The Blacklands Railroad began operations in 1999 on an abandoned Southern Pacific rail line that stretched from Mt.

Blacklands Railroad further diversified in 2014[1] by creating a subsidiary, Black Gold Terminals, that specializes in transloading, contract switching, and industrial rail parks.

In 1891, the bankrupt railroad was sold to Jay Gould Interests and renamed the St. Louis Southwestern Railway, also known as the Cotton Belt.

[4] In 1999, Blacklands Railroad was awarded the contract to operate the 65.6 mile line from 1999 until 2020, from Greenville where it interchanged with Kansas City Southern to Sulphur Springs (another KCS interchange) and finally Mount Vernon, Texas near the Franklin/Titus county line; from this point Blacklands Railroad operates via Union Pacific trackage rights to Mount Pleasant, Texas where it interchanges with Union Pacific.

Union Pacific provided notice to abandon the line in 2008, citing lack of traffic on the branch.