Some of you have seen work being done to clean up the rail lines that run through San Saba County.
The City of San Saba posted the following on their Facebook page a couple of weeks ago:
- Rail Line Repairs to Start
Important Message from the CTXR Railway
A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE CITY OF SAN SABA REGARDING RAIL LINE REPAIRS -
Over the coming months, routine maintenance will be performed on the rail line. The initial work will clear brush in the right-of-way. Additional work, such as tie installation and bridge repairs, will be performed as needed. We will continue to communicate with the community and county leaders throughout the rehabilitation process. Communities should expect to see maintenance equipment and personnel along the line in the upcoming days and weeks.
PLEASE REMEMBER when approaching railway crossings ALL crossings MUST be treated as LIVE. Train Time is ANYTIME. BE READY TO STOP.
The San Saba News & Star reached out to OmniTRAX for more information about it and asked many questions.
The answers to the some of these questions were provided by Ginger Adamiak, Senior Director, OmniTRAX and are listed below.
Who/what is OmniTRAX?
OmniTRAX is a network of 30 rail operations across the US, including CTXR. [www.omnitrax.com] OmniTRAX purchased CTXR in 2016 and operated the line until its closure in 2019. CTXR has been dormant since 2019.
What are your plans? Is there a timeframe?
The CTXR railroad will be rehabilitated in several phases over several years. The first phase is clearing brush and inspecting the track from Lometa to Brady. This process is underway. Throughout the balance of 2025, repairs and rehabilitation of this rail segment will occur, with the expectation that the rehabilitation activities will be complete by spring 2026. This work will take place between the BNSF interchange in Lometa and the rock quarry just west of Richland Springs. OmniTRAX is asking everyone in the community to be aware of crews and equipment working on the track and in the right of way, as these rehabilitation actions are new and the local community has become accustomed to no activity along the dormant line.
The second phase, also between the quarry and Lometa, will encompass further strengthening the infrastructure, as rail service between Lometa and the quarry increases to accommodate projected demand. The second phase is expected to be completed in 2028. As the CTXR line is fully rehabilitated, local businesses will be engaged to assess the additional demand for further rail service.
Will any roads be closed during your work? If so, which ones and for how long?
Periodic road closings are anticipated during the rehabilitation. Communication will be distributed to local county and municipalities to ensure the communities are aware of the closures in advance.
If you have questions about the rail line running through San Saba County, send them to us, and we will try to find out the answers for you.
Send your Letter to the Editor to: editor.sansabanews@centex.net.
You can also mail your letter to: San Saba News & Star, P O Box 815, San Saba, Texas 76877 or drop it by the office at 505 E. Wallace in San Saba.
Be sure to list you name, city, and phone number. Word limit is 250.