Austin Area Terminal

Company History: This line ran 155 miles of ex-Southern Pacific route from Llano through the greater Austin area to Giddings, Texas, including a branch to Marble Falls, taking over from the previous operator Longhorn Railway. They began operation in 2000. Despite the "Terminal" in their name, this doesn't appear to have been a terminal railroad like TRRA or Belt Railway of Chicago, rather a typical shortline that passed through a metropolitan area. In 2007, the Watco shortline group took over the property and established the Austin Western to run it.

Successor/Parent History: The Watco shortline group is known for painting locomotives in special schemes for universities and even high schools along their lines. We own or operate over 5,500 miles of short line track in North America and Australia. Our vast network connects to all Class I railroads. You get the most efficient, cost-effective route for your shipment.

Using your locomotives or our own, Watco provides switching services at your manufacturing facility. Our experienced teams improve safety, reduce risks, and minimize costs.

Let Watco take care of your inactive railcars, so you can stay focused on your active fleet. Safely house empty or loaded railcars across our nationwide network of short line railroads and terminals.

Our proactive management, in-transit tracking, and real-time communication let you know where your cars are every minute of every day. And, our scheduled maintenance programs keep your rolling stock rolling.

Brief History: The U.S. is a country of 50 states covering a vast swath of North America, with Alaska in the northwest and Hawaii extending the nation’s presence into the Pacific Ocean. Major Atlantic Coast cities are New York, a global finance and culture center, and capital Washington, DC. Midwestern metropolis Chicago is known for influential architecture and on the west coast, Los Angeles' Hollywood is famed for filmmaking.