle, has chugged along the tracks in Brackenridge Park, skirting the banks of the San Antonio River as it makes its way through one of San Antonio’s most popular parks. Today, various stops around the park, including the Witte Museum and the Japanese Tea Gardens. Train riders are able to stop at these locations and get a return ride on the train with their train ticket.
On July 18th, 1970, passengers aboard the Brackenridge Eagle winded through the park and into history when the miniature train was looted at gunpoint by two masked robbers. That Saturday in July became known as “The Great (Little) Train Robbery.” The train robbery marked itself in regional and state history as the first time in 47 years a train robbery occurred in the Wild West and the last known train robbery in the state.
San Antonio Zoo has two trains over 30 years old. We are fundraising for two trains. Each train will have a unique design to appeal to multiple generations. All of our trains will be ADA accessible. The first new train arrived in September 2021. The next train should have arrived in June of 2022.
Six Flags Fiesta TexasGPS Coordinates:
The
East YardGPS Coordinates:
The
Kirby YardGPS Coordinates:
The
Tower 105GPS Coordinates: 29.40869, -98.51336
Tower 105 opened on April 29, 1916, at the diamond between the GH&SA and the I&GN.
For a more comprehensive history of the towers in San Antonio, please visit: http://txrrhistory.com/towers/002/002.htm
Tower 112GPS Coordinates:
Tower 112 was built in 1919 by the San Antonio Belt & Terminal (SAB&T) Railway (1).
The Texas Transportation MuseumGPS Coordinates:
https://www.txtransportationmuseum.org/
The
the Kerrville Sub-DivisionThe Kerrville Sub dates back to 1913 when the San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railway Company reached Kerrville in 1887. Then, after completing a tunnel near Comfort TX by a later company, the line reached Fredericksburg in 1913. The line remained intact until WW2 when track was removed north of Camp Stanley at Leon Springs. Tracks now only extend out to the rock quarry near Loop 1604 and Vance Jackson St and serves this sole customer. Rail traffic is light with about two to four trains a day. North of 1604 on Vance Jackson and Rim Pass streets you can catch a brief glimpse of the quarry loading yard.
Several remaining points of interest on the old abandoned right-of-way are located outside of Comfort. The original bridge over the Guadalupe River is located on River Bend Road off FM 473 highway. It’s on private land but easily seen from this county road. Further east on HWY 473, Old Hwy 9 takes you north to the original rail tunnel now a state park where millions of migrating Mexican bats may be seen in the fall. Along Old Hwy 9 you can spy brief areas of the original right-of-way. An original station is also located near in Waring and now is a private residence.
Abandoned Kerrville Sub Bridge
GPS Coordinates: 29.97655, -98.84536
About 3.62 mi (5.82 km) from going under I-10 via FM 473
Old Tunnel State Park
GPS Coordinates: 30.10114, -98.82077
10619 Old San Antonio Rd, Fredericksburg TX 78624
866-978-2287
Take FM 473 east about 4.13 mi (6.64 km) from where you go under I-10, to -Old Hwy 9 Road-, then go north 8.0 mi (12.90 km) to the Old Tunnel Park.
According to the historic marker:
-- The tunnel is 920 feet long,
-- Built in the 1913/14 timeframe by the local residents who wanted a railroad from Fredericksburg to San Antonio,
-- Railroad operated till 1942, when the track was taken up.
Besides being one of the very few railroad tunnels constructed in Texas, the tunnel is also home to thousands of bats which, like the Congress Ave Bridge in Austin (the largest urban bat colony in North America), they come out at dusk and fill the sky!
the Hayes Street BridgeGPS Coordinates: 29.43023, -98.47773
The Hays Street Bridge in San Antonio was originally a vehicular bridge assembled in the early 1900's but now serves as a pedestrian bridge. It has been a vital link in San Antonio and the City's East Side. In 1910, the City of San Antonio required the Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio Railway Co. (eventually part of Southern Pacific) to construct a viaduct over the railroad tracks at Hays Street. The railway company reused two different truss spans from existing lines. In 2010 the bridge was rehabilitated as a bicycle and pedestrian route by the City of San Antonio and now spans the dual tracks of the Glidden Sub (Sunset Limited route) just north of the Amtrak station. You have a good view of city and elevated train viewing location.
You can park on Hayes St, on either side of the bridge, as I don't see any parking restrictions on Google Streetview.
