This line was first built by the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad in 1893 as they built west into Houston. From the town of Katy (named for the railroad), the MKT headed due east to a crossing with the Houston & Texas Central Railroad at Tower 13 in northwest Houston. Just on the other side of the crossing, the MKT built their Eureka Yard.

The portion of the line between Katy, TX and Tower 13 was abandoned in 1997, after the Union Pacific Railroad merged with the Southern Pacific Railroad (then owner of the MKT). The Katy Freeway (Interstate 10) has since been widened onto the adjacent right-of-way for most of its length, completely obliterating any traces of it.

Today, Eureka Yard is still in use by Union Pacific; the tracks within Katy and to the west are still in use as well.