Writer in DFW (Q: T&P Passenger West)

Tell us about your T & P memories....your travels, your life along the railway, anything you can recall.
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tvproducersm
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Jun 08, 2013 7:46 pm

Writer in DFW (Q: T&P Passenger West)

Post by tvproducersm »

Hello. Great to find this form. I am a former television producer and radio personality of the Odessa, Midland, El Paso and Dallas Fort Worth markets. Now into my 50s I'm writing romance novels for a global publisher in the Christian Fiction/Historical Genre. Also a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers organization.

I've been crafting a series set in 1925-1933 of Aspermont Texas and my characters traveling by train from Aspermont to Abilene then Abilene to Los Angeles California.

My father was from Aspermont growing there from 1927-49. My grand parents talked often about a train station and line that ran through the area. What little I can find is in the Stonewall Historical book published in 1978 and a few online articles. One reads the following:

"Aspermont was incorporated in 1909 with a population of 700; construction of a lake and water-supply facilities began in 1914. Local businessmen made donations to encourage railroad construction, and the Stamford and Northwestern Railway line was extended from Stamford in 1909 and leased to the Wichita Valley Railway Company."

Does anyone have any knowledge or information about a line that ran from Aspermont to Stamford to perhaps a T&P station in their East/West Route?

What too might a configuration of a train include in say 1925 to about 1935? Engine (Steam), Coal car, mail car, and coaches, sleepers, and/or both (pullman) with a dining car and what else?

What might the fare be to go say Abilene to LA one way (and round trip)?

What would be the menu? And price of food?

From what maps I have found I see a route from Fort Worth to Abilene, Big Spring, Midland, Odessa, Monahans, Pecos, Toyah, Van Horn, then I believe in Sierra Blanca the T&P joined the SP lines to El Paso.

I took Amtrack several times in the 1990s from El Paso to Alpine and then from El Paso to LA (the Sunset Limited). What an adventure! Then commuters out of LA to Del Mar where I spent Christmas with my brother in law school. So glad I did and did not drive. The Depot in LA was still beautiful as is El Paso's.

Look forward to whatever can be learned - especially the side tracks that are throughout North Central Texas as the lines / companies mentioned. Thanks for the opportunity to post.

Steve
DFW, Texas

hmhoxie
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jul 24, 2013 12:13 pm

Six Flags of Texas

Post by hmhoxie »

I seem to remember possibly between 1975 and 1990, there was an article about the steam locomotive engineer at Six Flags of Texas, at Arlington,Texas, and he was a retired T&P locomotive engineer.
I found his name C.J. Patton, who hired out on the T&P 12/24/1908.
perhaps, the article would be a good one to post .
hmhoxie

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