[1] The railway only extended from Marshall to a small community called Harleton.

To do so, the Texas Southern began purchasing many smaller logging trams near Gilmer and Winnsboro.

The Commercial Lumber Company of Gilmer was purchased in 1897 by the Texas Southern.

In 1904, the railway owned 73.7 miles (118.6 km) of track between Marshall and Winnsboro.

[1] Eventually, the company was sold to the Marshall and East Texas Railway on August 17, 1908.