Katy Trail Forum

I'm searching for the full name and history of the N. FS. & N.W. railroad through the Oklahoma panhandle. The railroad was later taken over by MKT.

I could find references to W FS & NW (full name "unknown")that was taken over by the MKT at:

http://www.rootsweb.com/~okgenweb/okprojects/xref/railroads.html

but not N FS & NW. I caught a glimpse of the former on an image of an 1915 OK map but the page would not stay up. Indeed it appeared to be in the panhandle. As you are probably aware, the FS & NW would most likely be Fort Smith and Northwestern. See list of defunct railroads at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_defunct_United_States_railroads

If it is a "W" and not a "N" then railroad names that include Fort Smith that I have seen include Wichita, Winfield and Wellington. If it is truly N FS & NW then I came up empty on that one.

If you haven't already done so consider contacting this KATY history reference:

http://www.railserve.com/jump/jump.cgi?ID=6147

Good luck!

Mr Baker, if you are still out there, here is a repost of the 1915 map. Allow a few seconds and a zoom button should appear on the bottom right corner.



http://www.rootsweb.com/~okgenweb/okprojects/xref/map/ok-west.jpg

The MKT took over the Wichita Falls & Northwestern in 1922. No doubt this is the railroad in the original question. This line went from Wichita Falls, Texas, to Forgan, Oklahoma. In 1929, the MKT purchased a second panhandle shortline, the Beaver, Meade & Englewood.



There is an excellent book, the last word really, about the two lines. Katy Northwest, The Story of a Branch Line Railroad, by Donovan Hofsommer was published in 1976.

I bought a great book on this subject last time I was in St. Louis at the book store at the Arch.

I will look around and see if I can find it. It was fascinating to read about the politics and all

that went into the making of the MKT. I am sure this topic was covered. If I can put my

hands on the book, I will post the information.

In 1931 the MKT bought the Beaver, Meade and Englewood Railroad (B.M. @E) a 105 mile extension from Frogan, OK, the Katy's Northwestern District. Source: The Katy Railroad and the Last Frontier by V. V. MAasterson.

I read an excellent book entitled "The KATY Railroad and the Last Frontier." It was ALL about the MK&T. It was available at my local library. Good luck!

My dad Louis Hiatt work on M.K.T. railroad in 1945 and 46 My dad and I got our picture and story in the Forgan Ok. newspaper because I was name after the M.K.T Railroad.My middle name is Kay.

From MO DNR:

The trail at MM 172.7 (west of Huntsdale) is temporarily closed to allow re-decking of the Terrapin Creek Bridge. Detour: To get from Rocheport to Huntsdale -- From the depot on First St., turn right on Pike St. and then right on Route BB, heading toward I-70. After crossing I-70, the road becomes Roby Farm Rd. (gravel). Turn right on Route O and continue to Huntsdale to get on the trail near Katfish Katys.

Ray, how long will this last, do you know? We are planning to ride from Columbia to Rocheport on Friday.

I don't know, but will try to find out - stay tuned...

It was originally scheduled for completion by today (2/25), but has been delayed by the weather. If the weather cooperates this week (which is questionable), it should be done by the weekend. But again, that's not a sure thing.



My suggestion is to call the Dept of Natural Resources throughout the week, to check on the status. Their number is 800-334-6946 - you'll have to navigate through some prompts but will eventually get to an option where you can speak to a real person to ask about the current situation.



Good luck!

Looks like they finished!

For cycling information in the midwest area the following is a good resource, although not well named. The Kansas Cyclist would be better named the Midwest Cyclist as it includes riding events, rails-to-trails, bike clubs, bike shops, bike news, for the states of Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma.



http://www.kansascyclist.com/



I find this side usefull and thought other Katy types might also.

Thanks for the link. I live in KCMO. Half of these are in my back yard and I didn't even know about them..

I'm an avid cyclist and have 3 small boys (5,9 and 12). I was thinking about riding the entire trail sometime this summer.



The boy's have ridden 15 miles many times. My middle son did a 40 miles ride with me when he was 7. Have any of you taken small children for an extended distance like this? I am still in the planning stages. The boys are excited about the idea of riding across an entire state and riding a train back to the car.



