#8233
Ted Ferkenhoff
Keymaster

Brownsville train service: my info is spotty, but here is what I have…….

In the mid to late 1960’s, a pair of trains connected San Antonio and Brownsville. #367 San Antonio-Brownsville connected with #95 New Orleans-Kingsville, and #366 Brownsville-San Antonio connected with #94 Kingsville-New Orleans. #94/#95 moved the Houston traffic to/from Brownsville.

By the early 1970’s, 94/95 had been renumbered 394/395 and cut back to Houston-Kingsville. 366/367 changed to San Antonio-Mission trains which made connection with Houston traffic at Kingsville, and Brownsville traffic at Harlingen.

Southbound, Houston to Kingsville train #395 carried a Brownsville block for Harlingen, which was picked up at Kingsville by San Antonio-Mission train #367. Brownsville traffic was set out at Harlingen and moved to Brownsville on Local 856 departing 05:00 and arriving Brownsville at 07:30.

Northbound, another local (not sure job#) departed Brownsville 12:01 am and arrived Harlingen 02:00, connecting to Mission-San Antonio train #366, which set out traffic for Kingsville-Houston #394 at Kingsville.

I have a 1975 listing that shows Brownsville assigned 2 units for yard service, totalling 3,200 horsepower. 2 jobs worked on both 1st and 2nd shifts, no jobs worked on 3rd shift.

By January 1979, two very long distance locals were serving Brownsville. L859 operated Houston-Brownsville with 5,400 horsepower assigned, departed Houston 04:00 hrs. L858 operated Brownsville-Houston with 5,400 HP, departed Brownsville 2359 hrs.