Knowing that the Texas State Railroad SP is on borrowed time, my father and I decided to travel to Palestine to ride behind their operating steamer, Consolidation #300. The Texas State Railroad constitutes approximately 25 miles of track streching the distance between Rusk State Park and Palestine SP. It was built for the purpose of connecting the Rusk State Prison and Iron Mill to the International-Great Northern in Palestine (Pal-luh-STEEN), and eventually connected the town of Rusk to the Missouri Pacific. It became a State Park in the mid-1970s. The State Parks System has recently been experiencing a funding crisis, the TSRR originally started this year's season with only enough money for one train a day starting in Rusk. Texas Parks & Wildlife could only find enough funds to start two train-a-day service by drawing money out of funds set aside for the next year. Being a election year, the issue of state parks funding is recieving a lot of attention (Texas is 49th in the nation in SP funding); the news media has exposed that most of the money from a tax specifically for the state parks has been diverted into a catch-all slush fund. And the director of state parks has stated that even if some funds are restored, the TSRR is likely to become a static display. Lest this post be all doom and gloom, there seems to be a glimmer of hope, as due to all of the media exposure as this being the last year of the Texas State Railroad, the park has becomed swarmed with visitors, having to turn some of those without reservations, particularly for the steam train, away. Most of the volunteers at the TSRR seemed like they had never seen ridership so high! Maybe there is hope? Anyways, we rode (along with my mother, and a pretty full train) from Palestine to Rusk, stopping at Rusk SP for lunch at Palestine's famous Eilenberger's Bakery (which has concessions at both ends of the RR), and returned to Palestine. Texas State Railroad - Trip Gallery The cab of the Texas State Railroad's 2-8-0 Consolidation #300 waiting for passengers so she can return to Palestine. At Rusk, Texas. 3/4 Left of the #300 at Rusk State Park. Engineer's side of the #300's cab. At Rusk, Texas. Head on of the #300 at Rusk, Texas.
Consolidation #300 and her consist were swarmed by photographers when she was reattached to the train after stopping for lunch at Rusk. This cowboy tracked us all through the "sticks" that surround the railroad between Palestine & Rusk. Texas State Railroad #300 and a beatuiful (especially for East Texas) sky.
