Stephenville North and South Texas Railway
Encyclopedia
The Stephenville North & South Texas Railway (SN&ST) was incorporated in Texas
on February 4, 1907 by Stephenville
and Hamilton business interests. Its original standard gauge
43 mile line was built between Stephenville and Hamilton
and completed in late 1907. The first train operated between Stephenville and Hamilton on Christmas Day 1907. Regular service began in January 1908. Four apparently identical wooden depots of a standard design were built at Hamilton, Carlton, Spurlin, and Alexander (where the Texas Central Railroad crossed). The SN&ST shared a union station with its original primary railroad connection, the long established Fort Worth & Rio Grande Railroad at Stephenville.
A serious flood in April 1908 caused the owners of the line to seek a buyer. In January 1909 a half interest in the line was sold to Commonwealth Trust Company of St. Louis. The St. Louis Southwestern Railway
of Texas (known as "the Cotton Belt Route") bought the railroad in April 1910. The charter of the SN&ST was amended on April 18, 1910 to permit extensions of the railroad from Hamilton to Gatesville, Texas
; from Stephenville to Thurber, Texas
; and from Edson, Texas to Comanche, Texas
.
to Gatesville in 1910, with plans to build on to Hamilton and Comanche, but the SN&ST extensions were built first. The new 31-mile line from Edson, four miles north of Hamilton, to Comanche was completed in 1911 and the first train operated on September 3, 1911. A brick depot was built at Comanche, with wooden depots at Gustine, Lamkin, and Edson. Of note on this line was the spectacular curved Bear Creek Trestle, known on the line as Trestle
#5, just west of Edson. The extensions of the SN&ST were built under contract with the firm of Thompson and Scott, based on a proposal. The northward extension to serve the bituminous coal
mines at Thurber, Texas
was never built.
#50 and #51. These were known to be former Pennsylvania Railroad
locomotives because of their Altoona Machine Shop
builders plates. The two SN&ST locomotive
s were built in the mid 1870s by Altoona. They were retired in 1912-1913 and replaced with St. Louis Southwestern Railway locomotives. The most common types of St. Louis Southwestern steam locomotives used on the SN&ST lines were American
and Mogul
types. The St. Louis Southwestern General Electric
motor cars were used for the passenger accommodation on the lines. Of note in the early days of the SN&ST were excursion trains powered by Santa Fe
and Missouri Kansas Texas locomotives.
Chamber of Commerce
, the station at Ireland is a private residence, and the station at Hamilton is a car dealership
. Parts of the old right of way can still be seen.
(UPDATE: The "car dealership" has moved out since the time of this post. It has been kept
intact since the dealership moved out, and parts of the 'depot' can still be seen with the
original stain glass windows, and after the Texan Theater Fire burned down earlier this
year (2010), the sign 'Hamilton' is visible on the west side of the depot. It has an auto
part store in one of the mechanic bays. It is now a 'rental' space for lease for any small
business to operate. Much of the old R.O.W. can be followed out to Pecan Creek Park north
of town, by Murphy's Wrecking yard, as concrete culverts, drainage portals still exist, and
along U.S. 281, there is a billboard sign north of town, and a county road to your left or
right facing north or south on U.S. 281 that shows a section of abandoned R.O.W. that goes
west north west to an abandoned WYE that splits north through some hills, then crosses
U.S. 281 along current County Road 203, crosses through a valley in a western direction
toward Spurlin, Carlton, Alexander and Stephenville, TX. The western route, snakes along
westerly crossing County Road 101, and a culvert concrete tunnel exists on your right if
you take the CR 101 (OLD Stephenville Highway) CR 103 branches to your left and you will
find an abandoned R.O.W. with a drainage pipe under the R.O.W. with 1927 stamped on it.
C.R. 103 snakes around and meets up with the R.O.W. and goes to a now closed bridge.
C.R. 103 is broken on both sides of a rotted trestle bridge, as the rest of the R.O.W.
can be seen on the west side of the bridge and take the rest of C.R. 103 to C.R. 106. If you
can get an official Hamilton County Road map. (That's from personal experience and road
trips.) The 'southern' half of the railroad is obscured from bulldozing and erosion.
