Railroadiana

Collecting the T&P

State Flowers Plate

This dining plate was used on the dining cars of MoPac system trains during the steam days. It features a train, representing the Sunshine Special (?), with all of the state flowers of the states where MoPac ran.

There were actually TWO versions of this plate - one with the Missouri state flower, for use over most of the system, and the one shown here, with the Texas flower at the top, for use on the T&P and other MoPac lines in Texas. In Joe Collias' book The Texas & Pacific Railway: Super-Power to Streamliners 1925-1975, there is a picture of a dining car interior, showing places set with this china. These were actually "charger" plates, used for place settings; your meal would be served on other china. Mr. Collias reports that patrons could purchase these special plates for $1 each.

There was a later diesel version of this plate for use on early Eagle trains, with the various state capitol buildings around the rim of the plate. It is extremely rare and even more valuable than this plate.

Here are some items from the T&P and MoPac. Most of these are from my collection; others have been shared by friends.

I have several T&P timetables - I think this 1943 edition is my favorite. Of course, I love the big 900-class Mountain steam locomotive, used to pull passenger trains. But also notice the wartime patriotism - the "V for Vicotry" and the three dots and a dash - Morse code for "V."

Here's another wartime timetable, from 1944.

T&P system map from timetable (LARGE file!)

Missouri Pacific timetable - Nov. 14, 1948

Another T&P Timetable - Oct. 30, 1960

The T&P published this booklet, "Mainline Minia-Tours" in the 1950s as a travel guide for passengers. It includes information about the major towns and points of interest along the route, as well as descriptions of the various types of cars and services offered on the train. I consider it a very nice piece of T&P memorabilia.

This cuspidor came from a Missouri Pacific caboose in the 1920s. According to my grandmother, her uncle was a brakeman for the MP in Houston and retired in the late 20s. As she told the story, the day he stepped off the caboose for the last time, he told the conductor, "This railroad has taken a lot from me over the years; now I'm taking something of it." It has been in our family ever since. There are no markings on the item itself to verify that it came from a caboose, but that was the story she told.

1939 T&P pass

Four matchbook covers from various years

1960 pocket calendar

Menu from a MoPac/T&P Grill Car - circa late 1960s (?)

Brass button covers, about 7/8" in size

T&P creamer - courtesy of John & Candis Singleton. Note the "arrow pattern," a common motif used on T&P china.

MoPac milk bottle - Sunnymede Farm

T&P postcard of "El Capitan" - Mailed in 1930

	Ticket booklet
	Ticket Envelope

T&P System Elevation Chart

This elevation chart was given to me by Mr. Don Millender, former government liason officer for the T&P/MoPac, and later a consultant for the UP - he also gave me the 1960 calendar, shown above. It contains a wealth of track information along the entire T&P system. Above is a thumbnail of the entire map; below, a closeup of the DFW area. Click here to download an 11x17 copy of the map.

A Linen-Damask T&P napkin - 15" x 22"

This napkin has a beautiful tone-on-tone T&P logo in the center, with an intricate floral detail in the corners, typical of the Damask style. It doesn't photograph well, but it is gorgeous.

Here are closeups of the logo and the corner detail - note that these have been "enhanced" in Photoshop to make the detail show up better in the pictures.