Any input would be helpful.



Thanks

They should do well. The only thing I would consider is that unlike riding around the neighborhood the trail doesn't allow for much coasting. Thus little legs would have to be pumping pretty much non-stop. Sounds like the ticket for fun. Enjoy.

I think it's a great idea to do the ride with your boys but I'm a little concerned about the 2 younger ones. It's one thing to ride 30 - 40 miles in a day but it's a whole different ball game when you do it for 5 or 6 days in a row. Is there any possibility you could have someone shadow you in a sag vehicle?

We rode the trail from Sedalia to Jeff City in 2 days at the end of November, spending the

night in Boonville. Our 2 boys are 8 & 10 and we found they could handle 35-45 miles per

day. Unlike riding on pavement, you are constantly pedaling on the Katy, which will wear the

children (& adults!) down, not to mention give you a sore bottom. For us, doing different

sections of the Katy at different times works best. This spring, we are planning to ride from

Jeff City to Washington, another 80 mile trip in 2 days. We found Amtrak to be very

accommodating; they even helped us to carry each bike onto/off of the train. Be sure to call

them ahead of time to make a reservation for you & your bikes. Enjoy your trip! The Katy

makes for a great family adventure.

We have made several trips on the Katy with our kids, starting when they were about 5. We found a trail-a-bike to be the way to go when they were younger--they could pedal when they wanted to, and just ride along when they were tired. I definitely recommend a short day part way through to rest up a bit. In fact, you might try to do a loop, with the Amtrak stretch in the middle--for example, ride from Sedalia to Jeff City in a couple of days, then take the train back to Sedalia and do the western end (you would have to use a shuttle or go there and back). Also, most, but not all B*B's are kid friendly--check around. If you do the western end, I highly recommend Cruce's cabooses for 3 boys. Pack plenty of snacks and water--it can be a long, hot haul between places to get supplies! It's great fun, though. Go for it!

Our first ride my youngest was 8 and did fine..but we only did a 2 day ride. I think she could have handled more.

I would be a bit worried about the 5 year old though.

I think you can gauge your child though and will be able to tell.

Bring lots of extra water and lots of snacks.

We always carried string cheese and beef sticks ... and would stop often for mini snacks and to explore.

Mom to 3

Even for the older kids (between 15 and 18) that aren't used to riding a lot if at all. Would they have a lot of trouble you think?

Kids can get saddle-sore just like adults, and that's really the only problem. You want to ride at least some first, and I highly recommend bike shorts, but as far as just doing the ride, you'll have no problem. Be sure to take enough water, and don't forget to drink it.

What about for those who might be a little body-concious? Or even for weather that might not be warm enough for shorts. What type of pants would you suggest? I have a funny feeling that stretchy wouldn't be a good idea. Too many interesting stories come from that kind of thing.

Bike shorts under tights or other pants work fine. You just need to use a velcro strap or rubber band on your ankles to keep your pants legs out of your chain. I don't recommend jeans--the seams will definitely bother you!

That makes sense. Kids wear jeans while riding bikes in town all the time. Is it just the longer distance and different terrain? There is one thing I was curious about. I've heard of wearing the shorts over the tights, but under them just sounds a little akward. But under pants I do all the time. It's a lot more comfortable once you get them unrolled. You seem to have a lot of experience with this stuff. How lonw have you been riding? I used to ride all the time. I could even do some stunt biking. But it's been around 4 years since then. That's another reason I enjoy this class so much we get to do all the outdoors stuff I love and haven't had a chance to do for a long time. Heck I even learned how to swim. Which was interesting. You'd think that some one that loves being outside would know that already but it was fun to learn even at my age.

How close to N. Jefferson does one need to ride from the east to see the Capitol? Randy, Edwardsville,Il

A mile or so.

