A beautiful Spring day in East Texas (the Piney Woods) for a ride on the Texas State Railroad (TexasStateRailRoad.com), the redbuds i n bloom and the dogwoods just starting due to a late winter with snow and freezing temps!It's the longest,skinniest state park in Texas basically being the railbed and the ROW for the connection between the Palestine and Rusk depots on each end. Approximately 22 miles, 8 trestles through piney and swampy woods.
The engine we had is a 1901 old T&P that is the last of it's kind running, had been on display in Abilene,Texas for many years before being donated to the TSRR. The company that operates the trains also runs the Smokey Mountain Railroad and the Durango Narrow Gauge train in Colorado. They contracted it from the State when the Gov. (Ricky Perry, suddendly its 1861!)wanted to close it down as well as the park due to "budget problems!" (billions for toll roads, not a cent for rail! Sen. Hutchison helped broker the deal , she who saved the Eagle and Sunset several times during her Senate tenure!)
About 200 people, a mix of senior tour groups, grandparents with grandkids and couples of various ages took the hour and a half journey from Palestine to Rusk where we had lunch during an hour layover @ a nice lakefront park @ the Rusk 1920s depot. The car choices were climate controlled firstclass with "snacks" or open air coaches which was where we rode, last car on the train going,first behind the engine returning.The consist was the 1901 steamer,gondola, baggage/climate control first class car, 1 coach with closed windows, 1 open window/platform coach, our choice!
A couple had paid for the cab ride, you get an engineer hat, gloves, red bandana and get to ride in the fireman seat, also blow the whistle during crossings but not operate the throttle etc. Its like $225, would have done it if Id had it! The trip back is mostly uphill so the train chugs away, reminds one of the little train that could! Saw lots of small critters, birds, a few wild hogs but no gators or snakes yet, the crew said it was a little early for them yet! Also there was a Dulcimer Music Fest going on in Palestine, the dogwood trail weekends are underway! Fascinating old town, lots of railroad barons had mansions on the hill here when the T&P was in its heyday, also later the MOPAC!Very reasonable motels, lots of eating joints, a nice weekend get away for those wanting to get out of the city and ride a real steam train! (It also runs from Rusk to Palestine on special occasions but Rusk is a much smaller town 25 miles East so its better to use Palestine for a base!)
Including the lunches it was about $100, well worth it IMHO, wouldnt be the same with a diesel engine but still a great trip for anyone who likes tourist trains and old timey railroads and country scenery! Catch it while you can, there's talk again of shutting it down, damn government officials dont seem to get it about parks and heritage, lets give it to corporations and campaign contributers (aka bribes! ) It gets really hot and humid in the summer in the Piney woods so the best time to go is Spring or Fall, they have lots of specials too, check out the web site!(No AGR points but paid with my AGR MC so got those!) :lol:
The engine we had is a 1901 old T&P that is the last of it's kind running, had been on display in Abilene,Texas for many years before being donated to the TSRR. The company that operates the trains also runs the Smokey Mountain Railroad and the Durango Narrow Gauge train in Colorado. They contracted it from the State when the Gov. (Ricky Perry, suddendly its 1861!)wanted to close it down as well as the park due to "budget problems!" (billions for toll roads, not a cent for rail! Sen. Hutchison helped broker the deal , she who saved the Eagle and Sunset several times during her Senate tenure!)
About 200 people, a mix of senior tour groups, grandparents with grandkids and couples of various ages took the hour and a half journey from Palestine to Rusk where we had lunch during an hour layover @ a nice lakefront park @ the Rusk 1920s depot. The car choices were climate controlled firstclass with "snacks" or open air coaches which was where we rode, last car on the train going,first behind the engine returning.The consist was the 1901 steamer,gondola, baggage/climate control first class car, 1 coach with closed windows, 1 open window/platform coach, our choice!
A couple had paid for the cab ride, you get an engineer hat, gloves, red bandana and get to ride in the fireman seat, also blow the whistle during crossings but not operate the throttle etc. Its like $225, would have done it if Id had it!
The trip back is mostly uphill so the train chugs away, reminds one of the little train that could! Saw lots of small critters, birds, a few wild hogs but no gators or snakes yet, the crew said it was a little early for them yet! Also there was a Dulcimer Music Fest going on in Palestine, the dogwood trail weekends are underway! Fascinating old town, lots of railroad barons had mansions on the hill here when the T&P was in its heyday, also later the MOPAC!Very reasonable motels, lots of eating joints, a nice weekend get away for those wanting to get out of the city and ride a real steam train! (It also runs from Rusk to Palestine on special occasions but Rusk is a much smaller town 25 miles East so its better to use Palestine for a base!)Including the lunches it was about $100, well worth it IMHO, wouldnt be the same with a diesel engine but still a great trip for anyone who likes tourist trains and old timey railroads and country scenery! Catch it while you can, there's talk again of shutting it down, damn government officials dont seem to get it about parks and heritage, lets give it to corporations and campaign contributers (aka bribes!
) It gets really hot and humid in the summer in the Piney woods so the best time to go is Spring or Fall, they have lots of specials too, check out the web site!(No AGR points but paid with my AGR MC so got those!) :lol:
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