Thank you for your interest in our historic railroad restoration work. Our mission encourages us to focus on preservation of historic railroading for the enjoyment of families today! You can also click below to learn more about our current restoration projects, and what you can do to help.
MAjor restoration Projects
Other restoration Projects
October 2024
At ASTA, we are fortunate to have a dedicated group of young volunteers committed to our mission of historic railroad preservation. One standout is George Finger, an enthusiastic On Board Service volunteer who has chosen ASTA for his Eagle Scout Project. George designed and built a modern Train Bulletin Board, reminiscent of those that once announced train arrivals and departures across the country. The innovative twist? He incorporated QR codes, allowing visitors to easily access information on tickets, volunteering, and donation opportunities to support ASTA’s mission. Great job, George, and congratulations on achieving your Eagle Scout Rank!
September 2024
Caring for our locomotives and cars is essential, but we also handle the little details—like our station signs! The Burnet Station sign, a favorite spot for passenger selfies, was looking a bit worn, with peeling paint. Thankfully, one of our dedicated volunteers stepped in to restore it. After some scraping, sanding, and a fresh coat of white enamel, the sign was carefully hand-lettered and reinstalled just in time for the Hill Country Flyer season. Book a ride and snap a picture in front of the newly restored sign!
August 2024
As a nonprofit, ASTA is always mindful of our spending, especially when it comes to salvaging materials that will benefit us long-term. Our friends at Herzog recently replaced a number of ties near our yard and generously gave us two large piles to sort through. Over 4-5 days, our dedicated volunteers worked hard to salvage 150 quality ties for future use in our yard.Thanks to their efforts, we won’t need to buy ties anytime soon!
July 2024
For years, the diesel generator under the Maurice Beckham reliably powered our lounge cars’ HVAC systems. Though our new power car now handles that task, the Beckham generator remains our trusted backup. Recently, a significant metal failure occurred on the radiator, but thanks to Bennie, Matt, and our mechanical crew, the generator was removed, and Abe Doss expertly repaired the damage. Now, it’s ready to serve as our backup if needed.
June 2024
Collaboration is essential in the nonprofit railroad and heritage museum sector, where external funding is scarce. Recently, ASTA collaborated with the San Antonio Heritage Rail Museum to secure a disc brake wheel set we had previously purchased but not retrieved. Gary Rodriguez, President of the museum, reached out to offer their assistance in delivering it. They transported the wheel set to Cedar Park, where our volunteers unloaded and stored it. In return, we showed them our Alco S2 switcher for sale and donated a pair of motorized rail drills. This collaboration benefited both organizations.
May 2024
Years ago, we acquired a wooden storage building that we used for storing tables and chairs. It was initially placed along the east track of our Wye in Cedar Park. Over time, it became an obstacle and needed refurbishing. So, we decided to move it. We had customized fork extenders made by Doss Metals to lift the building. Tom Fitzgerald, our retired crane operator from the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, carefully picked up the building and moved it to its new location in the yard. It was gently transported past Building 30, a switchman’s shanty from the Southern Pacific Railroad that was rescued in Houston. The building is now in its new location, ready for restoration.
The Yard Crew has been hard at work this year fixing up the cars in our regular consist! Here are some highlights:
May 2024
ASTA volunteers successfully completed an essential task for our rail partners, Herzog Transportation Services. They managed the delivery of nine spine cars loaded with new ties destined for tie replacement in the Central Subdivision. ASTA provided the locomotive and crews to transport the freight cars into the yard, ensuring they were perfectly positioned for Herzog’s team to unload.
A few years ago, the volunteers of the Gulf Coast Chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society acquired an ex-Southern Pacific dining car from Amtrak. Since then, they have been diligently repairing and refurbishing the car to prepare it for service on ASTA trains. Recently, they purchased all new windows, and today marked the beginning of the process to replace the badly crazed plexiglass windows with real glass. The volunteers are tackling the learning curve with enthusiasm and dedication. (Yes, it will be SP on the outside, and vintage early Amtrak on the inside with some cool interior features!)
At ASTA, always check the oil level on every piece of machinery before starting it up, including our locomotives. When the dipstick on the 3134 indicates low oil, we don’t just add a quart or two—we add an entire 55-gallon drum!
April 2024
Not all yard work or restorations are monumental, but every task is essential. ASTA has numerous artifacts, buildings, and equipment that need repair. In this instance, Marc Opperman, one of our dedicated volunteer brakemen, is restoring the rotted wooden end of a vintage baggage cart on display at the ASTA boarding platform. Thank you, Marc, for your hard work and dedication!