I love that Q.. It is the core of my riding experience. One trip with many riders I saw a guy with a 49 buck huffy and along side was a 5,000 buck trek full suspension. Hey anythings better than walking the thing. PART OF THE FUN is the prep while off the bike. YES to the garage sale frankenstein bike. There are lots of old lugged frames out there. Many bike shops are grabben these up and making them into one speeds. I am a diehard frankensteiner ( one level below a fixie) and love the challenge of taking old bike junk and turning it into a speedo rocket. Used bike parts are like looking for hidden gold. Bike shops like new part sales, but many old roadies have old parts just thrown in baskets in basements. If you can do your own axle overhaul and have access to used parts then go for it. The ride experience on a hand-rebuilt bike is as good as it gets. It is like making a raft to escape a long lost island. Great joy and satisfaction comes from this experience. It is easy to go and buy a new bike, but something special happens to the ride experience when you make yur own bike. From the old Frankensteiner Dale Cannon

Hey Old Frank'n Dale.....ya don't have any old school 7 speed Shimano bar end shifters in any of the archived garage sale stuff do ya? Am lookin for some for the longbike.

i am planning a trip for 6 adults 2 hermann. we are travelling 6 hrs to get there. is the katy trail worthwhile - we're NOT avid bikers but enjoy nature. is tge mckitrick trailhead a gd startin pt. so id like 2 know if we should stay some place near the trail or should we stay near the wineries [some of us are winos]. please help... we're only stayin 2 nts.

Wut 2 sa 2 ansr - yes

Specifically, my question is this...as a first time visitor, I would like to know if the Katy Trail is worthwhile. Again, I'm not an avid biker, but would definitely be up for maybe a 10 mile ride roundtrip. I'm torn btw/getting a place to stay right on the trail or staying near the wineries. I want to experience both things....any suggestions?????

It would easily kill a half-day or so but you could drive to the Dutzow trailhead and ride the trail to Augusta. You can take in the wineries and micro-brewery at Augusta and then stop for a glass or two at Blumenhof when you get back to Dutzow. It's about a 15 mile round trip and I think you would probably enjoy it. One word of warning though....it's a pretty steep walk up to the Mt. Pleasant winery in Augusta.

Excellent recomendation from brother Jim, although I beleive you could kill a whole day under that plan if you took your time. Check out the Blumenhof Winery web site before your trip to see if they will have any live entertainment (local talent usually on Friday, Saturday and Sunday when in season).

what town is the campground with the refrigerators and the honour system of payment? I stayed there on my one trip, and would like to again on the second. I just can't remember what it is called or where it is. this is why.



I left the Roundhouse(recomended, they were very nice)planning to stay at tebbets, but all the bored local teenagers hanging about with absolutely nothing to do turned me off, and the key was not where I was told it would be, so I remember pushing on, eating at Mokane(really good buffalo wings and lots of fairly drunk folks to watch) then to portland, but all the bullet holes in the signs kind of made me nervous, kept going, and it was pretty dark and I was at the 120 mile mark on my daily tripometer from all the sidetrips so it was all kind of fuzzy. the Mosquitos were pretty happy to see me so bloodloss may have been a factor. when I found the place it was like a mirage. but a mirage with a shower and cold gatorade. I left before dawn, so the pictures that I took are very poor and I cant make them out.



I do plan a more relaxed east to west. I was on a 27 inch tourer with 1 1/4 tires and averaged 18 mph with no flats. I will be on a 26 inch knobby tourer and plan on lots and lots of flats and a average of 9 mph so I get to see something this time.

thanks, jason

Steamboat Junction at Bluffton

thanks Trek



that is the coolest campground. I loved making change out of the big bowl.

Fun seekers beware.

This casino and hotel is not a place to have adult fun. We had 15 friends that came to the Isle of Capri from all over Missouri to celebrate a 60th birthday party. Here are the issues:

