A disturbing story from the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram about the sad state of affairs on the Texas State Railroad: Railroad may fall through the cracks By Art Chapman Star-Telegram Staff Writer COURTESY OF THE TEXAS STATE RAILROAD As things stand now, the Texas State Railroad, established the 1890s to carry wood and iron ore, will stop running after Dec. 31. Thick, black puffs of smoke curling among the endless green pines of East Texas have long been the signature of the Texas State Railroad, which runs between Rusk and Palestine. There have been other colors too: Red ink to indicate losses of more than a million dollars every year. The railroad -- at least the state's participation in it -- is just about at an end. This summer has seen a dramatic revival of interest in Texas state parks. The public has been aroused by the deplorable conditions of our parks and historic sites. In this, an election year, politicians have been moved to make big promises. Only time will tell how many of those promises come to fruition. But the Texas State Railroad has remained outside that rhetoric for the most part. The East Texas tourist attraction has hemorrhaged money badly since it began, and if everyone at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department could afford to be truthful, they would probably say the railroad should be closed and shuttered. Actually, they have said something close. As it stands right now, the railroad, established in the 1890s to carry wood and iron ore, will stop running after Dec. 31. The steam locomotives will no longer wind through the pine forests of East Texas, instead becoming static displays for people to look at and children to climb upon. The millions of dollars in losses to the state will be stopped, but then, also gone might well be the millions of dollars the train system brought to East Texas through tourism. It is a damned-if-you- do, damned-if-you- don't situation for the state parks department. The railroad has never had an enormous amount of historical significance to the rest of the state. Much of it was built with prison labor, and it served only a small industrial trade deep in East Texas. In 1972, the Legislature turned the property over to the parks department for a hike-and-bike trail. But railroad fans throughout the state petitioned the parks department to continue the railroad and to make it a living history lesson. By 1974, the tourist attraction was open. It has brought recognition to the state. It has been used in television series and in movies. It has charmed thousands of schoolchildren. But it costs an inordinate amount of money to operate, and the state really wants out. Not surprisingly, the communities of Rusk and Palestine want to keep the railroad going, and there are private investors who are interested in taking over the line and converting it into a private tourist attraction. Here's the rub. No one wants to revive a static railroad. The East Texas folks want the trains to run until a private investor can move in and take over. The parks department can't afford that. There's more. Republican state Sen. Todd Staples, R-Palestine, recently said that more than 100 contracts exist between private landowners and the state along the 25-mile railroad's right of way. Some of those contracts are contingent on the railroad running, and if the state stops the trains, the contracts could be dissolved. Many contracts are only with the state and might not be renegotiated with a private party. No one knows for sure whether the transition could be made, and it will take time to find out. Meanwhile, parks officials have asked the Legislative Budget Board for an emergency allocation of $650,000 to keep the railroad running through 2007. It will take almost $12 million to go two years beyond that. But the agency really doesn't want to stay with the railroad. All the expense is in the hope that a private operator can come in, negotiate all the necessary contracts with landowners along the right of way, and turn the railroad into a money-making tourist attraction for East Texas. Big questions, costly answers. The last whistle is about to blow. For now, the railroad is running only on weekends. A special "Murder on the Disoriented Express" is scheduled for October, along with several school excursions. Two special Christmas events are planned for later in the fall. For more information on ticket prices and reservations, call 903-683-2561 or 800-442-8951. www.texasstaterailroad.com
Yeah, there have been rumors about that for some months now. It will be a real shame if Texas loses that operating railroad. We had a chance to ride it back in 2002 or 2003. It was a fun excursion. Well within driving distance from both Houston and Dallas/Ft Worth, so it has a large population base on which to draw. Probably needed more publicity, among other things. An experienced tourist train operator might be able to make more of a go of it. I remember even back then that they had problems due to the relatively new federal regs regarding boiler inspection, which resulted in most of their steam locos requiring major overhaul. Lots of bucks, plus they had to operate one of their trains with a diseasel while other steam locos were being overhauled. Unfortunately not much cachet in the name "Texas State Railroad". And since it runs through the woods, not much of a view either. Won't rank up there with the D&S or C&T. But it was a real railroad. Darn few left with operating steam. Regards Ed
Bummer. I would like to dream private owners could work a deal. But I fear this one won't survive. If not, are there other sites in or near Texas, which might pick up the equipment? So it stays close to home? :sad: Boxcab E50
This is something I hope to see with my father before it most likely stops running at the beginning of next year. The only other steam railroad museum in Texas currently is the Fort Worth & Western's Tarantula Train, which mostly likely wouldn't be able to help. The Austin Steam Train Association has steam experience, but I don't believe they have the space for the TSRR equipment. It seems like the TSRR most likely fate is to rust away to dust in the Piney Woods of East Texas, because of our stupid :angry: Texas Legislature, who has appropriated the funds from a tax for the State Parks for other means. Texas is 49th in the nation for state parks funding, and the TSRR SP is the most costly park in the system. There have been rumours of the owner of the D&SNG and the GSMRR has launched a bid to operate the TSRR. :embarassed:
Hope you can get down there. Be sure to take waaaay too many pictures. For posterity. And post up a bunch for us to see! Boxcab E50
How timely, read your post on thursday, this weeks episode of Tracks Ahead featured the Texas State Railroad. Brad
Rats!!! Sure wish one of our area PBS stations carried this show. They've no interest in doing so.... :sad: Boxcab E50