The AlamoGPS Coordinates: 29.42595, -98.48592
300 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio TX 78205
Admission: $20 adults, $18 kids 12 and younger
210-225-1391
Hours: 9:00AM - 5:30PM (09:00 - 17:30)
https://www.thealamo.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alamo_Mission
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/geography/states/article/texas
Perhaps the most famous of all attractions in Texas, but then, I grew up in Texas and got to study Texas history in the 7th grade :-)
The River Walkhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Antonio_River_Walk
GPS Coordinates: 29.42268, -98.48961 (at S. Presa St)
A beautiful example of what can be done in a downtown environment! The map below shows the main part of the 15 miles of the walk.
Legoland Discovery CenterGPS Coordinates: 29.42401, -98.48459
849 E Commerce St, Suite 910, San Antonio TX 78205 (Located in the Shops at Rivercenter)
210-610-1150
Admission starts around $29, but they have weekend discounts once in a while.
Hours: Generally 10AM to 4PM/16:00), no admissions after 2:30PM/14:30).
The Tower of the AmericasGPS Coordinates: 29.41903, -98.48360
https://www.trolleytours.com/san-antonio/tower-of-the-americas
739 E César E. Chávez Blvd, San Antonio TX 78205
210-223-3101
From the Trolley Tours page: The Tower of the Americas stands as an enduring symbol of San Antonio’s skyline, embodying the city’s architectural prowess. Conceived by the esteemed San Antonio architect O’Neil Ford, this iconic structure is a testament to his influential legacy. Its genesis dates back to a grand vision: to serve as the thematic centerpiece for the 1968 World’s Fair, HemisFair ’68, an international exposition celebrating San Antonio’s rich cultural tapestry and its transition into the modern era.
The nomenclature of this remarkable tower was determined through an innovative “name the tower” contest initiated by the executive committee. Engaging the public, this contest yielded an impressive response, with 68 submissions. The winning name, “Tower of the Americas,” perfectly captures the essence of the structure, symbolizing its role in bridging diverse cultures.
Upon its completion in 1968, the Tower of the Americas proudly held the title of the tallest observation tower in the United States until 1996, when the Las Vegas Stratosphere Tower surpassed it. Despite this, the Tower of the Americas remains the tallest occupiable structure in San Antonio and presently ranks as the 30th tallest occupiable structure in Texas.
In 2019, the Tower of the Americas marked its 50th anniversary, a significant milestone in its rich history. Standing tall as a silent witness to the city’s evolution, it symbolizes San Antonio’s dynamic culture, storied past, and ongoing progress. Today, the Tower of the Americas beckons both locals and visitors, serving as a beacon for those eager to explore and appreciate the distinctive charm of San Antonio.
VIA Metropolitan Transit
GPS Coordinates: 29.42706, -98.50537
123 N. Medina St., San Antonio TX 78207
210-362-2020 -- Monday-Friday: 6:00am-10:00pm / Saturday: 7:00am–7:00pm / Sunday: 8:00am–5:00pm (Only calls about bus routes/schedules on the weekends)
https://www.viainfo.net/
VIA's headquarters is located in the former I&GN depot. VIA acquired the depot in 19xx.
The
UP over the San Antonio RiverGPS Coordinates: 29.40276, -98.48683
222GPS Coordinates:
The
Tower 112 - East Interlocking - South Presa StGPS Coordinates: 29.40244, -98.48347
WB Signals on the east side of Tower 112 Interlocking.
Tower 112 West InterlockingGPS Coordinates: 29.40284, -98.48756
Bi-directional signals for Tower 112, just west of the San Antonio River and South St Mary's St. Need pix.
EB Interlocking Signals on the West End of Tower 112GPS Coordinates: 29.40307, -98.48866
EB signals for the interchange track from the Laredo Sub to the Del Rio Sub. The dotted line on the Open Railway Map is used as a siding for (it looks like) MOW equipment. At the very end of Blue Star, there is a park (the red "X") from which you can get decent pictures from. Need good pix.
EB Interlocking Signals on the West End of Tower 112GPS Coordinates: 29.40303, -98.49017
A set of three EB colorlight signals on the west end of Tower 112 Interlocking, on the Del Rio Sub, two of which are situated on a cantilevered signal bridge. Need good pix.
The railroad history of any sizable city such as San Antonio is complex, and no -one- source can be a definitive authority. That said, I have tried to comb thru several sources to make as complete a history for San Antonio as I can find.
The majority of this section comes from the two pages listed below in the reference section.
Unless noted otherwise, all towns are in Texas.
Some dates between the two pages may not agree, others are vague or not specified, hence the "~" or "?".
Dates and events like 1927a, 1927b, and 1927c are related, but all included for clarity even tho the basic info is duplicated.
