Hill Country Flyer 
Bertram Flyer 
Special Ride 
Multiple Rides
Passenger Car Information 
Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest and greatest news about discounts, upcoming rides, and our steam train updates.
We offer four levels of service on each train ride into the Hill Country; Standard Coach, Excursion, First Class Coach and First Class Pullman Lounge. Please visit our terms and conditions page for specifics on accommodations.
Ticket prices vary according to Coach, Excursion or Lounge seating.
Coach
Pennsylvania Railroad P70 Cars
Our six P70 coach cars were constructed by the Pennsylvania Railroad in the 1920s, and saw use in commuter service until the 1960s. The cars were acquired by Mr. Arthur Boone in 1990, refurbished by ASTA volunteers, and released for service in 1992. One of the coaches, 1726, was converted into a concession car. Snacks and souvenirs are offered for sale in the concession car.
Previously equipped with steam heat and rudimentary air conditioning, these features have been removed. The coaches do, however, have windows that open and close. The cars seat 72 passengers on upholstered roll-over seats. Our coaches are handicap accessible by way of a wheelchair lift available at all our stops and an on board transfer chair. The generosity of the Lower Colorado River Authority has allowed ASTA to continue to maintain and operate these historic cars, and in honor of that, we have named each of the day coaches after one of the lakes in the LCRA’s chain of Highland Lakes.
Excursion
Buckeye Lake 325
Built in 1949 for the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, this coach car with heating and air conditioning seats two passengers on either side of the aisle. Originally operating on daily trains between New York and Buffalo, the recently painted and renamed Buckeye Lake car operates on every Hill Country excursion train.
Buckeye Trail 107
Built for the New York, Chicago and St. Louis (Nickel Plate) Railroad, this coach car with heating and air conditioning seats two passengers on either side of the aisle.
First Class Coach
Silver Pine
The Silver Pine (DRGW 1121) was built for the Denver and Rio Grande Western in 1948 by the Budd Company. This car was part of a fleet of cars that was used in service on the California Zephyr, a joint venture between the Denver Rio Grande Western, Burlington Route, and Western Pacific railroads. The car was originally constructed as a 16 section sleeper, but in 1964 was rebuilt into a 48 seat coach. The California Zephyr ceased operation in 1970 and the route was taken over by Amtrak in 1971. The DRGW however opted not to be a part of Amtrak and continued to operate its part of the former California Zephyr as the Rio Grande Zephyr between Denver and Ogden. The Silver Pine remained in service on the Rio Grande Zephyr until it too was discontinued in 1984. The Silver Pine was sold to a private owner and kept in storage until ASTA purchased the car in 2010. It was returned to service in 2011 as a first class excursion coach.
The car is a center-aisle with 2 seats on each side of the aisle. Seats can flip so groups can face each other during the trip. The Silver Pine has both a men's and a women's restroom in the car.
First Class
Pullman Lounge
City of Chicago
Our car from the Nickel Plate Road — also known as the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad — was one of a pair of sleeper-lounge cars (the other was 150, the City of Cleveland). Both were built by Pullman-Standard and delivered in 1950. The interior design includes 5 two-person compartments (A through E), a three-person crew dorm room (F), a kitchen and lounge area. Compartment sets A-B or C-D may be joined for groups of four by opening a partition. The lounge area seats 22 at two-person and four-person tables.
The car originally went into service on night trains 5 and 6, operating between Cleveland and Chicago in early 1950. The City of Chicago remained in the consist until NKP passenger operations were absorbed through a merger with the Norfolk & Western Railroad. The car became part of Amtrak's fleet in 1971. Upon retirement from Amtrak service, the City of Chicago fell into private ownership. In 1995 Dr. Henry Renfert donated it to the Austin & Texas Central Railroad. This car is heated and air-conditioned.
Santa Fe 1343
This car originally housed a barbershop, shower, passenger lounge and crew dormitory on the Santa Fe’s famous Super Chief train, which operated between Chicago and Los Angeles. It was built by Pullman-Standard in November 1950 as one of six identical cars. The 1343 later became part of Amtrak’s fleet during the 1970s, and was purchased by Charles and Lowell Turner in 1982. Today the car contains a popular party room for up to 10 passengers, a kitchen and lounge area for passenger seating. The car is fully climate controlled.
Missouri Pacific 640 "Eagle Cliff"
The Eagle Cliff was used on Missouri Pacific/Texas & Pacific streamline service trains # 1 and 2, the Texas Eagle, between St. Louis and Ft. Worth. The Eagle Cliff was built in 1948 by Pullman-Standard and is an excellent example of "smooth side" aluminum design. The Eagle Cliff is an 85 foot Sleeper-Lounge (the sole survivor of three such cars). The interior is beautifully appointed and consists of five bedrooms and seats for 26 in the lounge area. The two original large illuminated photographic murals in the lounge represent points of interest along the Missouri Pacific line.
After retirement from the Missouri Pacific in 1966, the Eagle Cliff was purchased by A.C. Schwethelm to entertain visitors at his business. It was purchased in 1975 by Bert Dockall of Rockdale, TX and James Vaughan of Liberty Hill, TX and restored between 1977 and 1979 in Cameron, TX. The car is owned and well cared-for by Eagle Rail Services and leased to the Austin and Texas Central Railroad. The Eagle Cliff is fully climate controlled.
