![]() and arrives at the Cedar Park rail station at about 4:30 p.m. If weather permits, a local theater group organizes a Wild West reenactment of a gun fight in Burnet, complete with volunteer saloon girls and cowboys. Passengers can enjoy a quaint lunch on the square and shop at antique shops before catching the train back to Austin. It took about 60 years after the steam train stopped running for visitors to arrive once again via the same train tracks. The line is 163 miles long and used as both a commuter and freight rail line with the Steam Train having permission to operate excursions. Passengers are encouraged to visit the concession car for refreshments, snacks, or for those train enthusiasts - a conductor’s hat.Ī two-and-a-half hour layover in the historic downtown square of the small town of Burnet adds to the time traveling experience. The Austin Steam Train is based in Austin, Texas operating through the state's 'Hill Country' using tracks once owned by the Southern Pacific. Volunteer rail attendants offer historical fun facts throughout the 66-mile round trip adventure. It’s a great way to explore the Texas Hill Country. On the train’s 1920s-era open-window coach, passengers can stand by open windows to shoot photos, wave to passersby, and enjoy the views of the South San Gabriel River and the Hill Country’s flora and fauna. The authentic restoration of each passenger car evokes a true railroading experience from the vintage seat upholstery to the train whistles along the way. The vintage passenger train cars sit lined up on the track, as ticket takers in red coats greet visitors wanting to travel to another era. Hill Country Flyer Train Excursion (Cedar Park to Burnet)įrom the moment passengers arrive at the Cedar Park, Texas, rail station where the trains depart, nostalgia kicks in. ![]() Suite101 recommends the original and most popular train ride, the Hill Country Flyer. Our vintage train cars are from the golden era of rail travel, built in the 30s, 40s and 50s, and fully restored for your enjoyment. 116 reviews of Austin Steam Train Association 'Updated information 401 E. Today, the ASTA offers passengers several excursions to choose from, each with it’s own enchantment. AUSTIN STEAM TRAIN ASSOCIATION - 145 Photos & 116 Reviews - 401 E Whitestone Blvd, Cedar Park, TX - Yelp. Since the steam train returned to the Texas Hill Country, more than 200,000 passengers have made the train a stop in their Texas travels. In it’s heyday, the train brought all the pink granite used to construct the Texas State Capitol Building. Generations of passengers enjoyed this line until the 1930’s. In 1882, a railroad line through Central Texas connected Austin to Burnet. But in 1992, the Austin Steam Train Association (ASTA), a not-for-profit group, worked to bring back the steam train travel experience for the sake of sharing a part of history with new generations. Though the first order of business is running trains, we run them with the purpose of evoking history to provide a learning environment regarding railroads. Once a fundamental part of American life, steam train travel gradually disappeared with more modern forms of transportation. Scenic Ride in Vintage Passenger Train Near Austin
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