One of my friends was stopped and questioned on his way into the casino at 3:15 in the afternoon after his 2 hour drive up from St Louis and had not consumed any alcohol. Another 60 year young lady friend was escorted off by three casino officials after a total of 3 beers at approx 5:30 or 6:00 after arriving and checking in at 2:30. She offered to take a sobriety check, breathalizer or other recourse she might have to prove she was not intoxicated. Just celebrating small jackpots with the other 6 ladies/friends that were gathered around the slot machine they were playing together. They offered none not even a warning. Well we all left the casino after that and ended up celebrating my friends birthday in our rooms. Comps, I don't think so. Between the tables and slots I ran over two thousand dollars thru and the players club offered me something at the deli.(Wow) There is no bar except the casino bar that I could find so there is no other night life to speak of except dining at the complex. This is a very strict casino where laughter and celebration is a sure sign of intoxication and therefore a sure way to be kicked out. I was not located where this happened and these are the reports shared with me after the fact from the friends that were present. Rooms are OK and my frineds that did eat said the food was good. Machines are tight, some of the dealers were fun others may have been machines I could not tell. We will never go back and I would not recommend this facility to anyone wanting to have a good time.

Fun seekers beware.

This casino and hotel is not a place to have adult fun. We had 15 friends that came to the Isle of Capri from all over Missouri to celebrate a 60th birthday party. Here are the issues:

One of my friends was stopped and questioned on his way into the casino at 3:15 in the afternoon after his 2 hour drive up from St Louis and had not consumed any alcohol. Another 60 year young lady friend was escorted off by three casino officials after a total of 3 beers at approx 5:30 or 6:00 after arriving and checking in at 2:30. She offered to take a sobriety check, breathalizer or other recourse she might have to prove she was not intoxicated. Just celebrating small jackpots with the other 6 ladies/friends that were gathered around the slot machine they were playing together. They offered none not even a warning. Well we all left the casino after that and ended up celebrating my friends birthday in our rooms. Comps, I don't think so. Between the tables and slots I ran over two thousand dollars thru and the players club offered me something at the deli.(Wow) There is no bar except the casino bar that I could find so there is no other night life to speak of except dining at the complex. This is a very strict casino where laughter and celebration is a sure sign of intoxication and therefore a sure way to be kicked out. I was not located where this happened and these are the reports shared with me after the fact from the friends that were present. Rooms are OK and my frineds that did eat said the food was good. Machines are tight, some of the dealers were fun others may have been machines I could not tell. We will never go back and I would not recommend this facility to anyone wanting to have a good time.

Well Not, I think it's all just bad Karma. That seems to be life.....sometimes ya have a good day on the trail....and sometimes it rains and ya have a flat. But don't stop riding. Brush yourself off and get back on the bike my friend. My last trip to the Isle of Capri landed a hundred bucks on a 10 dollar investment (dollar slot machine on the end of the row) the night before a wonderful ride to Jefferson City and back the next day. I felt very fortunate to be able to reinvest my money at Glen's and the Hotel Frederick to help support the local Boonville economy.

Well Not, I think it's all just bad Karma. That seems to be life.....sometimes ya have a good day on the trail....and sometimes it rains and ya have a flat. But don't stop riding. Brush yourself off and get back on the bike my friend. My last trip to the Isle of Capri landed a hundred bucks on a 10 dollar investment (dollar slot machine on the end of the row) the night before a wonderful ride to Jefferson City and back the next day. I felt very fortunate to be able to reinvest my money at Glen's and the Hotel Frederick to help support the local Boonville economy.

We stopped here in February. Had a great night socializing with the locals. The gal that must cook was sick and we were offered only hot pockets for the "grill" portion. Jim was a great man and helped us with all we needed. We will show back up later in the season to enjoy the karaoke again.

We stopped here in February. Had a great night socializing with the locals. The gal that must cook was sick and we were offered only hot pockets for the "grill" portion. Jim was a great man and helped us with all we needed. We will show back up later in the season to enjoy the karaoke again.

The shelter was technically closed for the season, but we were told we could stay. The water was shut off and the furnace was not on. It was cold but were able to get a space heater from the bar next door to help take the chill out of the air. Very clean and will stay again.

The shelter was technically closed for the season, but we were told we could stay. The water was shut off and the furnace was not on. It was cold but were able to get a space heater from the bar next door to help take the chill out of the air. Very clean and will stay again.

We stopped here for lunch on our way to Tebbetts from St. Charles. The young girl that was working was very helpful and gave us everything we wanted. The room upstairs has 2 beds and can be reserved for $45 and the room next to it for another $5. We plan to stay there on our next trip. Definately worth the stop.

