Boone County and Boonville Railway
| Company type | City-owned railroad |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Headquarters | Columbia , United States |
Area served | Boone County, Missouri |
| Owner | City of Columbia |
| Parent | City of Columbia |
The Columbia Branch is a rail corridor located in Boone County, Missouri, extending from Columbia, Missouri to Centralia, Missouri, where it links with the St. Louis District operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway. Originally built in 1867 by the Boone County and Jefferson City Railroad, the line is now owned by the city of Columbia and managed by the Columbia Terminal Railroad.
History
The Boone County and Jefferson City Railroad was established in 1857 with the objective of constructing a rail connection between Columbia and Jefferson City, Missouri. However, construction was postponed until after the conclusion of the Civil War. In 1866, the North Missouri Railroad took over the company under lease and inaugurated the branch on October 29, 1867. The main line of North Missouri ran east to west through Centralia, Missouri, situated approximately north of Columbia.
Although the line never extended beyond Columbia, it experienced several changes in ownership. In 1872, the North Missouri Railroad reorganized as the St. Louis, Kansas City and Northern Railway, while a year later, in 1873, the Boone County and Jefferson City Railroad was renamed the Boone County and Boonville Railway. Between 1879 and 1902, the lease transferred among various Wabash-related companies. In 1902, Wabash formed the Columbia and St. Louis Railroad to acquire the Boone County and Boonville Railway and unify control over the Columbia Branch.
The Wabash Railroad was leased by the Norfolk and Western Railway in 1964. This entity merged with the Southern Railway in 1982 to create the Norfolk Southern Railway. When Norfolk Southern intended to discontinue operations on this line in 1987, ownership was assumed by Columbia. The city then initiated the Columbia Terminal Railroad to preserve freight services along this corridor.