About Us

The Port Terminal Railroad Association (PTRA) was formed in 1924 to provide access to the industries along the Houston Ship channel for all railroads entering Houston.

Original 18 Houston Railroads

• Texas & New Orleans RR Co.
• The Houston, East & West Texas RR Co.
• Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio RR
• International Great Northern RR Co.
• St. Louis, Brownsville & Mexico RR Co.
• Beaumont , Sour Lake & Western RR Co.
• Gulf Colorado & Santa Fe RR Co.
• Trinity & Brazos Valley RR Co.
• San Antonio & Aransas Pass RR Co.
• Missouri-Kansas-Texas RR Co. of Texas
• Houston Belt & Terminal Railway Co.
• Galveston Houston Electric
• Houston & Brazos Valley
• Columbia Tap Railway
• LaPorte Houston Northern Railway
• Galveston, Houston, Henderson
• Houston & Texas Central RR Co.
• Buffalo Bayou Brazos & Colorado

Through mergers and acquisitions, the PTRA today is an Association of the Port of Houston Authority of Harris County, Houston Belt & Terminal Railway Co. and three (3) Class I railroads:

Union Pacific Railroad, BNSF Railway and Kansas City Southern Railway Company.