Dave's Depots - St. Louis Soutwestern Railway - Tyler, Texas

This week found me back on the road for work for the first time in about seven weeks. It's been a comparatively light travel year for me, as I've "only" boarded an American Airlines jet 61 times since January 1, 2011. I still need four more flights to keep my Platinum status with the airline.

Work recently took me to Tyler, Texas, the county seat of Smith County. The town is located at the crossing of the St. Louis Southwestern Railway's (also known as the Cotton Belt) mainline and a line of the Missouri Pacific Subsidiary International Great Northern Railroad. The depot is an attractive structure, constructed out of brick, with a tile roof. A local model train museum is located in the freight house portion of the depot. The main portion of the building houses the offices of the local transit authority.

Hanging on the depot wall was the original Arrival and Departure board. The Cotton Belt wasn't really known for its passenger service. Everywhere it went, the Missouri Pacific went, usually faster and with better equipment. The Cotton Belt went freight only through Tyler in 1956 and ran its last passenger train in 1959.