Longhorn Railway |
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Based out of the small town of McNeil, the Longhorn Railway operates approximately 162
miles of ex-SP trackage in central Texas. Capital Metro, the Austin company which owns the
line, has employed Longhorn as the line's operator since
spring of 1996. The line's previous operator was RailTex's now-defunct Austin &
Northwestern.
The line runs from a connection with the former SP Flatonia Sub at Giddings, west through Elgin
and McNeil to Burnet. Trackage continues west to Marble Falls and Llano, although the railroad
hasve suspended operations west of Marble Falls. Operations are based out of Longhorn's small
yard at McNeil, located on the far north side of Austin, just south of the town of Round Rock.
Longhorn interchanges with UP at McNeil and UP and BNSF (via BNSF's trackage rights over the
UP) at Elgin. The Austin Steam Train Association runs weekend passenger excursions on the
line as well.
Interestingly, as I work to publish this page on March 22, 2000, Capital Metro is attempting to
remove Longhorn as the line's operator on the basis of an alleged breach-of-contract.
Capital Metro charges that Longhorn defaulted on its contract by failing to properly maintain
the line, failing to provide financial and business records, and failing to pay taxes in a
timely manner. Capital Metro has cancelled its contract with Longhorn, and plans to
bring in Econorail as an "emergency operator" for a six-month period while it re-bids
the contract. Meanwhile, it appears that Longhorn will protest the cancellation. In a
March 9 newspaper article, the Austin American-Statesman quoted Longhorn President
Don Cheatham as saying, "They've got a fight on their hands now".
Expect an ugly legal battle before this thing gets resolved.
Please click on any picture below to see a larger image.
All images on Wes Carr's Southwest Shorts © 2000 by Wes Carr. All rights reserved.
Wes Carr claims no affiliation with the Longhorn Railway or
any other shortline railroad.