Goodby to the Historic Texas State Railroad?

GIVE ME A BREAK!!! The railroads exist because government granted them land and exclusions so the would exist. Few railroads have made substatial purchases of land or rights of way for their trackage.

Ah, I see. Someone else who can't understand that a line has to be drawn somewhere, and that someone might have a principled position that public education and national defense are important enough to fund from public money but a historic railroad just doesn't even come close to making the cut. Are you really claiming that your hobby is as important as education and defense?

Sheesh.

No, my hobby is trivial. I would, however, suggest that preservation of our nation's historic and natural heritage IS education and IS defense. I mean, throw that out, and what's left that's worth fighting for?

That's the problem with Texas: there's not much there left that's worth my tax dollars. It's almost laughable, that world famous Texas nationalism, when in fact the majority of the state is fine with letting it all go down the crapper. The Texas State RR is just the tip of the iceberg. Hell, in just my lifetime most of the Big Thicket has been cut down. That ain't coming back. Terrible schools, dirty air. I guess there are probably still places where you can see all those stars at night and the sky is that deep, dark blue in the middle of the day, but I haven't seen 'em in a long time.

I hope y'all are proud of yourselves. Texas ain't Texas anymore.

"Well the Gulf breeze was blowing Those sweet petrochemical fumes. I was hauling a truckload of cattle Through Texas in June. . . . I left I-10 at Beaumont To look for an open saloon. . . .

There we met. I felt passion grab hold of my heart. As blonde as the sun, Her skin brown as the sea . . .

In her car we discussed The newsworthy events of the day, With romance hanging thick As the air over Galveston bay. Then she locked her front door And took hold of my hand. Two bodies were thinking With only one gland. . . ."

from "Golden Triangle", The Austin Lounge Lizards

(also check out "Old Blevins"

Yes, they are. But by all indications, public education in Texas is woefully underfunded, and as for defence, the less said the better.

So where *is* all that public money going, if not to these worthy recipients?

Mark, I was wondering that myself today as I dumped 75 cents in to the bin on the George Bush Toll Road. If not un-reported the news we get on legislation even on the state and local level is so full of conflicting ,bitter, venomous partisan BS that I really don't know what to think. If you take a coin that's made out of shit both sides of it stink. Bruce

I don't know about this specific railroad museum, but I bet they got a similar deal (free land, tax breaks etc). Most do. I don't have a problem with that, either for a railroad or for a museum. Once established though, it's up to them to make it work.

The TSRR is not a private museum or enterprise. It's part of the Texas State Parks. I would imagine we would have very few parks to enjoy anywhere in the nation if we expected the parks to be profitable business ventures. Though the park is kept running by tax money and has probably never come close to turning a profit it does along with Rusk State Park create quite a bit of traffic in that part of East Texas. Bruce