Galveston–Houston Electric Railway Company (G&HE)

[Gurgis]

Great topic, and nice map there! When I lived in Clear Lake, I sometimes took day trips to look for sections of land where the track used to be. If you know where to look, you can see quite a bit of the straight cleared path (usually with electrical lines overhead).

The online aerials (Google and Bing) do help show the traces where the track used to be.

I think they eventually pulled up the track, and sold it as metal scrap.

Edited April 7, 2023 by Gurgis

[IWantTransit555]

The section of the line from Edgebrook to Virginia Point is now the clear path with power lines. I wonder how the electric company got the land before it was all built over.

[Tracy]

On 4/7/2023 at 11:53 AM, IWantTransit555 said:

The section of the line from Edgebrook to Virginia Point is now the clear path with power lines. I wonder how the electric company got the land before it was all built over.

Newbie to this site but a long-time rail nut. Many electric companies started as electric interurbans but ended up selling electricity when cars and freight trucks came into common use. When I lived in Central Maryland many years ago I became curious when I saw old bridge abutments under a power line where there had never been a road. Come to find out that it was part of the right-of-way of the Hagerstown & Frederick interurban system, which had been acquired by Potomac Edison when the trains quit running. In other words, the electric company probably owned that right of way before residential sprawl made it to that area.

[IWantTransit555]

If you are a rail nut, do you know where I can find a google map of the Northern Texas Traction Company, Texas Interurban Railway, and Texas Electric Railway? If not then I will probably make my own.

[FilioScotia]

IWantTransit555

Is this what you're looking for?

Edited April 21, 2023 by FilioScotia

[Highrise Tower]

On 4/21/2023 at 2:28 PM, FilioScotia said:

IWantTransit555

Is this what you're looking for?

There is also this map, which is more localized.

Galveston-Houston Electric Railway Co. Electric Interurban Railway

[IWantTransit555]

2 hours ago, Highrise Tower said:

There is also this map, which is more localized.

Galveston-Houston Electric Railway Co. Electric Interurban Railway

I used the map (second image) to locate the Galveston car barn and station, but relied on Landmark Hunter historic quadrangles for most of the route, as well as the line's own magazine for the list of stops. (linked in the original post) The map above that you posted did not have enough detail for my use, especially in the Houston inset.

On 4/21/2023 at 2:28 PM, FilioScotia said:

Is this what you're looking for?

Partially, I already found it yesterday and will use it as a list of stations. (I am in the beginning stages of a Google map for the 4 DFW area interurbans) A map like the 2nd one @Highrise Tower shared would be useful, but what I really want are the old quadrangles of the area. Unfortunately I can not get them now as Bridgehunter / Landmarkhunter went down a few weeks after I finished the Galveston map and has not gone up since.

By the way, should upcoming the North Texas interurbans Google map go in its own post?

[Highrise Tower]

There is supposed to be a race track off the Galveston Houston Electric Railway, located in South Houston.  The time period was the 1920s.

The exact location/address is highly sought after. Any help? I've read a lot and still can't figure it out! This would be located near Almeda Genoa Road? I know there was a railway stop at Almeda Genoa.

Automobile Races to be held at South Houston Speedway

Auspices Houston Speedway Association

Take Interurban to South Houston

 

[yak23flora]

I would assume the Interurban was standard gauge rail if it could connect to the industrial lines here and there. Interesting.

[IWantTransit555]

@yak23flora I rea somewhere that it was standard gauge but I can not find it again.

[ehbowen]

On 4/22/2023 at 10:13 PM, IWantTransit555 said:

I used the map (second image) to locate the Galveston car barn and station, but relied on Landmark Hunter historic quadrangles for most of the route, as well as the line's own magazine for the list of stops. (linked in the original post) The map above that you posted did not have enough detail for my use, especially in the Houston inset.

Partially, I already found it yesterday and will use it as a list of stations. (I am in the beginning stages of a Google map for the 4 DFW area interurbans) A map like the 2nd one @Highrise Tower shared would be useful, but what I really want are the old quadrangles of the area. Unfortunately I can not get them now as Bridgehunter / Landmarkhunter went down a few weeks after I finished the Galveston map and has not gone up since.

By the way, should upcoming the North Texas interurbans Google map go in its own post?

Perhaps these would be of help? (USGS Historical Topo Maps):

https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Maps/HistoricalTopo/PDF/TX/31680/TX_Park%20Place_116244_1922_31680_geo.pdf

https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Maps/HistoricalTopo/PDF/TX/31680/TX_Deepwater_123912_1919_31680_geo.pdf

https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Maps/HistoricalTopo/PDF/TX/31680/TX_Genoa_128290_1920_31680_geo.pdf

 

[Highrise Tower]

Interurban Depot At South Houston.

There should be a race track (horses?) somewhere near the South Houston Depot.  I was reading an article in The Houston Post. dated in the early 1900s and the race track featured said:  Follow the Interurban line to South Houston. Would this mean near City of South Houston? Or Third Ward? Near South Main & Holmes Road?

[ehbowen]

12 hours ago, Highrise Tower said:

Interurban Depot At South Houston.

There should be a race track (horses?) somewhere near the South Houston Depot.  I was reading an article in The Houston Post. dated in the early 1900s and the race track featured said:  Follow the Interurban line to South Houston. Would this mean near City of South Houston? Or Third Ward? Near South Main & Holmes Road?

Well, the card mentions "College Avenue", which is still the name of the main drag running east-west through the City of South Houston. The railroad name of South Houston (the GH&H line, original Galveston-Houston RR line) was/is "Dumont", but my information indicates that the interurban stop was "South Houston" from the beginning.

[IWantTransit555]

@Highrise Tower It had to be referring to the City of South Houston as there was a station in South Houston, and the line did not run near South Main.

[k5jri radio]

By coincidence, Galveston Houston Electric Railway began operations in 1911, three (3) years before the outbreak of World War I in 1914, and ceased operations in 1936, three (3) years before the outbreak of World War II in 1939. Years ago, a relative told me [1] when he graduated from college with a BA (Business Education) in 1939, the economy was still depressed and decent jobs were hard to find; but a year later in 1940, "war industries" had revived the economy, making it much easier to find decent jobs.

[IWantTransit555]

Does anyone want to add the information from this thread into the Wikipedia article?

[Highrise Tower]

Found a cool photo from 1913.

Galveston-Houston Interurban Cars.