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R A I L R O A D   C O L L E C T I O N

This collection will record information about Robertson County's railroads.  In the mid- to late-1800s and very early 1900s, several railroads were built in Robertson County.  These included:

• Houston & Texas Central Railway crossed Robertson County in a north-south direction.  Local places along the H&TC route included: (in Brazos County) Bryan; (in Robertson County) Benchley, Sutton, Hearne (where it crosses I&GN Railroad), Seger, Calvert, Hammond, Hogg, & Bremond.  In Bremond, the road split in two directions - one going through Reagan and Marlin (both in Falls County) towards Waco, another going through Kosse (in Limestone County) towards Dallas.  The line between Bremond & Waco was abandoned in 1967;
• International Railroad, a predecessor railroad to the International & Great Northern, merged with the Houston & Great Northern Railroad in September 1873;
• International & Great Northern Railroad crossed Robertson County in an east-west direction.  Local places along the I&GN route included: (in Milam County) Gause & Nashville (where it crosses Brazos River); (in Robertson County) Valley Junction (where it crosses CW&BV Railroad), Hearne (where it crosses H&TC Railway), Elliott, Franklin, Englewood, New Baden, Easterly, Lake, & Ridge; (in Leon County) Marquez;
• Hearne & Brazos Valley Railway, which ran in a north-south direction through the Brazos bottom in southwestern Robertson County, provided a means for Brazos bottom farmers to transport their cotton to market between Stone City and Hearne.  Local places along the H&BV route included: (in Brazos County) Stone City, Law, Sims, Mudville, & Mooring; (in Robertson County) Astin, Mumford, Nicholas, Tatsie, Tatsie Crossing (where it crosses CW&BV Railroad), & Hearne (where it connects with H&TC Railway);
• Calvert, Waco, & Brazos Valley Railroad ran in a north-south direction through western Robertson County on its route from Spring (near Houston) to Fort Worth.  Local places along the CW&BV route included: (in Brazos County) Bryan; (in Robertson County) Mumford, Nicholas, Tatsie, Tatsie Crossing (where it crosses H&BV Railway), Valley Junction (where it crosses I&GN Railroad), Goodland, Marvin, Barton, Calvert Junction (spur track to Calvert built but abandoned in 1934), AJ Siding, & Salter; (in Falls County) Eloise, Highbank, Coymack, & Marlin;
• Wootan Wells mule train connected the Houston & Texas Central Railway at Hammond Switch with the Wootan Wells spa/resort; &
• Port Sullivan, Belton, & Northwestern Railroad, if it had ever been built, was to have run from Hearne to Belton by way of Port Sullivan in Milam County, then northwesterly towards the Texas state line.

Resources	Descriptions
Early Hearne & Mumford Railroad Photos	Photographs to left & right & on row below were contributed by Norman Lowell McCarver, Jr. Photographs to left & right are from History Of Robertson County by John Walter Baker, pp. 273 & 315.
	Hearne Railroad Depot, Hwy 6 at crossing of Southern Pacific & Missouri Pacific Railroads At the junction of the Missouri Pacific & Southern Pacific Railroads, Hearne is called the "Crossroads Of Texas." Constructed in 1901 as a joint venture by the then Houston & Texas Central (H&TC) and International & Great Northern (I&GN) Railroads.  A single story frame structure, it has two decorative towers.  The "stick style," design size, and interior details reflect the importance of the junction and the passenger traffic of the period.  Also at the location was a Harvey House Restaurant and a Wells Fargo Railway Express building.  Efforts are underway in 2003 to transform Hearne's historic depot into a visitors center & museum.  The Hearne Railroad Depot is one of 12 buildings or groups of buildings in Robertson County that is preserved in the U.S. Library of Congress American Memory Collection.  To view architectural drawings and floor plans of this historic depot, go to Hearne Railroad Depot (HABS).  For additional information, go to Hearne Democrat Newspaper Article, City Of Hearne Depot Page, Jim Dent's Texas Depots, & Depots Of The Southern Pacific.  Join the Hearne Depot Message Board to stay posted of latest developments.  Texas Historic Marker pending
	New Baden Railroad Depot The old New Baden Railroad depot was sold by the Schultz family in 1999 and moved to San Marcos. It has begun a new life as the "New Baden Bakery" as part of Centerpoint Station.  This retail enterprise is on the right-hand side of Interstate 35 past the town of San Marcos (when heading towards San Antonio) and just before the Prime Outlets.  Take the Centerpoint Road exit (exit 200).  The old depot is located at 29 49 43 N / -97 59 07 W (TopoZone Map).  The three color photographs were taken shortly after the depot was moved and before it was converted into a bakery.
