March 6, 2025 - TRA Newswire -

Texas Materials Group is proposing a 27 mile long rail line in Burnet county to transport aggregate between quarries and has petitioned the Surface Transportation Board (STB) for permission to proceed. 

The proposal would revive 12.5 miles on previously abandoned right-of-way and construction of 14.4 miles on a new rail line though the Central Texas hill country. 

In an STB letter from the Office of Environmental Analysis (OEA), officials at local, state and federal agencies will be receiving letters with a request for comments on the proposed rail line. Environmental comments are to be submitted to the STB agency by April 3rd.

Texas Materials stated in their Surface Transportation Board filing that "the purpose of the proposed rail line would be to provide a new route for four quarries in the Burnet area to transport aggregates by rail. Texas Materials' preferred route would provide a more direct path to and from the BNSF mainline near Lampasas and would also reduce congestion on the AWRR (Austin Western Railroad) system in the Austin metropolitan area."

The new route is needed because the volumes of aggregate being shipped from Burnet-area quarries are expected to increase over the next ten years, according to the company.

Rock trains are prevalent throughout Central Texas from numerous quarries as the thirst for highway and general construction continues to drive the robust Texas economy. Moving more heavy haul aggregate trucks off Texas highways and onto rail lines would help defer maintenance on state and local roads.  

A single railcar can typically carry the same amount of aggregate as about four truckloads, a much more efficient method to transport goods.

Texas Materials estimates that 1-2 trains per day would operate over the proposed rail line between the quarries with up to 120 open top hopper cars and four locomotives. Total train length would be about 6,400 feet. The company anticipates that AWRR and possibly BNSF, using trackage rights, would operate on the proposed rail line. 

The project description shows that Texas Materials would construct a total of 26.9 miles of a new common carrier rail line to connect with the Austin Western Railroad (AWRR) near the city of Burnet, and to the BNSF Railway near the city of Lampasas. 

Texas Materials is part of CRH Materials Americas. The company operates a network of quarries, asphalt plants and supplies aggregates, building materials and crushed stone throughout North America. 

Photo credit: Texas Materials in their STB filing