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Austin Steam Train
All aboard!
With a blow of the steam whistle, the Hill Country Flyer marks the
start of another season. Step aboard the restored passenger cars,
hold onto your hat, and get ready to roll through the Hill Country.
Year around, the Hill Country Flyer transports visitors on a round
trip excursion through the oak and cedar dotted hills to the town
of Burnet. Cedar Park, on US 183 northwest of Austin, is the starting
point for the 33-mile-long journey. It's a trip that delights visitors
of all ages, both those that recall the grand days of train travel
and others who step aboard the iron horse for the first time.
The 143-ton engine that powers the tourist train was constructed
in 1916 by the American Locomotive Company in Dunkirk, New York.
For over four decades Southern Pacific Engine No. 786 powered both
passenger and freight trains, chugging through Texas and Louisiana.
In 1956 the mighty engine was retired and donated to the City of
Austin as a park display.
And there she sat for 34 years, a reminder of the days of steam
and a time when the Southern Pacific line through Austin was a vital
artery in the state transportation system.
Although the days of steam travel are long gone, they are far from
forgotten, thanks to the Austin Steam Train Association. This group
of train buffs was founded in 1989. They soon took on the task of
restoring Southern Pacific Engine No. 786 and in less than two years,
the former relic was ready to roll once again.
Soon 1920's passenger cars, formerly of the Pennsylvania Railroad,
were added and the Hill Country Flyer took off, again transporting
passengers down the line. Today five coach cars plus three air-conditioned/heated
lounge give travelers a chance to travel in style.
Once the train is loaded, a loud blow on the steam whistle signals
the start of the journey as the train departs Cedar Park. The locomotive
heads north along U.S. 183, veering west as it crosses the South
San Gabriel. Listen for the clatter of the wheels as the train crosses
the river on an old-fashioned wooden trestle.
From the river valley, the train climbs 500 feet as it journeys
westward into the hill country. The route it follows, like the train
itself, is an historic one. This line was first constructed in 1881,
chartered as the Austin and Northwestern as a narrow gauge railroad.
It was along this route that granite was hauled from Marble Falls
to Austin for the construction of the State Capitol. The pink stone
was mined from Granite Mountain and loaded on this line. Some of
this stone, stacked to capacity on the cars, never made it to the
capital city. Chunks of pink granite still lie along the tracks
where they fell from the train over a century ago.
Arrival in the town of Burnet is a weekly event enjoyed by the townspeople.
Many come out to meet the train and the visitors who enjoy a three
hour stop in their town. Stroll to downtown Burnet where members
of the local gunfighters association perform a Wild West gunfight
on Town Square for guests.
During the free time in Burnet, travelers explore the square, lined
with antique and specialty shops, dine in local restaurants, or
picnic on the square. History buffs can walk to Fort Croghan at
the outer edge of town on TX 29. Fort Croghan was constructed in
the 1840's, one of eight forts built from the Rio Grande to the
Trinity River to protect the region from Indian attack. Today the
fort has a museum with exhibits on household items used by residents
over 100 years ago. You can take a walking tour of the fort, the
blacksmith shop, the powder house, and a two-room cabin where a
family once raised 10 children.
The train trip to Burnet is especially popular on the first two
weekends of April when the Hill Country town is the capital of the
bluebonnet trail. Arts and crafts shows dot the area as area artists
sell paintings of bluebonnets on everything from coffee cups to
sawblades to driftwood. Travelers come from around the state to
take that obligatory Texas portrait of the family in a field of
thick bluebonnets.
The Austin Steam Train also offers several special
routes including the Bertram Flyer, River City Flyer, and theme
weekends.
For More Information:
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