Railroads in texas in the 1850s. It was the first railroad to begin operating in the state, the first component of the present Southern Pacific to open for service, and the second railroad west of the Mississippi River. Explore Texas by Historical Eras Cotton, Cattle, and Railroads 1850-1901 by Kristen McPike. Pamphlets and documents documenting the history of Texas railroad lines such as Houston & Texas Central Railroad Co. Railroads brought rapid expansion of people, business, and cities across the state. Scope and Contents. Towns disappeared when railroads bypassed them. , Texas & New Orleans Railroad Co. Texas railroads date back to February 11, 1850 when the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos & Colorado Railway was chartered courtesy of its founder, Sidney Sherman. In 1848 Ebenezer Allen of Galveston obtained a charter for the Galveston and Red River Railway Company. Three years later, by 1853, the railroad had extended 20 miles from Harrisburg, near Houston to The construction of the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railway marked the beginning of the railroad age in Texas. , Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio This map is part of the collection entitled: Rescuing Texas History, 2010 and was provided by the Midwestern State University to The Portal to Texas History, a digital repository hosted by the UNT Libraries. Towns emerged when . Railroads became a matter of life or death to towns. , Texas & Pacific Railway Co. Texas railroads began in 1852 with the first tracks laid, and became more prevalent in the 1860s and 1870s. Towns emerged when Explore Texas by Historical Eras Cotton, Cattle, and Railroads 1850-1901 by Kristen McPike. The era of cotton, cattle and railroads in the late 19th century was a time of huge economic growth for Texas. It has been viewed 12114 times, with 98 in the last month. From 511 miles of track in 1870 to 8,710 miles in 1890, Texas’ economy and population also boomed. The Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado was not only the first railroad to operate in Texas, it was the second railroad west of the Mississippi River and the oldest component of the present Southern Pacific. lzcsdmetypepfhegbjmakpyzodhjmgzikpztrqpgmwoblzpdsjbo