With recent improvements in place and more changes on the horizon, Cedar Rock Railroad is on track to become the train-themed destination owner Ken Knowles said he wanted to create. The quarter-scale train carries passengers along a 1.3-mile route through Southwest Williamson County Regional Park in Leander. The park train, which can accommodate up to 42 passengers at a time, runs every 30 minutes at 15 and 45 minutes after the hour. The ride through the park lasts about 15 minutes, and tickets cost $2.50 for riders age 1 and older, Knowles said. At the beginning of March, Knowles expanded the railroad's hours of operation to include weekdays. The train ride and other amenities are now open daily except Mondays, weather permitting. "This will be our first full year operating during weekdays. I think there's a lot of room for that to grow," Knowles said, adding that the train is closed when the tracks are wet or when temperatures are below 50 degrees. When Knowles first started working on the railroad in 2004, he had a full-time job on weekdays creating employee safety programs for corporations in a variety of industries. He also ran the train on weekends. He left his corporate job about a year ago to focus on expanding the train business and turning his hobby into a full-time career. Last summer Knowles designed and constructed Shady Oak Junction, a train-themed play area featuring wooden playscapes; picnic tables; and a depot for selling ride tickets, snacks, drinks and souvenirs. "I wanted this to be more of a destination where folks would come to and hang out and stay," he said. He also added a ride called the Little Locomotive Chase to entertain visitors while the train is in the station. Designed for children age 3 and older, the six individual crank cars are powered by riders turning a hand crank while chasing each other around a track. As another addition to Shady Oak Junction, Knowles is planning to install a train-themed, Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible miniature golf course and hopes to finish construction later this year. "If folks are having to wait for the next train, we want to make sure there are plenty of other things for them to do out here," he said. Williamson County Parks Director Randy Bell said people usually come to the 800-acre park for specific reasons, such as organized sports, the Quarry Splash Pad, disc golf, hike and bike trails, or to ride the train. "The railroad is yet another attraction in our [selection] of amenities that park visitors can choose to enjoy in their overall park experience," Bell said. Knowles said working with the county has been a positive experience. "[They are] open to our ideas of what we want to do here because our purpose is to bring people to the park," he said. Private train rides can be arranged for birthday parties and groups such as day care classes and home-school programs. The picnic tables can also be reserved by the hour. Mallory Finch of Round Rock said she has been bringing her two sons to ride the train for years. "They absolutely love it here," Finch said. Finch hosted her youngest son's fourth birthday party at the facility and said she appreciated having the tables and activities at Shady Oak Junction. "This was our first party here, and it was amazing," she said. "I love how much it's growing." Cedar Rock Railroad at Shady Oak Junction, 512-413-1705, www.cedarrockrailroad.com, www.facebook.com/cedarrockrailroad, Hours: Tue.-Fri. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat.-Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Southwest Williamson County Regional Park, 3005 CR 175, Leander, 512-943-1920, www.wilco.org