1850 - San Antonio and Bexar County invest $50,000 each in the SA&MG to reach the port of Indianola (2)
~1862 - The GH&SA had been chartered as the BBB&C several years before the Civil War (1)
1874 - Legislature passed a charter revision law and Peirce began building west from the BBB&C's end of track near Columbus (1)
1875 - The I&GN is formed by the merger of the IRR and H&GN (1)
1877 - March 3rd, The GH&SA arrives in San Antonio (1)(2)
1878 - Mule drawn streetcar service is introduced (2)
1878 - April 1st, the I&GN was forced into receivership (1)
1879 - Nov 1st, the I&GN sold at foreclosure to buyers who formed a new I&GN company under the original charter and management team (1)
1880 - May 31st, I&GN construction from Austin to San Antonio starts (1)
1881 - February 16th, The I&GN arrives in San Antonio from the north/Austin (1)(2)
1881 - December 15, I&GN extension to Laredo completed (1)
1881 - Spring, Crossing between the I&GN and the GH&SA in south San Antonio opened in the (1)
1881 - Spring, Tower 105 opens, controlling the crossing of the I&GN and the GH&SA in south San Antonio (1)
1881 - June, Construction teams from SP's Southern Development Co. worked east from El Paso to join up with the GH&SA (1)
1883 - January 12th, SP begins transcontinental service along the Sunset Route after meet in Pecos with the GH&SA (1)(2)
1884 - The SA&AP is chartered by Uriah Lott to build between San Antonio and Corpus Christi (1)(2)
1884 - The Tower 2 crossing had existed since 1884, long before the 1901 interlocker law took effect (1)
1886? - SP acquired the GH&SA after leasing it for several years (1)
1886 - The SA&AP reaches Floresville and later the port of Corpus Christi (2).
1887 - The SA&AP heads north and reaches Boerne (2) and Kerrville (1)
1887 - The GC&SF was acquired by the much larger based in Chicago
1887? - Town of "Yoakum" along the SA&AP founded after Chief Clerk Benjamin Franklin Yoakum, who was a rising star. The Railroad's shops were there (1)
Todd's Note: Yoakum was an important part of railroad history in Texas, as you will find out by thoroughly reading the Texas History page (1)
1888 - The SA&AP reaches Houston (1)
1888 - The MKT breaks free of Jay Gould's MP (2)
1888 - I&GN's lease to the MKT is voided and stays under Jay Gould's control (2)
1889 - The GH&SA officially leased to the SP (2)
1890 - July 15th, the SA&AP goes bankrupt after lawsuit filed by its Waco branch contractor (1)
1890-1892 - The SP buys up SA&AP stock (1)
1891 - The SA&AP reaches Waco (1)
1892 - ~ June 16th, effective end of the SA&AP's receivership (1)
1892 - Nov 10th, Judge King, dismissed the SA&AP's receivership (1)
1892 - SP takes effective control of the SA&AP thru PIC, a company formed so the SP could "legally" buy the SA&AP (1)(2)
1893 - The SA&GS is formed, reaches Sutherland Springs same year (2)
1894 - The “Sunset Limited” train is created by the SP (2)
1895 - SP acquires the bankrupt SA&GS, renames it San Antonio & Gulf (2)
1901 - The MKT completed its own line into San Antonio, uses the SP Depot (2)
1901 - April 25, Katy completes the 46 miles from San Marcos to San Antonio, where its tracks merged into the GH&SA near East Yard (1)
1901 - State law grants the RCT authorization to regulate the safety requirements for crossings of two or more railroads (1)
1902 - April 17, RCT chooses to number the railroad towers, the first being Tower 1 in Bowie TX, authorized for operation (1)
1902 - October 9, Tower 2 opens (1)
1903 - January 31, The SP opens its new Sunset Depot, the MKT becomes a tenant (1)(2)
1904 - June 1, SA&AP construction reached Falfurrias, 67 miles from the Lower Rio Grande Valley (1)
1907 - The I&GN opens it's own grand new station (2)
1908 - The Artesian Belt Railroad is completed and serves Jourdanton and Christine (2)
1908 - March 13, the San Antonio Daily Express was reporting that RCT had approved plans to interlock the GH&SA / I&GN crossing (1)
1909 - The Crystal City & Uvalde Railroad is created (2)
1909 - May, Tower 79 was commissioned (1)
1912 - Katy backed investors chartered the SAB&T to build a belt line railroad around San Antonio along with new yards and depot facilities for the Katy (1)
1912 - San Antonio Uvalde & Gulf RR is the new name of expanded CC&U (2)
1912 - Worst locomotive boiler explosion in US history happens at SP round house (2)
