Nostalgia & History > MKT mystery Monday

 Back in the summer of 1988 I heard stories of an MKT emblem cut into the rocks on the Texas main around Atoka, OK. After more questions on location I went looking, hiking along the right of way until I found it. Near Caney, OK around MP 625, half a mile from the nearest road crossing was this emblem, cut and painted in the rock. One story told of section men creating this, but I do not know the facts other than here it was. I only went there one time and do not know if it still exists or the rest of the story, but I did get a southbound coal train passing it.

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There is at least one along the (now trail) ROW in Missouri. Boonville to Rochport was the part I was on.

Update: Seems I have found "The rest of the story". I have been told this was carved and painted by David R. Howington, a Katy signal maintainer from Durant, OK.

Really would be great to know if it still exists.

Did Katy go out and spread new ballast just for your picture? I never would’ve guessed they had such a pretty line. Cool picture and story.

New773 Wrote:
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 "Did Katy go out and spread new ballast just for your picture?"

No of course not, they spread ballast for everybody. Actually the train in the photo is the reason. A few years earlier Katy was a 25mph line with rotten ties and 10mph slow orders all the way to Texas. The coal trains like this one changed that with an infusion of money and the need to keep them on the rails. I watched them sled the whole line basically bulldozing the old railroad in the ditch and building a new one in it's place. This was the result.