Kingsville, Texas Missouri Pacific restored 100-year old depot dedication, Sunday, July 4, 2004.  Hundreds of people gathered in the 90+ degree heat to hear speeches, witness the ribbon cutting, and see the inside of the restored St Louis, Brownsville and Mexico, Missouri Pacific depot in Kingsville, Texas on July 4.  I met fellow-Railspotter Carl Codney at the depot earlier that day at the depot. I also heard that famous rail photographer Harold Vollrath once worked in the Kingsville depot many years ago. Here are a few photos of the event for the record.  There is a link to a sound MPEG movie I made of a UP southbound empty auto-rack train passing the depot at the end of this document. EMAIL


This Missouri Pacific caboose(No. 13327)  is sitting on the east side of US 77, a few miles away from the depot. The restored depot's Kingsville sign is only on the south side of the building.


They were selling hand fans and special medals, some priced at $50 and made of pure silver and gold plate.


This TV crew was from Corpus Christi.


Some of the crowd listing to 45 minutes of speeches about 4 p.m.




At exactly 433 p.m., after a proclamation was read from the Texas Governor, the ribbon was cut opening the newly restored depot. They had to stop people from entering the depot temporarily due to fire code restraints. Bet it was a long time ago when this many people visited this station, right? It is supposed to house a visitor's center and contain a rail-oriented museum by the end of August.


More of the crowds. The ladies at the depot door greeting the public were dressed in period costumes and were seen all around Kingsville during this centennial city celebration.






Views inside the depot. For a sound movie of a UP train passing the station southbound about 530 p.m. July 4, click on the link below. It's in MPEG format:

http://www.trainweather.com/070403depottrain-517pm-17.mpg