Railroad:

Louisiana & Arkansas (Kansas City Southern)

Location:

Depot Street- Avinger, Texas

On Original Site:

Yes

Currently Used:

Unknown

Photographer:

Michael G. Ellis - Jacksonville, Texas

Other Notes:

It is the original....striking resemblance to the depots at Pittsburg and Jefferson. All the paint is faded away on it, but the "Avinger" signs on both ends are intact (although barely readble). It appears to be in structurally good shape and is perched atop concrete blocks on an old concrete foundation right off Depot Street.

Its new home is not where it orignally stood. Chuck Harris informs me that it sat between the mainline and the house track (which is partially intact) north of the Depot Street crossing. Now it is south of the Depot Street crossing and further away from the tracks. Upon close inspection I noticed two KCS heralds (decals) in one of the bay windows. It has a tin roof on it which I doubt is orginal. There is about a 2" dia hole on the west side where the operating rod for the train order signal came through. It was a fig. 8, or "butterfly" or Nunn type.

In 1940, the L&A rebuilt the old Katy depots at Jefferson, Avinger, Pittsburg, and Karnack into much smaller structures-- sans waiting rooms. All looked pretty much the same. The depots at Jefferson and Pittsburg received asbestos siding in June and July 1948.

The depots at Campbell, Cumby, Brashear, Como, Pickton, Newsome, Leesburg, Cason, and Lassater were all demolished about the same time.

Sumitted by Nathan Bailey & Chuck Harris