Here is only one of a hundred views of the dramatic scenery.   And the railroad runs along the banks of the Llano river for nearly seven miles.  Photo by John Hallowell, 2005.

The official HCRA MOW Motorcar.  Rebuilt from "near death"
by Jerry Light and George Grey.

Hill Country Railroad Association
PO Box 383
Llano, Texas 78643

HCRA's home city of Llano is at the end of the 99-mile Austin and Northwestern completed in 1892, later a Southern Pacific branch.    Facing the abandonment of the end of the line, HCRA's efforts in the 1990s led to the identification of the last 29 miles of the branch as a National Register Historic District.   Efforts by HCRA to secure state and federal funds for the upgrading of the track were successful.   Repairs on the line totaled more than $2.5 million dollars from 1996-2001. 

HCRA's passenger tourist operation is scheduled by public announcement in the press.   A working relationship with Austin Steam Train Association has provided operating crews and motive power was loaned by Austin Area Terminal Railroad upon occasion.    Rare Miles Excursions were held on April 16, 2005 and Labor Day, 2005.      More than a thousand people have experienced the magic of the Llano River valley while riding on the Llano River Railroad excursions.     In addition, special motorcar runs have been held on several occasions!

Join HCRA to receive the monthly internet or US Mail notices! 

*** Membership dues are $10 annual.   Membership year extends from June to May.   Send $10 with name, address, city and zip, telephone and email address to Charles Ingram, Treasurer, PO Box 383, Llano, TX 78643.

*** Meetings are held at 3 PM on the Second Saturday of each month in Llano, Texas, at the Railroad Museum located east of Highway 16 just north of the Llano River Bridge.   If you have business you would like the Association to address, please contact Dusty Durst, the President, prior to the beginning of the meeting.    Members and visitors are welcome.
 

NEXT MEETING: 

May Meeting:  Saturday, May 10, 2008, 3PM.  HCRA elects officers:  All serve two year terms beginning in June. 

June Meeting: Saturday, June 14, 2008, 3PM.  New officers and directors take office.  

Would anyone care for a copy of the By-Laws?  It can be sent electronically or sent by USPS.

Consultations:   President Dusty Durst is leading an effort to bring representatives of Capitol Metro, WATCO Transportation and Veolia Transportation to Llano for mutual benefit.   We think that George Gray and Jerry Light have been "good right-of-way stewards" for the last two years, and that the NARCOA folks have given hundreds of service hours on the line.  Thanks to those people.  We need to know what changes have occurred since the new operators (Veolia, WATCO) took over the entire line in October.



CONTINUED IN COLUMN AT RIGHT

More Recent News: (continued)

MUSEUM VOLUNTEERS:  We provide volunteers on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and the building is open to the public on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as well.  Contact Paul Blades, our Volunteer Coordinator.     We need some folks to come down to the building on weekdays.   Paul's email is pmblades@verizon.net

NEWS FOR THIS MONTHLY PUBLICATION:  Contact us by US Mail or internet not later than the 25th of the preceding month if you have news.  We try to mail/email the newsletter around the 1st of the month.

PO Box 383, Llano, TX 78643.