	New Baden Railroad Depot (continued) These two pictures show what the New Baden Depot looks like today in its refurbished form.  Originally built by the International & Great Northern Railroad, the New Baden Depot was a freight and passenger depot combination with clipped gables and 6/6 light windows.  Texas Historical Commission Information On This Depot
	Franklin Railroad Depot Where is it now?  Does anybody know?  Please contact William Kent Brunette.
	Bremond Railroad Depot Depots Of The Southern Pacific
	Calvert Railroad Depot Depots Of The Southern Pacific Photograph to left is from History Of Robertson County by John Walter Baker, p. 457.
	Benchley Railroad Depot & Pump Station Depots Of The Southern Pacific Photograph to left is from History Of Robertson County by John Walter Baker, p. 336.
Hearne On The Brazos	This book, by Norman Lowell McCarver Sr. & Norman Lowell McCarver Jr., has references to several Robertson County railroads throughout.  The following chapters specifically deal with the following:   Houston & Texas Central Railway   International & Great Northern Railroad Hearne & Brazos Valley Railway Old Railroad Stories Pacific Fruit Express
Railroad Construction Timelines In Robertson County	Houston & Texas Central Railway 1856 - building northward from Houston 1860 - reaches Millican 1860 - 1867 - Millican remains railhead 1867 - reaches Bryan 1868 - reaches Hearne 1869 - reaches Calvert 1872 - reaches Dallas 1873 - reaches Denison 1883 - acquired by Southern Pacific Railroad 1901 - Union Pacific Railroad purchases Southern Pacific Railroad 1967 - line between Bremond & Waco abandoned (see Bremond Ghost Railroad below) International Railroad 12.1870 - work begins (building eastward from Hearne) 12.1871 - 1st 50 miles completed 7.1872 - reaches Palestine 1.1873 - reaches Longview (building westward from Hearne) 1873 - crosses Brazos River 9.1873 - merges with Houston & Great Northern Railroad to become International & Great Northern Railroad 1874 - reaches Rockdale 1876 - reaches Austin 1881 - reaches San Antonio & Laredo 1.1.1925 - acquired by Missouri Pacific Railroad 1982 - Union Pacific, Missouri Pacific, & Western Pacific Railroads merge Hearne & Brazos Valley Railway 1892 - built 16 miles of track between Stone City & Valley Junction 1899 - almost destroyed by flood 1900-1901 - rebuilt from Stone City to Tatsie Crossing & extended to Hearne 6.1914 - acquired by Houston & Texas Central Railway Calvert, Waco, & Brazos Valley Railroad By end of 1900, completed 62 miles through Brazos River bottom from Bryan to Marlin with a branch from Calvert Junction to Calvert 1934 - three-mile line between Calvert & Calvert Junction abandoned (see Calvert Ghost Railroad below) 5.1.1901 - acquired by International & Great Northern Railroad
Calvert Ghost Railroad	The Calvert Ghost Railroad was a spur of the Calvert, Waco, & Brazos Valley Railroad that was built by the end of 1900.  After operating for almost 3 1/2 decades, the three-mile route was abandoned in 1934.  This ghost railroad appears on two Calvert fire insurance maps (Fire Map #1 & Fire Map #2).  Its route (from the river bottom road up behind the Calvert County Club) is identified as the "old railroad grade" on Calvert TopoZone Map #1.  Calvert TopoZone Map #2 shows this route in greater detail.
