OUR TURN: Idea of passenger-train travel to Marble Falls building up steam

The idea to bring passenger-train service to Marble Falls to help bolster tourism and commerce is not without merit. The concept deserves serious investigation by the city and other sponsors.

After all, Marble Falls and the railroad have been partners for more than century, and if passenger excursions help the city weather the recession without a huge cost to the taxpayers, it could be worth the effort.

Today freight trains still chuff into Marble Falls, but no passenger rail.

John Kemper, the co-owner of a pair of very successful Marble Falls restaurants, revived the idea of passenger rail travel some months ago during conversations about how to assist Marble Falls’ sagging historic Main Street shopping district, where many businesses have been shuttered the last few months.

Merchants want to showcase both the street and the nearby parks on Lake Marble Falls as an attractive destination for travelers. The hope is that fun-filled excursions by train to Marble Falls will give more visitors a chance to see Main Street and spend their dollars there, pumping up sales taxes.

In fact, Marble Falls in part owes its existence to the railroad. Even most schoolchildren know the railroad extended a line to what became Marble Falls when local granite was quarried to construct the new state Capitol building in Austin in the late 1880s.

Developers and founders of the city including Adam R. Johnson saw the railroad as inextricably tied to the success of Marble Falls.

Over time, of course, the city became an economic hub for this part of Central Texas, but that prosperity was spurred by the railroad.

Neighboring cities have already enjoyed a close association with rail passenger travel, including Burnet — which is seeing better sales-tax revenue than Marble Falls.

But Marble Falls is wisely looking into the concept. Last weekend, city officials and the Austin Steam Train Association took an excursion along the rail lines from the Huber Corp. in Marble Falls to Fairland and back, examining the feasibility of passenger train journeys.

The ASTA currently runs weekend train trips to Burnet and Bertram.

The organization incorporated in 1989 after several Central Texas train enthusiasts  envisioned bringing back a passenger steam excursion to the area.

On July 25, 1992, the former Southern Pacific No. 786 steam locomotive (built in 1916) made the first passenger train trip between Cedar Park and Burnet.

It was the first time in 55 years that a passenger train had made the trip.

Since that time the association has made weekend trips to the two Highland Lakes communities.

ASTA officials said since the first ride in 1992, more than 400,000 people have made the trip to Burnet and/or Bertram.

The two most typical rides are the Hill Country Flyer, which travels to Burnet with an approximate two-hour layover so patrons can shop and eat in the county seat.
The Bertram Flyer stops for about 15 minutes in the Hill Country town before returning to Cedar Park.

Marble Falls business owners also like the idea of bringing the train to downtown.

Given the numbers cited by ASTA, there’s no reason they wouldn’t.

While the idea of starting passenger rail travel to Marble Falls is still in its infancy, as long as the prospect is affordable to taxpayers there is no reason why it shouldn’t build up some steam.