By Heidi Glaus
Sunset Hills, Mo (KSDK) -- A few weeks ago, Heidi Glaus told us that Katy in Katy Trail stands for Missouri, Kansas, Texas railroad or MKT. Soon after, a NewsChannel 5 viewer contacted Heidi and said her sister was Miss Katy.
Heidi Glaus went out to meet Miss Katy in this weeks' Hey Heidi segment.
She wasn't a household name like Goldie Hawn or Jane Fonda, but in 1969 Jane Kairuz was pretty darn famous.
"Yes, in railroad circles," Kairuz says.
During the late 60's and early 70's she was better known as Miss Katy.
"And I still am Miss Katy," Kairuz points out, as in the Katy Railroad.
"And at that time it was in disrepair, it was in debt, it was in terrible shape," Kairuz adds.
The new owner decided to put a positive spin on the situation.
"He decided he wanted a Miss Katy because the old Katy had a Miss Katy," Kairuz explains.
"I lucked out in that they wanted a girl that looked like the girl next door," she says.
Soon after she signed her contract, Miss Katy was pulling into towns along the rails to take pictures and speak on the company's behalf.
"This is her Christmas card. She was on just about everything," Kairuz goes on to say.
She even had her own doll. All of it, of course, has a special place in railroad history, which Jane found out a few years ago when she took her box of Miss Katy belongings to a special event with railroad enthusiasts.
"Everything they do is preserved in certain ways, and it's history, and kept for years and years and years, and all of my stuff was just in a big box, and they have gloves on holding things up, and, oh my goodness, she's just got this in a box," Kairuz says with a laugh.
Mind you, it's all still in that box, but her memories will never be derailed.
"You know I really had a great time doing this," Kairuz adds.
KSDK