Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railway

Buffalo Bayou, Brazos, and Colorado Railway. This was the oldest component of the Southern Pacific Transportation Company, dating to 1852. Also was the first railroad in Texas.

Construction started at Harrisburg, Texas and built west to the Colorado River (of Texas). Often this line is misrepresented as starting at Houston but it was actually Harrisburg. Harrisburg and Houston were separate and competing towns located several miles apart in those days (Harrisburg is now just a small neighborhood in Houston).

The original charter called for the line to build to Austin. After the Civil War and foreclosure, the charter was amended. The name was changed to the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway. At this time the line was extended to and beyond San Antonio, never reaching Austin. The interests controlling the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway were friendly to those controlling the Southern Pacific.

Sources: A History of the Texas Railroads by S. G. Reed; and the on line version of the Handbook of Texas.