Texas State Railroad

The Texas State Railroad (reporting mark TSR), also referred to as the Lone Star and Eastern Railroad, is a historic 25 mi (40 km) heritage railroad between Rusk and Palestine, Texas. Built by inmates, it was founded in 1883 by the state of Texas to haul raw materials for a smelter at the prison at Rusk. Regular service on the line was ended in 1921. The state leased the line to private companies until 1969, then turned it over to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in 1972. In 2007, the railroad was transferred to the Texas State Railroad Authority and is now operating as a scenic tourist line. It is currently operated on a limited, year-round schedule. Today, the railroad has a total of five steam locomotives (two of which are operational) and three diesel locomotives in their roster. The schedule of the railroad allows visitors to ride trains pulled by these locomotives between the park's Victorian-style depots in Palestine and Rusk and through the Piney Woods forests of East Texas. The Texas Legislature designated the Texas State Railroad as the official Railroad of Texas in 2003.