Hope for the Texas State Railroad??? Saw this on the Shortline/Industrial Yahoogroups! Mailing List: From the Tyler Morning Telegraph. RAILROAD TASK FORCE ON TRACK WITH PLANS By: MEGAN MIDDLETON, Staff Writer RUSK - Members of the Texas State Railroad Preservation Task Force want to be ready if the state decides to relinquish authority of the financially strapped railroad. During a Friday morning meeting of the task force in Rusk, details of a draft of a possible interlocal agreement between the cities of Rusk and Palestine were discussed. The interlocal agreement, which would have to be approved by each city council, would create the Texas State Railroad Operating Agency, an administrative agency that would be designed to "ensure the continued and lasting operation of the Texas State Railroad as an operating historical and recreational park," according to the draft. Part of the purpose of creating the agency is to have a structure in place with the ability to contract with a potential private operator interested in running the railroad if the state decides to relinquish its authority. "They won't consider relinquishing control, in my opinion, unless we have an entity in place that could accept it," Steve Presley, chairman of the task force, said after the meeting. "In my opinion, we can't wait until the Legislature acts and then form our agency. We have to go ahead and form it - and that applies extra, additional pressure for the Legislature to go ahead and act." Presley explained that the agency would be an extension of the two cities. It would be able to do short-term contracts to keep the railroad running. Anything long term or any contracts that involve giving anything away that belongs to the cities would have to be approved by the city councils before it could happen, he said. Task force members indicated the draft of the interlocal agreement was written to "strongly favor the cities." The agency would act as an interim entity until the time the state might create a rail authority. "This is going to tell the Legislature that the cities of Palestine and Rusk are ready," Ron Stutes, an attorney who drafted the agreement, said. "We are taking the actions necessary to do whatever needs to be done." The task force has been in talks with potential private operators who are interested in operating the railroad. The one that has continued to express interest is American Heritage Railways, which operates the Durango and Silverton Railroad and Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. The Texas State Railroad Preservation Task Force was formed in February at the request of state Sen. Todd Staples, R-Palestine, and state Rep. Byron Cook, R-Corsicana, and at the direction of the mayors of Rusk and Palestine. It is made up of interested citizens with the purpose of seeing if there is a way to save the railroad, Presley said. It has no authority to do anything. An agency created with an interlocal agreement, however, would have authority to do certain things. The agency, under the draft of the agreement, would be made up of people appointed by the mayors of both Rusk and Palestine and confirmed by each city council. The Palestine City Council is set to discuss the interlocal agreement at a Monday meeting. It was not clear when the Rusk City Council might consider the agreement. POSSIBLE SHUTDOWN Budget constraints on a state level resulted in the temporary shutdown of the Palestine-based operations of the railroad earlier this year. Texas Parks and Wildlife officials said then that without a change in funding, the costly railroad would have to be turned into a museum. In August it was announced that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has asked the Legislative Budget Board for a $650,000 supplemental appropriation to help keep the railroad running through the end of fiscal year 2007, which ends at the close of August 2007. Current funding will only keep the railroad operational through December, forcing it to become a static display. During Friday's meeting, Presley gave an update to the task force about a recent meeting in Austin with representatives from the offices of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Tom Craddick as well as representatives from the offices of Staples, Cook and state Rep. Chuck Hopson, D-Jacksonville. Presley said the most important part of their presentation to the state officials was that the railroad needed the $650,000, "so we have some time to work" and so that railroad employees could be protected. Presley and other task force members who traveled to Austin for the meeting indicated they had hoped to hear about the status of the $650,000 appropriation this week. "We're still waiting to hear," Presley said Friday morning. Ellen Buchanan, regional director of state parks for Texas Parks and Wildlife, said some employees are taking other jobs with the state to keep their retirement. "These folks need to know," Ms. Buchanan said. "They have families they need to take care of." Also Friday, Cathy Stark, who is helping organize a fundraiser for the Texas State Railroad, updated task force members on the fundraising event, scheduled for Oct. 21. The event will begin at the Rusk Depot and include festivities there. Participants will be able to ride the train to Palestine later for a concert. The concert will feature Lee Roy Parnell and other bands. Parnell's "What Kind of Fool Do You Think I Am" and "Tender Moment" each went to No. 2 on the country charts, according to an online biography. Tickets and fliers are currently being printed. The money raised will help pay for legal fees and other expenses related to saving the railroad.
It may be late in the game, but I'm glad to know efforts are under way. With local support. And not waiting until the very last moment. Boxcab E50
I visited the Texas State Railroad on September 29th and October 1st. Here's my report: Texas State Railroad - 10/1/06
Thanks for the report! The equipment pictured appears to be in good condition. That's a positive sign. So often, financially marginal operations are in the process of decay. :thumbs_up: Boxcab E50
Has there been any success with the effort to keep the TSRR open? My son moved to Houston a few months ago, just found the TSRR website and asked if I was aware of it. I would love to send him some positive news. Thanks
Cross your fingers for the TSRR's future. They do have #201, a 4-6-0 running now, apparently. (In addition to #300, a 2-8-0.)
I was there! In the summer of 2001, I packed up my camping equipment and my 3 kiddos and we did an 11 day tour of Texas State Parks. The first we hit was the TSRR. We decided to start in Rusk so that is where we drove to. Was the start of a very memorable vacation! Here are some photos to prove I was there! At the time, I lived in Baytown, Texas, just east of Houston. In the Baytown public library is a hard bound copy of a book that was published around the 1970's that described where all of the loco's came from with plenty of photos to include some of the passenger cars and rollingstock. If I recall right, all of the loco's came from other areas of the US. None were native to the actual 1890 trains that worked this railroad. One of the loco's was from the D&RGW I believe. I now live in north Atlanta, GA so it's not like I can drive over to the library to check out the book. It does exist though! Lots of excellent photos. Sorry to hear the Park is closing. Hope someone can make something of her! Was a most memorable experience! Hobo Tim
