From Eureka (Tower 13) (MP 0.0), where the Terminal sub. (on the Sunset Route) trails in from the south at a wye junction, and turns east-southeast to Chaney Junction, Amtrak, and Tower 109, and the former MKT main line trails in from Eureka Yard to the east (and once continued west), the former Houston & Texas Central (later, SP) line north to Hearne heads away northwest, leaving CTC behind, single track, Track Warrant Control, Automatic Block Signals, speed limit 25 mph, past a spur trailing in from industrial tracks to the east, Lois, Fairbanks (MP 7.1), Melendy (MP 10.9), a detector at MP 12.4, Satsuma, and the 5,390 ft. siding at Cypress (MP 19.8), turning west-northwest past a detector at MP 24.4, the 2,937 ft. siding at Waller (MP 25.4), a detector at MP 39.4, Prairie View, and additional track at Gulf Coast Line Stone (MP 45.3).
The line turns north at the 6,600 ft. siding at Hempstead (MP 45.8), where the erstwhile H&TC line to Austin once continued just north of due west, and passes Howth, a detector at MP 53.7, Courtney, and a detector at MP 59.0, turning just west of due north past the 4,032 ft. siding at Navasota (MP 64.7), and a flat crossing with the former Santa Fe line between Conroe and Somerville, at BNSF Xing (MP 65.1), to the junction with the UP Navasota sub. (former IGN/MoPac) coming from the south-southeast at Navasota Junction (MP 65.2), where CTC starts.