Railroaders' Nostalgia > Curiosity: Whose Familiar w/ Horace, KS on the Missouri Pacific?

Horace, KS was/is a small city in Greeley County near the CO/KS state border of Western Kansas.  It was always a MOPAC crew change point between Hoisington, KS and Pueblo, CO.  In the early 1960's I spent many meals at the dining tables of Mrs. Lillian Fuller's cafe with several MOPAC railroaders from Hoisington.  Mrs. Fuller's cafe was directly east across the "cinder covered Main St" from the YMCA lodging building where many of the railroaders stayed awaiting their orders for train movements.  

One person I'll never forget was a tall slender engineer from Hoisington called "Skinny Temple".  He was a friendly man and a fellow Masonic Lodge member, just as my father and uncle who dined there likewise.  I never knew "Skinney's" first name, but just the Temple, last name.  He was the passenger engineer on #11 & #12, The Eagle for many years.  I'd like to hear from anyone familiar with he or his relatives, or other railroaders of this 1955-1964 era who worked the Hoisington-Horace turn.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/11/24 20:59 by rrman6.

these buildings still stand?

Your's is one of those messages that prompts a quick trip to Google Maps. MP depot appears to be still standing, albeit in a rustic condition. Wouldn't be able to tell if there was a roundhouse (usually was in places like this), YMCA or any kind of cafe.

looks like a sonic had been changed into a wing place

think i see what could have the y, with a space for rent for a cafe.

I read either here or most likely Eads? had  earthen dugouts that rr men would stay in, they were resold, and some lady would even cook for the railroaders, and rent a few out, to i assume to primarily  away from home terminal railroaders?

Well here we go again!  i dug up a few photos so will post a few here.  What once was a "RIP ROARING RAILROAD TOWN", it's far from it today.  The only buildings existing as far as i know is the later depot which is basically a shambles now.  The roundhouse went the way with the steamers, the YMCA and the MOPAC resturant behind the "Y" is long gone, but replaced by the later facility erected for the later MOPAC railroaders to lodge in.  The last I knew, this facility was later bought by some locals and turned into a hunting lodge for primarily pheasant hunters.  Here are a few pics from the Kansas State Historical Society and others.

 

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#1 Shows Horace.  The roundhouse was to the north behind the later depot shown here.  The roundhouse faced the south and some stall tracks can barely be seen in the earth.




 

#2 I'm curious, what is the device with the step to the left of the track.  Was this for positioning steam locos for alightment to the water spout??

#3  YMCA Building, Airdome midway, Landis House on right, all viewed from the Main St. crossing looking north.

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4. & 5.  Last Horace Depot when MOPAC was still active.
 

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rrman6 Wrote:
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> #2 I'm curious, what is the device with the step
> to the left of the track.  Was this for
> positioning steam locos for alightment to the
> water spout??

looks like it had thing to pivot down, i was thinking a mail crane, but i would think the trains would stop not just go thru?

dan, you may be right in it as a "mail crane", but i like you, would think all trains stopped for water and fuel, so why the need for such a device?

           Might be that when taking water, the mail car is not at the proper spot to pick up mail. . . . depending on which direction you are going.