Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway
| Company type | Subsidiary (after 1901) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railroad |
| Founded | June 1, 1885 in Texas, United States |
| Founder | Buckley Burton Paddock and civic leaders from Fort Worth |
| Fate | Merged into Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway |
| Successor | Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway |
| Headquarters | Fort Worth , United States |
Area served | Texas |
| Parent | St. Louis–San Francisco Railway (1901–1937), Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (1937–1948) |
The Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway was incorporated in Texas on June 1, 1885, through the efforts of Buckley Burton Paddock and civic leaders from Fort Worth. Their vision was to create a transcontinental rail link connecting New York, Fort Worth, and the Pacific harbor of Topolobampo, with the goal of stimulating economic growth in southwest Texas and enhancing Fort Worth’s commercial significance.
Financial support came from the Vanderbilt railroad syndicate, enabling construction to commence in November 1886 at Fort Worth. Progress was gradual, reaching Granbury (40 miles) by 1887, advancing to Comanche in 1890, and extending to Brownwood (144 miles) by 1891.
Control of the FW&RG shifted to the Frisco Railroad in 1901, which operated it as a separate subsidiary. Under Frisco's management, the railway was extended to Brady in 1903 and further to Menard in 1911. However, the Frisco’s bankruptcy in 1913 brought expansion efforts to a halt; throughout its existence, FW&RG frequently struggled to produce consistent profits.
On March 1, 1937, the Frisco sold the FW&RG for $1.5 million to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, granting Santa Fe a western approach into Fort Worth. Santa Fe subsequently leased the line to its Texas affiliate, the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway, which formally merged the FW&RG on December 31, 1948. This route became known as the Dublin Subdivision. Santa Fe invested in track improvements and boosted freight operations between Dallas/Fort Worth and California.
The GC&SF was integrated into its parent company, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, on August 1, 1965. Sections from Brownwood to Brady (44 miles) were abandoned in 1959; later, the segment from Brady to Menard (31 miles) was discontinued in 1972. The remaining track stretching from Belt Junction in Fort Worth to Ricker (6 miles east of Brownwood) was sold on May 20, 1994, to Cen-Tex Rail Link, an affiliate of South Orient Railroad. In 1999, South Orient transferred ownership of Cen-Tex to the Fort Worth and Western Railroad.
See also
For information on another failed transcontinental effort aimed at Topolobampo, refer to:
References
External links
- A 1926 map illustrating Santa Fe routes across Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana featuring the FW&RG line running from Fort Worth through Brownwood, Brady, and Menard.
- A 1946 map of Santa Fe lines showing the former FW&RG as part of the GC&SF network.
- Osborn, William. "East of Eden, West of Lometa: The Santa Fe Railroad and the Livestock Industry of the Edwards Plateau, 1885-1975," presented to the Edwards Plateau Historical Association in 2002.
- 1885 establishments in Texas
- 1948 disestablishments in Texas
- Railway companies established in 1885
- Railway companies disestablished in 1948
- American companies disestablished in 1948
- American companies established in 1885
- 1901 mergers and acquisitions
- 1937 mergers and acquisitions
- 1948 mergers and acquisitions
- St. Louis–San Francisco Railway
- Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
- Defunct Texas railroads
- Rail transportation in Fort Worth, Texas
- History of Fort Worth, Texas
- Former Class I railroads in the United States