Missouri Pacific Timetables (August, 1952)

Published: February 22, 2024

Presented here is Missouri Pacific's public timetables from the August, 1952 issue of The Official Guide Of The Railways. This time period represented the MoPac's peak era.

The Missouri Pacific (MoPac) played a significant role in the U.S.’ western expansion, shaping the country's transportation infrastructure.

What initially began as the Pacific Railroad. chartered in March of 1849 by the State of Missouri to link St. Louis with the Pacific coast, the later MoPac would eventually serve Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas, and Illinois. The MoPac was central to opening new territories for settlement and transporting essential goods.

MoPac’s history features many mergers and acquisitions, notably the St. Louis, Iron Mountain, and Southern Railway in 1881, which broadened its reach into southern states, and its final amalgamation with the Union Pacific Railroad in 1997. At its height, MoPac operated over 12,000 miles of track.

MoPac was infamous for labor disputes, especially the strike of 1886 which laid the groundwork for future labor protections. However, it was the transcontinental railroad’s symbol of progress, fostering development in both city and countryside.

Historically, MoPac operated many notable trains, including the "Texas Eagle" and "Missouri River Eagle", providing the benchmark for luxury passenger rail service during their heyday.

Today, the legacy of the Missouri Pacific lives on through the Union Pacific, recognized by its iconic ‘buzzsaw’ logo, a tribute to the powerful railroad that helped create modern America.

Public Timetables (August, 1952)