Let's ride the Hill Country Flyer

The Austin and Central Texas 442

diesel-electric locomotive

2400 horsepower

six-axle RSD-15 road-switcher

originally built as the Sante Fe 842

I thought we could go back in time today and take a ride on the Hill Country Flyer. This blog is supposed to have something to do with trains, right? Hence, "The Jones Family Junction" and "Grandma's Bells and Whistles"... We have only taken two official train rides with the grandchildren so far: this train ride in Austin (with the Rauch grandchildren) and also a train ride up in Grand Rapids (with the Pahman grandchildren), but I know we will ride more trains in the future. Since this was our very first train ride with the grandkiddos, I'm going to start here!

DATE: March 11, 2007

LOCATION: North of Austin (actually Cedar Park)

This was our route:

Round trip from Cedar Park to Burnet, Texas, through the Hill Country of Texas!

Signage regarding the history of the Austin and Northwestern Railroad

Jackson, Sabrina & Karis with the Conductor!

Jackson and Boppa inspecting the caboose

Sante Fe Caboose #999418

Jackson inside the #999418

Grandma Jones & Jackson

Sabrina & Jackson enjoying the Hill Country Flyer

Look at those smiles!

Ah ... typical of Mr. Jones as he rides a train

This is one of the best places from which to take pictures

Andrew & Jackson seeing what they can see ...

See Jackson sticking his head out the window?

AAALLL ABOARD!

Once the train started, Jackson had to keep his head inside!

Chugga, chugga, chugga ... choo choo!

We rode in absolute comfort in P70 coach cars

with upholstered roll-over seats

made by the Pennsylvania Railroad!

Going around a bend ...

Olivia and I spent a lot of time in the

#1726 which was converted into a concession car

We visited with the folk who were working at the Snack Bar

& Gift Shop there

Andrew and Karis had some good cuddle time

The train took us through Hill Country

across rivers ...

We went by small towns (this is Bertram)

We passed ranches and farms ...

and finally we arrived at the thriving

metropolis of BURNET!

I was looking forward to shopping in Burnet,

but it was Sunday ...

almost all the shops were closed.

After a long walk,

we found a nice place to eat lunch ...

We hurried back to the train station

for "the show"

An old Western type of skit was performed

but it was rather pathetic ... (!)
And then it was time to hop back on the train.

This is one of Grandpa's good photos

looking down on the tracks with the train in motion ...

Livie fell asleep on the way back to Austin ...

so did I (but the picture is awful!)

We enjoyed riding the Hill Country Flyer!

NEXT STOP: The Coopersville-Marne with the Pahman grandchildren ...