Texas State Railroad Named a Saved Site

AUSTIN — The Texas State Railroad has been named by Preservation Texas, Inc. to its tenth anniversary retrospective list of Texas’ Most Endangered Historic Places. Originally named to the 2007 list of Texas’ Most Endangered Historic Places, the railroad is designated as saved on the 2013 list.

Preservation Texas officials announced the selections yesterday on the steps of the Texas State Capitol on Preservation Day. The annual announcement is part of Preservation Day activities organized by Preservation Texas. Advocates from all over the state come to participate in informational sessions, meet with legislators at the Capitol and get an in depth look at lessons to be learned from the sites named to the list.

“Inclusion of lost sites is important because it illustrates some of the very real obstacles communities face in their efforts to preserve the historic resources of Texas,” said Charlene Orr, president of Preservation Texas, Inc. “And by including threatened sites, we hope to generate additional support that will take them to the next level in their preservation process.”

The Texas State Railroad (TSRR), designated the “official railroad of Texas” by the Texas Legislature, is recognized as one of the nation’s largest and most unique steam train operations The Railroad began in the 1880s as a way to deliver pig iron produced by the prison located in Rusk. It was converted to a heritage railroad attraction in 1976 by the Legislature and became a major tourist attraction. However, it was scheduled to become a static display when the Legislature refused to fund its operation, and the local community had almost exhausted its financial resources. In 2007 management of the TSRR was privatized with a contract with American Heritage Railways. In conjunction with this, the state formed the Texas State Railroad Authority, to oversee the railroad and to ensure that this Texas treasure continues to function as it always has.