We stopped here for lunch on our way to Tebbetts from St. Charles. The young girl that was working was very helpful and gave us everything we wanted. The room upstairs has 2 beds and can be reserved for $45 and the room next to it for another $5. We plan to stay there on our next trip. Definately worth the stop.

If you are planning a KATY Trail Bike Trip this year, and are looking for a great overnight stay, think Hotel Frederick. Located in Boonville, this 103 year old property was renovated last year and offers great amenities for bikers, bike storage, great food, free wi-fi to check your e-mails, lobby bar, flat screen tvs, with dvd players, we have a video library that is free to our guests. Located across the street from the trail on the west side of the Boonslick Bridge, we cater to bikers. Our web-site is hotelfrederick@yahoo.com, or call 660-882-2828, e-mail us at hotelfrederick@sbcglobal.net We discount all rooms for bikers!

Happy Biking in 2008

We have stayed at the Frederick on a Katy ride, and it is wonderful, plus Glenn's cafe, in the hotel, was a great place for dinner. I believe they do a weekend brunch as well. We also took advantage of the on-site massage service.

Excellent Bar and night club, lots of fun!!

All the employees are very nice besides a guy named Jim?

This guy"Jim" seemed to only bring down the joint, not sure if he's the owner, but I am sure that he's on some sort of drugs my forsure guess is speed"meth?".



Besides that guy, this place rocks!!!!!



JJ

Excellent Bar and night club, lots of fun!!

All the employees are very nice besides a guy named Jim?

This guy"Jim" seemed to only bring down the joint, not sure if he's the owner, but I am sure that he's on some sort of drugs my forsure guess is speed"meth?".



Besides that guy, this place rocks!!!!!



JJ

Thats funny jj! They all look like there on meth down there! And why is it that they only take pics of big boOb blond hair girls? I don't have any of that but i'm good looking to! I want my pic taken! THANKS!

Thats funny jj! They all look like there on meth down there! And why is it that they only take pics of big boOb blond hair girls? I don't have any of that but i'm good looking to! I want my pic taken! THANKS!

What is the status of the law suit on the Boonville bridge? Also, when is the projected finish of the extension to Pleasant Hill? Also, somebody told me they would eventually extend it to Leeds, which is in KCMO. Any truth to that?

Our school has a new sort of PE class this year and they like to get out and about. Our instructor plans to get us out on the Katy trail for some extra credit when it warms up. What are the best stretches within a 2 day bike ride from here?

IMHO....I doubt that you can ride from Hannibal to what most would deam "the best stretches" in your required time allotment of two days...if you did by chance make it, you wouldn't have time to get home.

I would suggest going to Defiance and riding west. If your class needs to rent bikes you can do that at the Bike shop in Defiance. He will give you a group deal. His rates are very reasonable and it would be better than trying to haul a whole class's bikes. Also he would outfit you with the type of bike that would work right on the trail. Just click on the town of Defiance on this site and you can get all the info you need. The trail is very flat so you shouldn't have any problem riding it, just a lot of pedaling. Hope this info helps. You will have a good time on the trail.

Our instructor has decided that we might take a bus to a site on the trail that is nearby. I'm told that this is one of the most scenic trails in the area. Personally I've never used it before. We have some bikes at our disposal but I don't know if we'll be using them or renting. I really appreciate the input. Anything else you could suggest would be very helpful and appreciated.

And thanks Cliff might try to look in to the stuff at Defiance. It sounds like a really nice stop.

Am I the only forum reader who is getting dizzy from the flashing "Sweetskinz" graphic on every post? Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with ads on a great free site like this, but the flashing is driving me to distraction! Bwa ha ha! :-S

Thanks for pointing that out Brian. I knew the ad was a little "loud" but did not realize how bad it was until I sat at the forum page for a while (I usually review the forum through an administrative web page so I didn't see the ad all the time).

I replaced the obnoxious ad with one that is less likely to put you into a hypnotic trance.

Thanks, Ray! Much better. After you changed it, I even clicked on the ad & went to their site, so maybe you'll get some extra revenue. ;-)