I am trying to find out about the train competition organized by Congress that led to the first train in Oklahoma. I know the Katy won the competion by getting the first track to the border from Kansas.

Questions: What other companies competeted and are there any anecdotes about the conflicts they had with each other?

Thanks

Other railroads intersted at the time was the St. Louis and San Francisco, known as the Frisco and the Atchiston, Topeka and Santa Fe. The Katy had a coup by reaching the Kansas border first. Their is a book on the Katy during the frontier era that might help. I believe it is published by the University of Kansas Press. Their were more train robberies in the Indian and Oklahoma territories than anywhere in the "Wild West."

The book Mr. Kid is referring to is V. V. Masterson, The Katy Railroad and the Last Frontier (Columbia and London: University of Missouri Press, 1952, 1978). I recall this book has been discussed before on this forum, and believe the consensus view was that while this is by far the best (and for all I know only) book on the early KATY, a newer history would certainly be welcome.

--meursault

Meursalt,

Thanks for the correction and information.

1886 A person could obtain a charter to build a railroad any place by asking for a charter and paying one dollar. Over forty railroad companies were chartered during the territorial period in hopes of becoming a branch of the transcontinental route in Kansas.
Three Railroad Companies competed for the route into Indian Territory (katy the winner). I think Oklahoma Kid has named them.