Show-Me Katy
Climb aboard the Katy with television journalist Mike Landis for an illustrated tour of one of the most scenic rail routes in the Midwest! This 176-page high-quality hardcover book focuses on the Missouri-Kansas-Texas (Katy) Railroad's route between Parsons, Kansas; Sedalia, Missouri; and St. Louis, Missouri. Side trips are also taken on the branchlines to El Dorado Springs; Moberly; Columbia; and Paola, Kansas. Lastly, a special section provides a brief look at the Katy's other line to Missouri by way of Kansas City. Starting in 1870 and ending with the MKT's demise in the 1980s, you'll discover how the tracks helped shape a growing region; the importance they played in serving communities big and small; and the misfortunes that ultimately led to much of it being abandoned. With an emphasis on the final two decades in operation, you'll see Katy's diesel locomotives, in both the iconic red and green liveries, charging across the Show-Me State's diverse landscape. Enjoy nearly 300 action-packed photographs of freight trains winding through prairies and small towns; over lush hills; below towering bluffs; and across big rivers. Insightful 'Backtrack' articles provide a look at historic points of railroad interest along the way, including many depots, terminals, and other facilities. Interviews with former MKT employees, detailed maps, and informative graphics help tell the story of this often-forgotten corner of the Katy system.