TEXAS STATE RAILROAD:
Scenic Realm Of The Iron Horse
by Joe Dale Morris

Paperback, published by Branch Line Graphics of Texas, Austin Texas, 64 pages,150 black and white pictures.

The subject matter includes: steam locomotives, diesels, coaches, Texas State inmates working on the railroad, employees and engineers of the railroad, trains going through the East Texas "Piney" woods, a boiler workshop (The Hahn and Clay Machine and Boiler Works in Houston), the No.7 (used in the movie "How The West Was Won"), and the Victorian style station at Palestine Park, among others. There is a short, but detailed, history of the State constructed owned, and operated railroad.

The railroad was constructed with inmate labor from the Rusk State Penitentiary. Initially a short line built to take ore from a mine to the St. Pen. smelter to replace the horse-drawn wagons which were impractical. In 1906, another five miles were lain on to Maydelle. In 1906, T. M. Campbell was elected Governor of Texas... He became a receiver of the International and Great Northern Railroad (later to become part of the Missouri Pacific)... At the time he was elected the state railroad was ten miles in length and connected only with the Saint Louis- Southwestern Railroad (Cotton Belt Line). In 1907 it was approved that the railroad would be opened for regular service with the I&GN. In 1921 the Texas State Railroad was leased by the Texas and New Orleans Railroad. The leasing lasted for 41 years. T&NO upgraded the railroad by offering through Pullman service, between cities in East texas, connecting the Texas & New Orleans mainline through Gallatin and Jacksonville with the Missouri Pacific's "Sunshine Special".