Terminal Subdivision

History

The initial mainline of the Terminal Subdivision was constructed in stages in the mid to late 1800's, however, to have the Terminal Subdivision act as a by-pass route of downtown Houston, a second main line track was added around 1914.

Terminal Subdivision
Study Area Map

Length

Approximately 22 miles long, the Terminal Subdivision has terminus points at West Junction, located near the intersection of US 90 and Willowbend Boulevard, and Dawes. The entire Terminal Subdivision is within the study area.

Ownership

The track is owned and operated by the Union Pacific and runs 50 to 60 trains per day.

Rail Traffic

The rail traffic along the Terminal Subdivision is primarily bidirectional, traveling to and from Englewood Yard. The KCS Railway Company has the authority to operate trains nearly the entire length of the Terminal Subdivision. The Terminal Subdivision is the primary route used for connecting rail traffic from the West Coast to Houston, and is also used by Amtrak's Sunset Limited, with three trains eastbound and westbound weekly.

At Chaney Junction, which is located just north and east of the intersection of Washington Avenue and Studemont Street, the two main tracks separate from each other. The northernmost track is referred to as the Freight Main, and between Sawyer and Holly Streets, runs down the middle of Winter Street. The southernmost track is referred to as the Passenger Main and parallels Washington Avenue to the north passing by the Amtrak Station. The Freight Main and the Passenger Main reconnect just west of Tower 26.

Characteristics

The presence of numerous at-grade crossings along the Terminal Subdivision presents a safety hazards for rail, vehicular, and pedestrian traffic along the rail line. Resulting from identified improvements, 22 grade crossings have been analyzed for closure or separation, which would improve traffic flow for both vehicular and rail traffic. The following table displays the potential improvements and their associated costs:

Identified Improvements
Class Estimated Cost Estimated Public Benefit
Classification 1 Improvements (Near-term Improvements) $26,000,000  
Classification 3 Improvements (Separations/Closures) $189,950,000  
Classification 5 Improvements (Rail Relocations) $100,000,000  
Total Identified Improvements $315,950,000 $72,180,000