 In 1885, a group of citizens met in Elgin to organize a new north-south railroad which would run from Taylor, the rail head for the Missouri, Kansas and Texas ("Katy") Railroad to the north, through Elgin to Bastrop, the county seat, to the south.The Taylor, Elgin, and Bastrop Railroad was formed in 1886 and began building the line.That same year, the "Katy" acquired the line and continued the construction on to Houston.