Houston is known for its oil, petrochemical and technology industries. But it’s also a railroad town with a rich transportation history.
In 1850, the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railway started as the first railroad in Texas. It ran from Harrisburg (now part of Houston) to the Brazos River, opening the door for an intricate network of lines, once part of Southern Pacific Railroad. Today the Union Pacific lines serve the Port of Houston, Galveston and main lines running in all directions.
The railroad has played such an important role in Houston history that the city seal incorporates a locomotive in the center of it.