Much of the R.O.W. south of Hamilton can be seen by U.S. 281 south, and goes east to
Aleman, Ireland, Levita, and Gatesville, TX. (This is the section that remained until
January 1941 a few months before December 7, 1941.) Take Farm To Market Road 932 from
Hamilton, to Ireland, and you can see much of the R.O.W. In Aleman much of it now is
private drive way. And sections exist where a railroad shaped mound of dirt once held
railroad tracks. Drive past Aleman, and in the distance you can make out the old R.O.W.
going east to Ireland. The old R.O.W. does 'snake' around FM 932. If it exists then it
hasn't been bulldozed or eroded away totally. What remains approx 1 to 2 miles just
north of Ireland is some concrete signal base and support with rusted bolts. It's a
stretch of FM 932 along your left side (going north) or right side (going south) along
FM 932 in side the barb wire fence before / after you cross C.R. 432 in Hamilton
County. )
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
on February 4, 1907 by Stephenville
Stephenville, Texas
Stephenville is a city in and the county seat of Erath County, Texas, United States. The population was 14,921 at the 2000 census. Founded in 1856, it is home to Tarleton State University. Stephenville is among several communities that calls itself the "Cowboy Capital of the...
and Hamilton business interests. Its original standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
43 mile line was built between Stephenville and Hamilton
Hamilton, Texas
Hamilton is a city in Hamilton County in Central Texas. The population was 3,095 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Hamilton County.-Geography:Hamilton is located at ....
and completed in late 1907. The first train operated between Stephenville and Hamilton on Christmas Day 1907. Regular service began in January 1908. Four apparently identical wooden depots of a standard design were built at Hamilton, Carlton, Spurlin, and Alexander (where the Texas Central Railroad crossed). The SN&ST shared a union station with its original primary railroad connection, the long established Fort Worth & Rio Grande Railroad at Stephenville.
A serious flood in April 1908 caused the owners of the line to seek a buyer. In January 1909 a half interest in the line was sold to Commonwealth Trust Company of St. Louis. The St. Louis Southwestern Railway
St. Louis Southwestern Railway
The St. Louis Southwestern Railway , known by its nickname of "The Cotton Belt Route" or simply Cotton Belt, was organized on January 15, 1891, although it had its origins in a series of short lines founded in Tyler, Texas, in 1870 that connected northeastern Texas to Arkansas and southeastern...
of Texas (known as "the Cotton Belt Route") bought the railroad in April 1910. The charter of the SN&ST was amended on April 18, 1910 to permit extensions of the railroad from Hamilton to Gatesville, Texas
Gatesville, Texas
Gatesville is a city in and the county seat of Coryell County in Central Texas, United States of America. The population was 15,591 at the 2000 census...
; from Stephenville to Thurber, Texas
Thurber, Texas
Thurber is a coal-mining ghost town in Erath County, Texas, United States, located 75 miles west of Fort Worth. It currently has an overall population of about twenty five.-History:...
; and from Edson, Texas to Comanche, Texas
Comanche, Texas
Comanche is a city located in Comanche County in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 4,482 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Comanche County. The town square has been renovated and is becoming a popular tourist attraction. With "Star Beaus" and "karens" on the square and their...
.
Extensions
The Hamilton to Gatesville extension of 32 miles was built in 1910-1911 to establish a primary connection with the St. Louis Southwestern Railway at Gatesville. New brick stations of Cotton Belt design were built at Gatesville, Ireland, and Hamilton, with wooden depots at Levita and Aleman. The first train operated on this new line on February 15, 1911. The competing Temple Northwestern Railway sought a similar franchise and graded from Temple, TexasTemple, Texas
Temple is a city in Bell County, Texas, United States. Located near the county seat of Belton, Temple lies in the region referred to as Central Texas. Located off Interstate 35, Temple is 65 miles north of Austin and 34 miles south of Waco. In the 2010 Census, Temple's population was 66,102, an...
to Gatesville in 1910, with plans to build on to Hamilton and Comanche, but the SN&ST extensions were built first. The new 31-mile line from Edson, four miles north of Hamilton, to Comanche was completed in 1911 and the first train operated on September 3, 1911. A brick depot was built at Comanche, with wooden depots at Gustine, Lamkin, and Edson. Of note on this line was the spectacular curved Bear Creek Trestle, known on the line as Trestle
Trestle
A trestle is a rigid frame used as a support, especially referring to a bridge composed of a number of short spans supported by such frames. In the context of trestle bridges, each supporting frame is generally referred to as a bent...
#5, just west of Edson. The extensions of the SN&ST were built under contract with the firm of Thompson and Scott, based on a proposal. The northward extension to serve the bituminous coal
Bituminous coal
Bituminous coal or black coal is a relatively soft coal containing a tarlike substance called bitumen. It is of higher quality than lignite coal but of poorer quality than Anthracite...
mines at Thurber, Texas
Thurber, Texas
Thurber is a coal-mining ghost town in Erath County, Texas, United States, located 75 miles west of Fort Worth. It currently has an overall population of about twenty five.-History:...
was never built.