1913 - The San Antonio Fredericksburg & Northern RR opens between Comfort and Fredericksburg (2)
1914 - The SAU&G begins service to Corpus Christi (2)
1914 - March, RCT again prepared to review plans to interlock the GH&SA / I&GN crossing. What happened to the 1908 approval? (1)
1915 - The I&GN “Sunshine Special” is inaugurated (2)
1915 - The I&GN enters into receivership (1)
1916 - The MKT opens an express freight depot on St. Mary's (2)
1916 - October 9th, Tower 105 opens, controlling a crossing between the SA&AP and GH&SA (1)
1917 - The MKT opens its own passenger depot in Durango and Flores (2)
1917 - The Fredericksburg & Northern RR takes over from SAF&N (2)
1917 - The GH&SA was double-tracked through south San Antonio (1)
1919 - December 30, Tower 112 commissioned by the RCT, built by the SAB&T, which was under a 99-year lease to the MKT (1)
Note: RCT official list of interlockers recorded it as a crossing of the SAB&T and the GH&SA, it was in all respects a Katy / SP crossing (1)
1920 - The San Antonio Southern RR is the new name of the Artesian Belt RR (2)
1921 - Uvalde & Northern Railroad begins operations as a logging railroad from Uvalde to Camp Wood (2)
1922 - I&GN receivership ends when it was sold at foreclosure to new owners, becoming the "I-GN" instead of the "I&GN" (1)
1922 - The Frisco tries to buy the I&GN, but the ICC refused to approve the sale (1)
1924a - MP tried to buy the I-GN in 1924 as a means of gaining access to the Texas market, but again, the ICC nixed the sale (1)
1924b - The MP acquires the I&GN (2) (Which history is correct?)
1924 - June, The sale of the I-GN to the NOT&M was approved by the ICC (1)
1925a - The SAU&G is acquired by MP, folded into its Gulf Coast Lines division (2)
1925b - January 1st, the MP was allowed to buy the NOT&M with approval from the ICC, acquiring the target I-GN along with all of the GCL railroads
1925 - March, the SA&AP was re-acquired by SP and leased to the GH&SA (1)
1925 - September, Tower 2 was closed (with RCT permission) and its remaining controls were transferred to Tower 112 (1)
1925? - The SA&AP passenger depot was closed and all passenger traffic on the former SA&AP main line would originate/terminate at Sunset Station (1)
1925 - The SA&AP is formally acquired by the SP - the line is downgraded to secondary status (2)
1926 - MP opens the Monte Vista Depot (2)
1927 - The SAS is acquired by MP, folded into its Gulf Coast Lines division (2)
1927a - SP began consolidating its Texas railroads into a single operation, the T&NO (1)
1927b - The GH&SA and SA&AP were both leased to the T&NO (1)
1927c - The GH&SA is folded into the SP’s Texas & New Orleans Division (2)
1927 - SP completed construction of the SA&AP line from Falfurrias into the Valley (1)
1930 - San Antonio sees 25 trains passing through town every day (2)
1930 - RCT published its final comprehensive list of active interlockers (1)
1930's - MP and I-GN both went into a lengthy receivership (1)
1927 - SP completed construction of the SA&AP line from Falfurrias into the Valley (1)
1934a - SA&AP operations folded into the SP’s Texas & New Orleans division (2)
1934b - The GH&SA and SA&AP were both legally merged into the T&NO (1)
1939 - Original SA&AP Depot is demolished (2)
1941 - 18 passenger trains a day enter and 18 leave San Antonio every day (2)
1941 - The U&N ceases operations (2)
1942 - The SAF&N ceases operations (2)
1943 - The MKT renames Nogalitos Yard to Sloan Yard (1)
1946 - The old SA&AP line between Shiner and Lockhart is removed (2)
1947 - The MKT introduces the diesel-electric powered Texas Special streamliner train (2)
1948 - The MP introduces the Texas Eagle streamliner, replacing the steam powered Sunshine Special (2)
1950 - The SP begins using diesels to power the Sunset Limited (2)
1952 - Local passenger service on former SA&AP and SA&GS lines are terminated by SP (2)
1955 - MP folds I&GN & Gulf Coast Railroad lines operations under its own name (2)
1955 - The MP retires its last steam locomotive :-( (2)
1955 - Service ends along former SA&GS line between San Antonio & Sutherland Springs (2)
1956 - MP and I-GN finally emerged from receivership (1)
1956 - The I-GN was dissolved and its assets merged into the newly reorganized MP (1)
1957 - SP donates "Old 794", a 2-8-0 Mikado steam locomotive to the city of San Antonio (2)
1958 - Last SP passenger train stops at Hondo (2)
