Austin and NW Railroad

The first railroad to tap the mineral-rich heart of the Hill Country, the A&NW's narrow-gauge tracks were completed from Austin to Burnet in 1982.  When the State Capital was being rebuilt in 1881, the State of Texas decided to bring granite for the new Capital from Granite Mountain near Marble Falls.  US mail and freight used the line, as did passenger trains between Austin and Burnet.  In 1891, the line was acquired by the Houston and Texas Central Railroad, eventually part of the great Southern Pacific line.  In 1929, a spur line was built to Texas Quarries, two miles west of Highway 183 in Cedar Park.  Texas Quarries used the line to transport limestone blocks to provide building material for Governor Ross Sterling's home near Houston, the old trimmings for Herman Hospital in Houston, the old University library, the Austin Post Office, and the trimmings for Herman Hospital in Houston.  Passenger service was discontinued about 1937.   It is now owned by Austin Capital Metro, which serves the area with regular freight service.  Excursion service is provided by the Austin Steam Train Association.  Cedar Park is the home station of steam locomotive No. 786 and the Hill Country Flyer.  Located next to the Austin Steam Train Ticket Booth at Discover Blvd., east of Hwy. 183 in Cedar Park.

Austin and NW Railroad - The Austin and Northwest railroad trestle over Brushy Creek where thirty six granite blocks rest in the stream bed where they toppled off eighteen derailed railroad flat cars in 1886. Engineer Charlie Enlow managed to keep the engine and the caboose on the track. 1886