Leases
The SN&ST was leased to the St. Louis Southwestern Railway of Texas for operation starting on July 1, 1913 for a period of ten years. After the first 10-year lease, it was renewed for a period of two years five times. On October 17, 1934 all SN&ST trackage north of Hamilton was abandoned. The railroad was then leased by St. Louis Southwestern one more time, for six years, followed by an application to the Interstate Commerce Commission to abandon the SN&ST's remaining trackage between Hamilton and Gatesville in December 1939. Despite strong local opposition from Hamilton interests, this remaining trackage was abandoned on February 6, 1941 and was removed in early 1942.Motive Power
The first motive power on the line were two ten wheelers4-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This wheel arrangement became the second-most popular...
#50 and #51. These were known to be former Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
locomotives because of their Altoona Machine Shop
Altoona Works
Altoona Works is a large railroad industrial complex in Altoona, Pennsylvania. It was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad to supply the railroad with locomotives, railroad cars and related equipment. For many years it was the largest railroad shop complex in the world.-History:In 1849, PRR...
builders plates. The two SN&ST locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s were built in the mid 1870s by Altoona. They were retired in 1912-1913 and replaced with St. Louis Southwestern Railway locomotives. The most common types of St. Louis Southwestern steam locomotives used on the SN&ST lines were American
4-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels...
and Mogul
2-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, usually in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This arrangement is commonly called a Mogul...
types. The St. Louis Southwestern General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
motor cars were used for the passenger accommodation on the lines. Of note in the early days of the SN&ST were excursion trains powered by Santa Fe
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
and Missouri Kansas Texas locomotives.
Preservation
The station at Gatesville is the GatesvilleGatesville, Texas
Gatesville is a city in and the county seat of Coryell County in Central Texas, United States of America. The population was 15,591 at the 2000 census...
Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
, the station at Ireland is a private residence, and the station at Hamilton is a car dealership
Car dealership
A car dealership or vehicle local distribution is a business that sells new or used cars at the retail level, based on a dealership contract with an automaker or its sales subsidiary. It employs automobile salespeople to do the selling...
. Parts of the old right of way can still be seen.
(UPDATE: The "car dealership" has moved out since the time of this post. It has been kept
intact since the dealership moved out, and parts of the 'depot' can still be seen with the
original stain glass windows, and after the Texan Theater Fire burned down earlier this
year (2010), the sign 'Hamilton' is visible on the west side of the depot. It has an auto
part store in one of the mechanic bays. It is now a 'rental' space for lease for any small
business to operate. Much of the old R.O.W. can be followed out to Pecan Creek Park north
of town, by Murphy's Wrecking yard, as concrete culverts, drainage portals still exist, and
along U.S. 281, there is a billboard sign north of town, and a county road to your left or
right facing north or south on U.S. 281 that shows a section of abandoned R.O.W. that goes
west north west to an abandoned WYE that splits north through some hills, then crosses
U.S. 281 along current County Road 203, crosses through a valley in a western direction
toward Spurlin, Carlton, Alexander and Stephenville, TX. The western route, snakes along
westerly crossing County Road 101, and a culvert concrete tunnel exists on your right if
you take the CR 101 (OLD Stephenville Highway) CR 103 branches to your left and you will
find an abandoned R.O.W. with a drainage pipe under the R.O.W. with 1927 stamped on it.
C.R. 103 snakes around and meets up with the R.O.W. and goes to a now closed bridge.
C.R. 103 is broken on both sides of a rotted trestle bridge, as the rest of the R.O.W.
can be seen on the west side of the bridge and take the rest of C.R. 103 to C.R. 106. If you
can get an official Hamilton County Road map. (That's from personal experience and road
trips.) The 'southern' half of the railroad is obscured from bulldozing and erosion.
Much of the R.O.W. south of Hamilton can be seen by U.S. 281 south, and goes east to
Aleman, Ireland, Levita, and Gatesville, TX. (This is the section that remained until
January 1941 a few months before December 7, 1941.) Take Farm To Market Road 932 from
Hamilton, to Ireland, and you can see much of the R.O.W. In Aleman much of it now is
private drive way. And sections exist where a railroad shaped mound of dirt once held
railroad tracks. Drive past Aleman, and in the distance you can make out the old R.O.W.
going east to Ireland. The old R.O.W. does 'snake' around FM 932. If it exists then it
hasn't been bulldozed or eroded away totally. What remains approx 1 to 2 miles just
north of Ireland is some concrete signal base and support with rusted bolts. It's a
stretch of FM 932 along your left side (going north) or right side (going south) along
FM 932 in side the barb wire fence before / after you cross C.R. 432 in Hamilton
County. )