Heart of Texas Railroad
| Heart of Texas Railroad | |
|---|---|
| Reporting mark | HTR |
| Locale | Texas |
| Dates of operation | 2013– |
| Predecessor | Gulf, Colorado and San Saba Railway |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Length | 67.5 miles (108.6 km) |
| Headquarters | Brady, Texas |
The Heart of Texas Railroad (reporting mark HTR) is a short-line railroad headquartered in Brady, Texas. The railroad operates a former Santa Fe branch line from an interchange with the BNSF Railway at Lometa to Brady. It acquired the line from the bankrupt Gulf, Colorado and San Saba Railway in 2013.
History
The company was organized in 2012 and acquired the 67.5-mile (108.6 km) line from the bankrupt Gulf, Colorado and San Saba Railway in 2013.[1] Operations began on January 29 of that year.[2] On May 19, 2013, a 300-yard (270 m)-long trestle carrying the tracks over the Colorado River about 10 mi (16 km) west of Lometa burned and collapsed. The fire, of unknown origin, began on the western side of the trestle about 4 p.m.; by the time volunteer firefighters from Lometa arrived, the fire was uncontrollable. There were no injuries. At the time the potential loss to the company was estimated at $10 million.[3][4] The company contracted with JCF Bridge & Concrete to replace the bridge, and the new span opened on May 16, 2014. The bridge cost $4 million.[5]
Operations
The Heart of Texas interchanges with the BNSF Railway at Lometa. It primarily carries frac sand from hydraulic fracturing.[5]
References
- ↑ 78 FR 802
- ↑ "Employer Status Determination: Heart of Texas Railroad" (PDF). Railroad Retirement Board. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
- ↑ "Fire Consumes Central Texas Railroad Bridge". KWTX-TV. 23 May 2013. Archived from the original on 8 June 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
- ↑ "Burning railroad bridge collapses in Central Texas". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. 23 May 2013. Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Tindle, Brian (April 2015). "Heart of Texas bounces back". Trains 75 (4): 12–13.
External links
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