Photo marked: LLANO, Texas, Special Excursion of Members of Legislature, Jan'y 21st, 1893. FOR MORE AUSTIN & NORTHWESTERN PHOTOS, PLEASE CLICK HERE: AUNW PHOTOS)
Now fast forward to 1986. In 1986, the Southern Pacific sold the line, which included a portion of the old H&TC between Giddings and Austin as well, to the City of Austin and their regional transit authority, Capital Metro. These agencies acquired the line because of the threat of abandonment. The 167 mile line was not in the best of shape at the time as once the Southern Pacific decided that the line was an abandonment candidate, track maintenance was significantly reduced. Eventually, RailTex (Became part of RailAmerica) was chosen to be the operator of the railroad for the owners. The new A&NW (AUNW) was started with a variety of leased locomotives, mostly GP-38's from the Katy that came from a variety of railroads before that, including but not limited to, ICG, Conrail and Kennecott Copper. The A&NW then obtained its own motive power in the form of six GP-9's (Five from D&RGW and one ex-UP GP-9 from Great Western) and two ex-MKT SW1200's. Sadly, the A&NW is a fallen flag for the second time, the railroad operation now being handled by another rail operator, the Longhorn Railway Company as of 1996. During the year 2000, Capital Metro replaced the Longhorn Railway with a new operator, Econorail. The railroad is currently known as the Austin Area Terminal Railway. As of sometime in 2007, WATCO will take over running of the railroad. So far, in conversations with employees, both management and other personnel will have jobs with the new operator.
A steam powered excursion is also operated over some of the trackage to this day under the auspices of the Austin & Texas Central Railroad by the Austin Steam Train Association. Current and future operation of the end of the railroad from Fairland to Llano is promoted by the Hill Country Railroad Association. Their site also contains a very nicely done milepost by milepost description of that part of the line.
In doing research for this brief history, I discovered in my files a most delightful newspaper article that appeared in the Sunday, April 19th, 1987 issue of the "Austin American-Statesman" I had never read the article to be truthful, so I was surprised to see the following that appeared in that writeup: "The Austin & Northwestern doesn't have an official timetable, but one of the Transportation Specialists, Russell McKay, designed and put together an 'unofficial' timetable last November which the engine crews use. Kling {General Manager} keeps a copy until a company-authorized timetable is completed." "In keeping with railroad tradition, McKay even gave the Austin & Northwestern a nickname, 'The Granite Mountain Route,' which appears on the orange cover of his timetable until something official happens in that regard." This "honorable" mention is a great surprise and fine addition to my "resumé"!
GANDY -- "Gandy station was named in honor of Dr, Joe R. Gandy, who served the SP Lines in Texas & Louisiana as Chief Surgeon for many years." -- C. Milton C. "Skipper" Jones, Sr., 09-18-87
MILBY -- "The station of Milby was named for Sam H. Milby, now deceased, who served the SP Lines in Texas & Louisiana for many years in the Freight Loss & Damage Prevention Department." -- C. Milton C. "Skipper" Jones, Sr., 099-18-87
SCOBEE -- "Scobee station is named for M.O. Scobee, former Superintendent of Telegraph for T&L Lines {Texas & Louisiana}." -- C. Milton C. "Skipper" Jones, Sr., 09-18-87
A very extraordinary "railway subsidy" is reported in the following words in a dispatch from Llano, Tex., dated May 21 (1892): "trains are now running within ten miles of Llano. A 40-gallon barrel of whiskey has been placed on the grade within three miles of town, and word sent to the track-laying gang that if they had trains running to that point by Monday night the whiskey was theirs. They are working day and night. Forty gallons of liquid damnation -- hundreds of plain drunks, innumerable headaches, numerous fights, perhaps a few murders -- these are wretched rewards to deal out to the poor fellows who are straining every muscle to complete that railway. A square meal, some decent clothing, a little extra pay -- either of these would be far more kindly gifts to the workmen, whether white or colored, free men or convicts, than the rotgut which will sear their stomachs and excite their passions and leave them poorer and more miserable than before." -- RAILWAY AGE MAGAZINE.
BofLF Lodge 491 -- (Chas. Enlow, Austin, Texas.) "I wish to state that 491 is in a fair condition, that we have added several new members in the last year, and have several more in view, but our charter is draped for the first time since we were organized in 1893, caused by the death of Bro. Chas. L. Clarke, who was killed on June 22d by jumping from his engine, which was derailed. He was running engine 210 on the H. & T.C.R.R. Bro. Clarke was only acting engineer, being a regular fireman on a passenger run out of Austin, and was taken off his run at Llano to run engine 210 back to Austin, as this engine had been derailed on the up trip and the engineer, Bro. Floyd, in jumping off sustained injuries which prevented his running the engine back to Austin. Within fourteen miles of Austin the engine was again derailed, and in jumping off Bro. Clarke sustained injuries which caused his death fourteen hours after the accident. He never regained consciousness from the time of the accident till the time of his death. At a regular meeting of 491 appropriate resolutions were adopted and sent to the window and mother of the deceased. A copy of the resolutions will be spread upon the minutes of our lodge." -- LOCOMOTIVE FIREMEN'S MAGAZINE, August 1904.
BofLF Lodge 491 -- (M.C. Leonard, Austin, Tex.) "As Barton Spring Lodge 491 has had nothing to say in the Magazine for some time, I will endeavor to send a few words for this issue of our beloved Magazine. Business on the old H. & T.C.R.R. has fallen off to almost nothing, and prospects for an increase of business in the near future are not very bright at this time. The boys who are still retainedand working on said road now have oil burners and the company is replacing the coal burners as fast as they can take them in and have them overhauled. In another month the boys on the Austin branch of the H. & T.C.R.R. will discard the old standby scoop and pick for the oil valve. . . ." -- LOCOMOTIVE FIREMEN'S MAGAZINE, February 1905.
. . . "When I went to school in Austin in 1920 and 1930s I rode the SP from Elgin to Austin and back many times. Also visted the depot and roundhouse every chance I got. I quit school in Austin May 1933 when Bellmead called and said they had an opening for a machinist apprentice. Stayed with the Katy till I retired 1975 (41 years)" . . . -- J.O.B. "Swede" Johnson, a friend, in a letter to me dated September 28th, 1999.
LOCOMOTIVES USED IN EARLY RAILTEX DAYS OF AUNW
Units used by AUNW since September 1986 and associated problems, etc. (added in haste on 09-03-07 from original notes made circa 1986-87):
More unique history and photos will be added here as time permits -- stay tuned.
TranSpec (Engineer/Conductor) R.J. McKay using high-tech communication equipment trying to reach Austin base from Fairland -- get on top of locomotive with handhelld radio for both height and ground plane effect . . .