The TTA is the result of the volunteer effort of researchers Murry Hammond and Lester Haines to digitize their private collections of transportation-related material, and to place portions of this material online for the benefit of other researchers. Primary emphasis is on railroad history, and those industries that operated their own railroad departments, such as lumber mills, mines, etc. Secondary emphasis is on the region's rich riverboat and stagecoach history. Everything on the TTA is free to access, and use of materials for educational purposes is encouraged.

Lester handles photo reproductions for the TTA, and is our resident publisher, having published the Journal of Texas Shortlines and Transportation magazine for several years. Lester is a born and raised Central-Texan who began researching Texas transportation topics at the age of 16, when he became interested in the story of the Fredericksburg & Northern Railway at Fredericksburg, Texas. His interest in preserving memories, data and photographs on this old railroad began in him a life-long interest in preserving the history of Texas' railroads, stagecoach lines and steamboats. In addition to his expertise on railroads, Lester is our steamboat and stagecoach expert. Lester graciously contributes to all areas of the collection, including many, many photographs from his own private collection and that of the late Richard W. Keeling, whom he has tirelessly worked to preserve in digitial form. Lester is a minister of the Gospel and today lives with his wife Nancy in Austin, Texas.

Murry is TTA's webmaster, maintains the databases, and creates most of the internal text and map content for the site. Murry was raised west of Fort Worth in the little north Texas town of Boyd. He spent years in Dallas and Nacogdoches, before moving to California to start a family. Murry makes his living as a professional musician, performing with the popular Texas band Old 97's since 1993. He met Lester when he noticed Lester's name in a library guest book while on a research trip, and the two have been friends sharing their passion for all things historical every since. Today Murry lives in Pasadena, California with his wife, voice actress Grey DeLisle, and their little son "Tex."