West Texas and Lubbock Railway
Encyclopedia
The West Texas and Lubbock Railway is a shortline railroad
in Texas
, owned by Iowa Pacific Holdings
through its Permian Basin Railways subsidiary. It connects the BNSF Railway
in Lubbock with agricultural and oil-producing areas to the west and southwest. The company operates 107 miles of two ex-Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
lines, extending to Whiteface and Seagraves parallel to State Highway 114
and U.S. Highway 62. The primary commodities hauled are fertilizer, construction aggregates, grain, cotton, chemicals, peanuts and plastics.
(ATSF) which changed its name to the South Plains and Santa Fe Railway(SPSF). The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
system, opened by the South Plains and Santa Fe Railway to Seagraves in 1918 and to Bledsoe in 1925 (later cut back to Whiteface). The Santa Fe sold the two lines to the Seagraves, Whiteface and Lubbock Railroad in April 1990, and in November 1995 RailAmerica
took over operations through the West Texas and Lubbock Railroad , which also operated the affiliated Plainview Terminal Company. Iowa Pacific Holdings organized the West Texas and Lubbock Railway, which began operating the West Texas and Lubbock Railroad under lease in 2002. In 2004 Iowa Pacific bought from RailAmerica the old WT&L, which still exists as a non-operating subsidiary. The new WT&L expanded its operations in January 2006 when it began providing emergency alternative rail service to two plants of PYCO Industries in Lubbock, since that operated by South Plains Switching was inadequate. PYCO acquired the line in November 2007 as a feeder line, and the WT&L continues to operate over it. Also in 2007, the WT&L bought the BNSF line between Plainview and Dimmitt, which Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
subsidiary Fort Worth and Denver South Plains Railway had completed in 1928.
Shortline railroad
A shortline railroad is a small or mid-sized railroad company that operates over a relatively short distance relative to larger, national railroad networks. The term is used primarily in the USA and Canada...
in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, owned by Iowa Pacific Holdings
Iowa Pacific Holdings
Iowa Pacific Holdings is a holding company that owns railroad properties across North America and the United Kingdom, as well as providing services such as railcar repairs and leasing and management and consulting services to other operators...
through its Permian Basin Railways subsidiary. It connects the BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
in Lubbock with agricultural and oil-producing areas to the west and southwest. The company operates 107 miles of two ex-Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
lines, extending to Whiteface and Seagraves parallel to State Highway 114
State Highway 114 (Texas)
State Highway 114 or SH 114 is a state highway that runs from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex westward across the state to the state border with New Mexico, where it becomes New Mexico State Road 114, which eventually ends at Elida, New Mexico at US 70/NM 330.-History:The route was originally...
and U.S. Highway 62. The primary commodities hauled are fertilizer, construction aggregates, grain, cotton, chemicals, peanuts and plastics.
History
The origin of the two lines that make up today’s WTLC is the Crosbyton-Southplains Railroad Company (CS) which was chartered in 1910 to built a line from Lubbock to Crosbyton, TX. n 1915, the CS was purchased by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe RailwayAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
(ATSF) which changed its name to the South Plains and Santa Fe Railway(SPSF). The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
system, opened by the South Plains and Santa Fe Railway to Seagraves in 1918 and to Bledsoe in 1925 (later cut back to Whiteface). The Santa Fe sold the two lines to the Seagraves, Whiteface and Lubbock Railroad in April 1990, and in November 1995 RailAmerica
RailAmerica
RailAmerica, Inc., based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a holding company of a number of short-line railroads and regional railroads in the United States and Canada....
took over operations through the West Texas and Lubbock Railroad , which also operated the affiliated Plainview Terminal Company. Iowa Pacific Holdings organized the West Texas and Lubbock Railway, which began operating the West Texas and Lubbock Railroad under lease in 2002. In 2004 Iowa Pacific bought from RailAmerica the old WT&L, which still exists as a non-operating subsidiary. The new WT&L expanded its operations in January 2006 when it began providing emergency alternative rail service to two plants of PYCO Industries in Lubbock, since that operated by South Plains Switching was inadequate. PYCO acquired the line in November 2007 as a feeder line, and the WT&L continues to operate over it. Also in 2007, the WT&L bought the BNSF line between Plainview and Dimmitt, which Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
subsidiary Fort Worth and Denver South Plains Railway had completed in 1928.
Cities Served
- Lubbock, TX
- Doud, TX
- Wollforth, TX
- Ropesville, TX
- Meadow, TX
- Brownfield, TX
- Wellman, TX
- Seagraves, TX
- Hurlwood, TX
- Smyer, TX
- Levelland, TX
- Whiteface, TX
- Wright
- Edmonson
- Grisham
- Hilburn
- Hart
- Roy
- Dimmitt
Locomotives Operated
- One EMD SD9043MAC
- Three EMD GP38's
- Two EMD F40 mother-mate sets
- One EMD GP20
Commodities Transported
- Chemicals
- Cotton
- Grain
- Farm Machinery
- Lumber
- Oilfield Supplies
- Peanuts
- Plastic
- Rock
- Fertilizer
- Animal/Poultry feedstock