Choo choo!

Ok that was a lame title, but it's before coffee, so it is what it is....
The Road Show has been sticking pretty close to home these days, enjoying trips to the Hill Country as often as possible.

Thanks to another silent auction, we got certificates to take a ride on the Hill Country Flyer. It's billed as the Austin Steam Train, but the steam engine is undergoing refurbishment, so there's only diesel-a 1960 Alco, for you train buffs. The engine pulls several different passenger cars from different eras, and the more you pay for your ticket, the higher the level of service and amenities.

We had the cheapest ticket, so we rode in the 1940's era parlor car with windows that opened and no AC. There was another excursion car with seats from the '50s or '60s (with AC) and lounge cars with AC and tables and snacks. There is a snack car on the train with sodas for a dollar and candy bars, etc.


We took the short ride, (3 hour tour) traveling from the depot in Cedar Park (just NW of Austin) to Bertram, home of the Oatmeal Festival, where there is a restored train station building but not much else. This trip is really called the Bertram Flyer.
The train stops long enough for people to have a quick look around, (and use the portapotty if necessary) and then it's back on the train to wait for the engine to detach from the front at reattach at the back.
The longer trip-the Hill Country Flyer-goes to the town of Burnet and takes about 5 hours. The train stops there long enough for people to have lunch on the square.

Luckily it was a beautiful day and not too hot. I was reminded of train trips to Grandma's house way back when. If you like trains and train rides, this is a fun day out. We'll go back when the steam engine is back on the rails!