Texas & New Orleans 4

Texas & New Orleans (Southern Pacific’s Lines in Texas and Louisiana) by A.D. McLennan Hardbound

This book is a long-needed full history of all parts of the Texas & New Orleans Railroad, its territory, and its predecessors, from the earliest days up to the merger into parent Southern Pacific in 1961, plus extensive locomotive and operating information.

The Sunset Route main line extended eastward from El Paso, Texas, through San Antonio and Houston, to New Orleans, after its completion in 1883. In addition, the Texas & New Orleans came to possess north-south lines from Denison and Dallas, Texas to Houston; from Shreveport, Louisiana to Houston; and from Houston to Brownsville, Texas. There are also branches to such places as Austin, Waco and Galveston, Texas, and numerous short branches throughout the system, especially in Louisiana.

Operation of the various divisions involved a kaleidoscope of timetable and train changes, along with a complex roster of motive power, particularly in steam days, when many locomotives had been inherited from predecessor roads. Much operating data, and more than 325 photographs, most previously unpublished, along with 39 maps and drawings, richly document the story. No fan of the Texas & New Orleans or of the Southern Pacific will want to be without it.