1959 - All local passenger services have been discontinued by MP & SP (2)
1959 - Former SAU&G tracks from Pleasanton to Gardendale are pulled up (2)
1961 - The T&NO division folded all of its assets into the SP (1)(2)
1961 - Last MP train stops at Monte Vista Depot (2)
1964 - MKT ceases passenger operations to San Antonio and the depot closed (1)(2)
1964 - The Texas Transportation Museum opens at Pearl Brewery using Texas Transportation Company line (2)
1965 - Former SAS tracks to Jourdanton pulled up (2)
1965 - SP obliged to end service to Corpus Christi due to removal of bascule bridge (2)
1966-1973 Timeframe - Tower 105 closed (1)
1968 - The Texas Transportation Museum relocates to Northeast Preserve, now known as McAllister Park (2)
1969 - The MKT depot is demolished (2)
1969 - Converse depot escapes demolition and moves to its new home at the Texas Transportation Museum (2)
1970 - Last MP passenger train to San Antonio - The depot is abandoned (2)
1970 - SP reduces frequency of the Sunset Limited to three times a week (2) :-(
1971 - May, Amtrak begins operations and continues the SP’s Sunset Limited (2)
1971 - Former SA&AP tracks to Boerne and beyond pulled up north of Camp Stanley (2)
1973 - Amtrak introduces its new Inter-American train from Chicago and New York to Laredo with aspirations of connections further into Mexico (2)
1976 - MP tears down its depot in San Marcos (2)
1982 - MP ownership acquired by the UP (1)
1982 - Abandoned San Antonio MP Depot acquired and restored by San Antonio City Employees FCU (2)
1986 - The MKT light freight depot on St Mary's demolished (2)
1986-1995? - The Katy tracks were rerouted to share SP's bridge over the San Antonio River, eliminating the Katy bridge (1)
1987 - Tower 112 closed (1)
1988a - MKT acquired by the MP (1)
1988b - From there west, the Katy tracks that passed near the Tower 2 crossing were abandoned (1)
1988c - UP abandons MKT's Sloan yard (2)
1993 - SP abandons the former SA&AP tracks between Elmendorf and Sinton in 1993-94 (1)
1996 - SP merged into the Union Pacific (1)
1996 - BNSF gains limited trackage rights through San Antonio (2)
1996 - Amtrak moves out of Sunset Station into temporary offices as renovation of station begins (2)
1997 - MP is formally merged into UP and disappears (2)
1998 - Former SA&AP line to Floresville pulled up south of Elmendorf (2)
1999 - Fully renovated Sunset Station opens as an entertainment complex (2)
1999 - Amtrak opens a smaller depot adjacent to Sunset Station (2)
2000 - Amtrak reinstates daily service on its Texas Eagle service (2)
2002 - UP causes uproar by refusing BNSF access to proposed new Toyota plant (2)
2003 - BNSF granted trackage rights from San Antonio to new Toyota plant, but not to Corpus Christi (2)
2004 - Six major railroad accidents occur in San Antonio, resulting in five deaths (2)
2005 - UP begins $54 million of track improvement in and around San Antonio (2)
2009 - UP opens state of the art Intermodal freight yard in southwest San Antonio (2)
♦ Railroad Abbreviations:
AT&SF - Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Rwy
BBB&C - Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Rwy
BNSF - Burlington Northern Santa Fe RR
CC&U - Crystal City & Uvalde RR
F&N - Fredericksburg & Northern RR
GCL - Gulf Coast Lines division
GH&SA - Galveston, Houston & San Antonio
H&GN - Houston & Great Northern RR
ICC - Interstate Commerce Commission
IRR - International RR
I&GN - International & Great Northern
MKT - Missouri-Kansas-Texas RR (the Katy)
MP - Missouri Pacific RR
PIC - Pacific Improvement Company (a holding company formed to purchase the SA&AP (1)
RCT - Railroad Commission of Texas (the organization that assigned the tower numbers)
SAS - San Antonio Southern RR
SA&AP - San Antonio & Aransas Pass Rwy
SA&MG - San Antonio & Mexican Gulf Railroad
SA&G - San Antonio & Gulf
SAB&T - San Antonio Belt & Terminal Rwy
SAF&N - San Antonio, Fredericksburg & Northern RR
SAU&G - San Antonio Uvalde & Gulf RR
SP - Southern Pacific RR
T&NO - Texas & New Orleans RR
UP - Union Pacific RR
U&N - Uvalde & Northern RR
♦ References:
(1) http://txrrhistory.com/towers/002/002.htm
(2) https://www.txtransportationmuseum.org/history-rr-overview
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Courtesy USGS, click here for their index page.
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