[redacted]

201 was not "suddenly" brought back into service, as far as I know; it is rarely used because it is a bit small for the TSRR. It has trouble with wheelslip on the grade out of Rusk.

I rode behind 201 during a T&P special at the RR a few years ago; it was great, with some great stack talk.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Surviving World Steam Project

[redacted]

Christian;

I would love to hear an update from someone in the know, but last I heard, the TSRR may not be running at all next year; but rather be a static museum. It will be a victim of budget cuts; as can be expected, it cost far more to run the TSRR than any other park in the Texas Parks system, so it is an easy target for budget cuts. I have an article I found on the Railspot Group on Yahoo below.

Regarding the steam locomotives; I know they are were all in line to recieve new boilers. #300 was first out of the box with a new boiler; #500 was seperated from it's tender and I assume the next in line at the time of my visit. I found the following about #201 on the Railspot Group on Yahoo:



So, you are right, 201 was down, may now be back, and steam will return to both ends of the line through the remainder of the year.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/politics/15771222.htm

Posted on Mon, Oct. 16, 2006



State railroad's future adds odd twist to race
By R.A. DYER
STAR-TELEGRAM AUSTIN BUREAU

HANK GILBERT
More photos
AUSTIN - Like the thick black smoke that puffs from its smokestack, the
beleaguered Texas State Railroad has begun pumping controversy into an otherwise
placid and largely unnoticed race for Texas agriculture commissioner.

On one hand is the well-financed front-runner, state Sen. Todd Staples, a
Republican who has taken a public leadership role in preserving the train. "For
12 years I have been an ardent supporter of the Texas State Railroad," he says.

But on the other is his Democratic opponent, Hank Gilbert, who says that
although Staples may talk a good game, as a state senator he sponsored a measure
that could have literally sunk the rail line. "It's all a sham, and it's
politics, and the people are tired of it," Gilbert says.

It's an odd issue given that the state's next agriculture commissioner will have
no direct authority over the historic landmark. But it has many voters talking
because the railroad operates from the heart of Staples' East Texas Senate
district, and because problems with the railroad have become largely emblematic
of a park system long neglected by the Legislature.

Local newspapers have also become battlegrounds for the railroad issue. Mayors
have weighed in, as have activists and park lovers. "People come from all over
the world to see it," Palestine Mayor Carolyn Salter wrote recently.

The railroad, which was built with prison labor about 100 years ago, runs 25
miles between Palestine and Rusk. It has continued commercial operations off and
on throughout much of its history - sometimes carrying freight, sometimes
passengers, sometimes making money, sometimes not - and then in 1972 it was
turned over to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

It's been a tourist attraction ever since. The problem is that it also
hemorrhages money.

The cash-strapped parks department reports that the train loses about $1 million
annually and that the operation needs $12 million over the next two years for
track repairs, upgrades and operational costs. It may need $30 million more for
long-term maintenance and as much as $650,000 immediately, just to maintain
operations through September 2007.

Otherwise, the train will become a stationary exhibit, and therein lies the
controversy.

Staples and Gilbert agree that if the train stopped running, it may never start
again. That's because many contracts for track right of way would then expire,
and reinstating them would be expensive, complicated or impossible.

Staples, the Republican from Palestine, says he's committed to protecting the
railroad. "In order to chart a course for the future, I have worked with the
local officials and helped establish the Texas State Railroad task force; I have
assembled an advisory committee of people across the state," he said.

He also has helped sponsor fundraisers, including one scheduled for Saturday at
the Palestine Depot.

That's all well and good, says Gilbert, but what about Staples' sponsorship of a
resolution last year supporting the creation of the Fastrill Reservoir on the
Neches River? The reservoir, which would provide water for Dallas, would also
wash over part of the tracks - effectively shutting down the railroad.

At least that's what Gilbert and local activists say.

"The economic impact of that railroad is huge to his hometown - and the fact
that it's a state park, and a historic monument - and he was willing to
sacrifice it for a reservoir; that's unacceptable," said Gilbert, 48.

For the moment, the reservoir is on hold - but not because of any action by
Staples or the Legislature. Instead, the federal government has given the
initial green light for the Neches River Wildlife Refuge, and that refuge would
prevent creation of the reservoir.

Some activists have sided with Gilbert on the issue, saying that by supporting
the reservoir, Staples has acted against the creation of the refuge and the
preservation of the railroad. Rerouting those tracks, or building a bridge to
carry them over the reservoir if it ever were built, would cost $100 million or
more, says Michael Banks, co-chairman of the Friends of the Neches River.

And that, he said, would effectively doom the historic landmark. "It is now
apparent that the reservoir and the Texas State Railroad are not compatible ...
[and] Senator Staples is talking out of both sides of his mouth," Banks said.

Staples says the criticism is misinformed and unfair. He says that replacing the
tracks had already been included in the planning for the reservoir, although no
agency has released a cost estimate.

But "there has never been a question that the development of Fastrill would
accommodate the Texas State Railroad," Staples wrote in a recent column for a
Lufkin newspaper.

He said he supports both sound water policies and the preservation of the
railroad, and he notes that in 2003 he sponsored a resolution supporting the
preservation of the railroad as a "moving museum" because it had served the
state for nearly 125 years, including 30 years as a state park.

Gilbert says the state wouldn't be in this bind if Staples and other lawmakers
had provided enough money for the parks department.

Staples says one way to save the Texas State Railroad is to turn it over to a
private operator. Gilbert opposes the idea, although he agrees that it may make
sense if it's the only alternative.

Banks, the local activist, says that if a private operator took over operations,
the train fare would double or triple. Round-trip adult tickets now cost between
$17 and $24.

www.texasstaterailroad.com


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
R.A. Dyer, 512-476-4294

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Surviving World Steam Project

The situation of the Texas State Railroad has been discussed and cussed on the Railspot Group on Yahoo. Opinions vary widely, but the Texas Parks System has been underfunded for several years and the Texas State Railroad is the biggest money loser in the system. As of today the money for operations runs out at the end of the year. It may well be that after January 1 operations may cease and the operation become a static exhibit

Thanks for all the latest on the TSRR. I checked the websites again just now, and they are still asking supporters and friends of the TSRR to contribute signatures to their online petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/txprks1/ PLEASE take a minute to help them out of you have not yet done so. And if you have, we surely do appreciate it.

According to my sources,201 has been getting some final adjustments last week and this week with some light running in Rusk. The 201 and 300 will be active for the Railfan Weekend,but that will be the only time BOTH locomotives will be in steam due to budget constraints. If something changes,I'll let the board know. The 201,300,and 500 all have new boilers and the 500 is the only one currently disassembled in the shop.Get down and ride if you can........