Bremond Ghost Railroad	The Bremond Ghost Railroad was a route of the Houston & Texas Central Railway that connected Bremond with Marlin and Waco.  After operating for roughly a century, the Bremond to Waco route was abandoned in 1967.  Its route is identified as the "old railroad grade" on Bremond TopoZone Map #1.  The purple hashed line going out of Bremond to the northwest on Bremond TopoZone Map #2 shows the former location of this line in greater detail.
Sutton Ghost Railroad	The Sutton Ghost Railroad was outside of Sutton (between Benchley & Hearne) on the Houston & Texas Central Railway.  It consisted of a "Y" connection at the Houston & Texas Central Railway tracks and extended about a mile into what is now a farmer's pasture.  This route is identified as the "old railroad grade" on Sutton Ghost Railroad #1. Sutton Ghost Railroad #2 shows the former location of this line in greater detail.
Wootan Wells Ghost Mule Train	The Wootan Wells Ghost Mule Train operated between the Wootan Wells spa/resort and Wootan Wells Station (near where highways 6 and 14 branch).  The location of Wootan Wells itself is marked by the red cross on Wootan Wells Ghost Mule Train TopoZone Map.  For additional information, go to Wootan Wells Collection. Photographs on left & right above are from History Of Robertson County by J. W. Baker, pp. 420 & 423.
Historic Railroad Route Maps Through Robertson County	1860 Robertson County Railroad Map [ View Full Map ] 1867 Robertson County Railroad Map [ View Full Map ] 1871 Robertson County Railroad Map [ View Full Map ] 1872 Robertson County Railroad Map [ View Full Map ] 1883 Robertson County Railroad Map [ View Full Map ] 1883 Robertson County Railroad Map [ View Full Map ] These Maps Are From The U.S. Library Of Congress American Memory Railroad Maps Collection
Railroad Promotional Materials	In an effort to entice immigrants and others to settle in areas along their routes, railroads developed promotional brochures that included information about Texas, timetables, maps, and other data.  Some of these, like the New Baden pamphlet below, were written in German & other languages and circulated in Europe to potential settlers before they left their homelands. 1885 Houston & Texas Central Railway Pamphlet 1878 International & Great Northern Railroad Pamphlets 1882 Deutsch Colony New Baden Pamphlet
Model Trains & International & Great Northern Railroad Memorabilia	International & Great Northern Model Train Operating Stockcar Marx Model No. 54099 International & Great Northern Railroad stamped on hilt of brass switch key.  Serif letters and tapered barrel single ring key. If you have International & Great Northern Railroad model trains or memorabilia from this railroad, please contact William Kent Brunette.
Model Trains & Houston & Texas Central Railway Memorabilia	Houston & Texas Central MDC / Roundhouse HO twin-pak 36" old time model boxcar. The cars are tuscan with white lettering. Kit number 32804, car road numbers 7079 and 7087. If you have Houston & Texas Central Railway model trains or memorabilia from this railroad, please contact William Kent Brunette.
GATX	Union Pacific Railroad engine pulling GATX tank cars. Hearne is still a busy rail center.  GATX Rail specializes in providing a full range of services for repairing, cleaning, painting, and lining railcars.  One of its three North American service centers is located in Hearne.  Positioned between two Union Pacific main lines, the Hearne facility is situated on 141 acres and has 8.9 miles of trackage.  Its 210,000 square foot repair area can accommodate up to 400 cars.
Relevant Railroad Links	Brazos Valley Model Railroad Society (Bryan) Leonard Ruback's RailFan Photos (many in Robertson County) Recent Railroad Improvements Around Hearne Union Pacific Historical Society Missouri Pacific Historical Society Southern Pacific Historical & Technical Society Texas Railroading The Age Of Steam Railroad Museum In Dallas Texas State Railroad State Park Austin Steam Train

Logos Of Some Of The Railroads That Have Operated In Robertson County Over The Years