Transportation: Chugging toward the future
Railways bring opportunity and challenges
In 1876 the International-Great Northern Railroad steamed into Williamson County and established depots not far from Austin that would become the cities of Taylor and Hutto.
Now, 150 years later, both municipalities are commemorating the importance of the railroad in 2026 with sesquicentennial celebrations.
Yet at the same, the railroads that created an economic boon for east Wilco in the 19th century — while still vital — pose plenty of challenges for the fast-growing county in the 21st century as the population expands, roads are built to accommodate more autos and new industries locate to the region, officials said.
“We as citizens can complain about blocking the crossings or the long permitting and approval processes, but we also know that trying to get any changes made from (Union Pacific Railroad) is a battle … Don’t expect to win the fight,” said Scott Murrah, an engineer whose local projects have faced delays from Union Pacific.
Union Pacific officials declined to comment directly for the story, but did send this response: “Communities developing projects on or near Union Pacific right of way can start the process by reaching out to our public projects team on our website, where you can find detailed information on how the process works.”
The railroad provided this link: www.up.com/communities/ public-projects.
According to local historians, without the railroad Hutto, Taylor and many other Central Texas towns might not exist.
“We had several pioneer families around here and about all they could do was survive. But when the railroad came it meant you could be a farmer and you could grow something like cotton and get it to market,” said Don Doss, a member of the Williamson County Historic Commission.
Doss added, “That made it possible for a lot of people to make money and raise a family and build a house and that was very viable for a long time.”
The railroad connected Williamson County to the rest of the United States and the Port of Houston, igniting a boom in the cotton industry. In the early 1900s, Doss said, the county was the secondlargest producer of cotton in Texas and the state was the largest producer of cotton in the world.
Houston shipped more cotton than any other port on the planet.
“Without the railroads, Williamson County could have been like a lot of the counties you see now in East Texas where they only have small rural towns and no real industrial growth ... at least until Austin grew up,” Doss said.
A mixed blessing
In the 21st century, the tracks are now owned and operated by Union Pacific. BNSF Railway has trackage rights on the UP rails through the area. There is also an Amtrak stop in Taylor for passenger transport.
Cotton is no longer the economic driver for east Williamson County, but freight trains still run the rails through the cities that were once stations. While the towns when they formed relied on the railroad for survival, in 2026 the rails are a mixed blessing for the growing communities, according to some local leaders.
Some economic advantages
While railroads may cause issues with development, in other cases they give small cities special economic advantages, officials said.
The RCR Taylor Logistics Park at 79 and FM 3349 is a rail yard served by both UP and BNSR. It is situated with easy access to Samsung Austin Semiconductor and industrial sites in both Taylor and Hutto. It is also a main shipping hub for Tesla, which has leased a facility within the park for transporting its Model Y vehicles and Cybertrucks.
Officials with the Taylor Economic Development Corp. consider the facility to be a strategic asset.
“As the only rail-served port facility in Central Texas, Taylor is uniquely positioned to attract and support a diverse range of industries that rely on rail for the efficient movement of raw materials and finished goods,” said Ben White, CEO/President of the EDC. “This competitive advantage enhances our ability to recruit manufacturers, logistics providers and distribution operations that depend on reliable freight rail service— bringing quality jobs and (an) expanded tax base to our community.”
White says the Amtrak station in Taylor adds to the city’s options, allowing the town to leverage both freight- and passenger- rail assets for industry and community development.
Railroads and a traveling exhibit Taylor will celebrate its rail-based history during its sesquicentennial year with a visit from the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street traveling exhibit – “Spark! Places of Innovation.”
The traveling exhibit will be in town from Aug. 15 to Sept. 27.
Taylor is the only city in Williamson County to host the showcase this year.
The event was created to explore “the unique combination of places, people, and circumstances that sparks innovation in invention” in rural communities, according to organizers.
“Taylor’s addition to the exhibit will highlight the region’s close ties to the railroad, cotton and incoming tech industry – along with local art, stories and historic vehicles,” said Taylor Special Events Coordinator Ruby Fisher. “Our hope is that folks leave the exhibit with the story of Taylor.”
More details are pending.
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For small cities like Granger, the (Union Pacific Railroad) is the 800pound gorilla that the city has to live with.”
— Scott Murrah
