JOPLIN BRANCH
Katy operated a branchline from the Kansas City-Texas mainline at Oswego, Kansas to Joplin, MO. This line was built to serve the mining industries in the southwsest Missouri area. Katy abandoned much of it's own route into Joplin in the early 1980's- though it continued to serve the city up until the UP merger by way of trackage rights on BN's nearby line via Galena, KS. Some of the ex-MKT trackage in the city is still in place and is operated by the MNA.

ST. JOSEPH BRANCH
After the Rock Island went bankrupt in 1980, the Katy purchased a lot of it's trackage- including the Rock's line from Topeka and Atchison, KS to St. Joseph, MO. Katy's ex-RI lines, including the St. Joseph branch, were operated by it's subsidiary Oklahoma-Kansas Texas Railroad. The OKKT was basically a "paper" railroad; it existed mainly in name only and was operated using MKT-painted engines and equipment (though a few freight cars did receive the unique OKKT scheme and lettering). After only a couple years of operation to St. Joe, the Katy jumped ship and the rails were pulled up. Katy continued to serve Topeka and Atchison via trackage rights on other UP lines.

KANSAS CITY TRACKAGE
Katy's main north-south trunk from Texas entered Missouri in Kansas City, via trackage rights on the BN (ex-Frisco) from Paola, KS. This line is still operated by Union Pacific and is one of the busiest in it's system- carrying far more freight currently than it did during MKT ownership.