Nostalgia & History > On the Border: Brownsville

This postcard view shows the train platforms for the MP depot (out of view) in Brownsville TX.
The caption mentions El Jardin Hotel (also out of view) which was built adjacent the depot in 1926 or so.
I think the other two buildings in the scene might be the earlier StLB&M (Frisco era) depots.
[I'll include another postcard view of the StLB&M depot.]
 

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OK, I'm including views of the MP depot and the adjacent El Jardin Hotel.
I think the hotel building still stands but not the depot.
 

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Are the passenger cars on the first track SP ?

Thanks for this posting on an area that gets little coverage.  It's interesting to learn about an area that I've never visited.  The Official Guide of Nov 1959 shows two pairs of trains on the 371-mile run between Houston and Brownsville, the daylight Valley Eagle and the overnight Pioneer.  According to the Wikipedia entry, the streamlined Valley Eagle made connections at Houston with the Texas Eagle (to/from St Louis) and the Houstonian (to/from New Orleans).  Also per Wikipedia entry, the Valley Eagle was discontinued in 1962.  The overnight service continued for a few years afterward, but lost the Pioneer name when sleeping car service was discontinued, and became nameless trains #54 north and #55 south.  (I'm guessing timetable direction was north-south).  I could not find a date for discontinuance, but an Official Guide from 1967 does not show any remaining passenger service on that line.  Perhaps the depot lasted until the last passenger train in the mid-60's.  It was certainly a beautiful structure.  

Steve Salamon
Valley City, OH

tomstp:  To answer your question, no.

SP had its own depot in Brownsville.   It was a beautiful mission-style depot.
It still exists as a beautifully restored museum for the history of Brownsville.

Historic Brownsville Museum
 

Steve:  I think the overnight MP train ceased about  1965-1966.  Not sure if it kept its Pioneer name until the end.
MP played games with the schedule toward the end such that it arrived in Houston between 2-3 AM.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/21 10:18 by PVSfan.