T&P Print Resources

Reference Works About the T&P

NOTE - Most of these books are out of print, hard to find, and expensive. You can check with your local public library about reading them, or try eBay or the Internet used book vendors if you want to purchase a copy for yourself.

Texas & Pacific Color Pictorial
Steve Goen
Four Ways West Publications, 1997, 130 pages

My favorite T&P book - an invaluable resource for any T&P fan or modeler. Hundreds of color photographs document every style of paint scheme on the road, including very dirty 2-10-4s doing yard work in Fort Worth, "Swamp Holly" orange and black road and yard engines, and various blue and gray paint styles, up through the final "Jenks" blue versions. Great!

The Texas & Pacific Railway: Super-Power to Streamliners 1925-1975
Joe G. Collias
M M Books, 1989, 160 pages

In 1925, the T&P became the first major railroad to embrace the "Super-Power" concept of locomotive design. This book provides a thorough examination and rosters of all types of T&P motive power. Also lavishly illustrated in B&W and color.

Texas & Pacific - From Ox-Teams to Eagles

Don Watson & Steve Brown
The Boston Mills Press, 1978, 256 pages

This is the single most complete T&P history ever published. The first chapter is a reprint of the T&P's 1946 history booklet, which is also the source of this book's subtitle (see below).

Route of the Eagles
Greg Stout
White River Productions, 1995, 128 pages

This is primarily a book on the Missouri Pacific, but there is some nice material here on the T&P as well.

Texas & Pacific Railway: Operations and Traffic
Charles P. Zlatkovich
Westerner Press, 1998, 252 pages

Just what the title suggests: tons of detailed information about T&P operations. Interchanges, year-by-year stats on shipments, traffic movements, passenger loads, etc. (Softcover)

Original Source Material

As one might expect, original source material of the T&P is becoming increasingly rare. Here are a few pieces I have been blessed enough to acquire.

From Ox-Teams to Eagles
Texas & Pacific Railway, 1946, 52 pages

This little softcover book - more of a booklet, really - was published by the railroad in 1946 for its 75th anniversary, and only a few thousand were printed. Most went to employees, executives and friends of the railroad. They are quite rare today.

The cover is made of embossed cardstock for a leather-look appearance.

Texas & Pacific 100-150
The Budd Company, 1932, 8 pages

It is not commonly known that the T&P had an experimental early model streamliner prototype from the Budd Company, a year before either the CB&Q's "Pioneer Zephyr" or the UP's "M-10,000." According to this rare publicity brochure from Budd - printed in silver and blue ink - the consist featured a two-car articulated train, with a power car, including a small RPO, and a trailing coach car.

The train featured rubber tires, which apparently had trouble staying on the rails, and it was never put into revenue service. Budd took what it learned and went on the build the next generation of streamliners, including the Zephyrs.

Tom Stamey reports that T&P President John Lancaster "made Budd take them back and refund the purchase price. He then forbid anyone on the road to ever mention that they ever existed under the threat of being fired." Thanks, Tom, for the correct info!

"Topics" Magazine

--*

This was the employee magazine of the T&P, published from the mid 1940s until sometime in the early 60s. Each issue contains feature stories, articles about railroad operations, editorials from management, and is full of tidbits of information about employees and their activities.

*- October, 1952, cover, courtesy Amanda Mathers

Publicity materials

Through much of the 1950s, the T&P conducted a very successful advertising and public relations campaign, placing ads in major national magazines. These ads promoted pro- Christian and pro-American values and the Free Enterprise system, and received various advertising awards. (See my page "Advertising the T&P" page for some examples.)

Readers of the ads were invited to write to T&P for brochures by railroad president W.G. Vollmer; one was "Our Four Great Faiths," another was "The Four Pillars of Freedom." The booklet "Toward a Better World" contained small-sized reprints of the ads. Thanks to Mrs. Jo Ann Bailey for sharing this material with me.

Books Published by the T&P

William G. Vollmer, President of the T&P from 1945-1958, was a prolific writer of articles, many of which appeared in the employee magazine, Topics (see above.) He also gave many speeches. As with the "God and Country" ads, the themes generally dealt with pro-Christian, pro-American values, anti-Communist observations (remember, it was the early 50s), and promoting good railroad PR.

This picture of Mr. Vollmer is from the March, 1950, issue of Trains magazine by Kalmbach Publishing. That issue contained a feature story about the T&P entitled, "Straight Through Texas," by David P. Morgan.

This material has been preserved in several different collections, some of which are virtually unknown today and almost impossible to find. Below are listed those items which I have accumulated; if you know of other collections, I would appreciate hearing from you.

Faith and Freedom
Privately published, Dallas, Texas, 1956(?), Hardback - 8.75" x 5.75"

A collection of five articles by Mr. Vollmer, "Dedicated to the Preservation of the God-Given Rights and Personal Liberties of Man." These articles are "Freedom Needs a Soap Box Too;" "Our Four Great Faiths;" "The Primrose Path;" "The Four Pillars of Freedom;" and "Freedom Isn't Free." Note that two of these articles had also been printed separately.

This particular copy is signed by J.B. Shores, longtime director of the T&P's Public Relations Department. Note that Mr. Shores dedicated this copy to "Dr. J.T. Wilbanks," but the opposite page reads, "Library of T.J. Wilbanks."

Selected Articles
Privately published, Dallas, Texas, 1953, Soft cover, 7.75" x 5.25"

This collection contains 35 articles by Mr. Vollmer, most of which I think originally appeared in the employee magazine. The titles include"Fruits of Freedom," "Lifeblood of Our Railroad," "Creed for Business," and "Not Things, but People."

The book's front and back covers include a printed version of Mr. Vollmer's autographed initials - "W.G.V." - printed in gold ink.

The Development of Good Public Relations
Privately published, Dallas, Texas, Date Unknown. Paperback pamphlet, 7.5" x 3.75"

As the title suggests, this little brochure outlines Mr. Vollmer's views on developing and maintaining good relations with railroad customers and the public at large.

Magazine Articles

This is not meant as an exhaustive list of all T&P articles - these are just some that I have found particularly enjoyable, useful or informative. Your mileage may vary. Batteries not included. Some assembly required.

The Eagle is the official publication of the Missouri Pacific Historical Society, and is published quarterly for its members. It is also sold in select hobby shops in Texas and the Midwest. Back issues, when in stock, are available for purchase from the MPHS, and occasionally, from Railpub.

Here are two articles from The Eagle that I have especially enjoyed reading.

"Railroad Life - Texas & Pacific Style"
The Eagle - Winter, 1996