The Katy began with the 4-4-0 American Type as did most other railroads. The road may have been the only class 1 line to begin and end the steam era with the 4-4-0 American type on the engine roster. Katy number 311 was loaned to the St. Louis Museum of Transport in the 1950's and is the only Katy steam engine to escape the scrappers torch.

The Katy engine roster showed mostly small and medium engine types during the steam era and included some of the first 4-4-2 Atlantic types in the country. Ten 2-10-0 Russian Decapod types were assigned to the Katy during WWI but no known photos exist of these engines in service. All would leave for other railroads with engine number 8010 going to the Frisco and renumbered 1623. A few narrow gauge road engines appeared on the Katy roster when the East Line and Red River R.R. was purchased in 1881, this line was converted to standard gauge a short time later. The 2-6-0 Mogul type was most favored in numbers, the Katy likely owned more of this type than any other railroad in the country. Four of these engines from Grant Locomotive Works were on the roster in 1873 with engine number 508 the last steam engine used in service on the Katy after more than 50 years of service when removed from the engine roster in 1954.

The largest engines used by the railroad would be 4-6-2 Pacific and 2-8-2 Mikado types. With the ten Lima built superheated 0-8-0 switchers purchased in 1925, these would be the last steam powered engines purchased by the Katy.

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