Katy Flyer was built by American Car & Foundry in 1953 as 44-seat coach #5468, configured with coach seating for 44 passengers and public restrooms at both ends.
#5468 was renamed the Katy Flyer in 1993 after the Missouri Kansas & Texas Railroad flagship train the Katie Flyer. With service between St. Louis and southwest Texas, the Katie Flyer raced between Galveston, Texas, and St. Louis in about 37 hours. By 1961 the train name disappeared with the former Katie Flyer offering only coach service. All passenger service ended June 30, 1965.
In April 2022, Union Pacific officials announced that the company would donate Katy Flyer to RRHMA, which plans to restore it to operating condition. Read the complete article on the Union Pacific donation here.
