The season of gratitude is upon us, and today I’m so grateful to share your November update on Austin Parks Foundation’s ongoing efforts to restore the beloved Zilker Train. Each day we get a little bit closer to the finish line, and we are so excited about how this project is progressing!

In recent weeks, crews have spent time installing rocks and boulders along the track to mitigate erosion. Additionally, we have scheduled maintenance work on the bridge under Barton Springs Road, which is expected to take between 3-4 weeks. Crews will be working to ensure the bridge is in tip-top shape and ready for the train when we begin testing. Meanwhile, finishing touches are underway on the locomotive – it was recently primed and painted to match one of the passenger cars (sneak peek of the color below!).

As the excitement builds and we near completion of the train project, we are so thankful for your patience. It’s been a long road but we see the light at the end of the tunnel, and we can’t wait to open this up to the public. We remain hopeful that the Zilker Eagle will enter the testing phase in the coming month, with the train opening shortly thereafter.  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me or Angela Osborn, APF VP of Marketing & Development, at any time.

Colin Wallis
Chief Executive Officer
Austin Parks Foundation