Austin Steam Train Association is a nonprofit railroad in Cedar Park with eight passenger cars, seven full-time staffers and a team of 100 annual volunteers that help restore, preserve and operate the vintage trains.
The overview
ASTA has a variety of routes year-round with seasonal themes that have become time-honored traditions. Set routes include the Hill Country Flyer with a layover in Burnet, Bertram Flyer with a layover in Bertram and the North Pole Flyer, which is the biggest event of the year.
Before becoming the executive director in September, Lopez started as a full-time event manager in 2024. One of her first initiatives was to add new events to the lineup like the trivia and Lotería trains, which now have their own set of repeat riders, Lopez said.
Additional rides include The Wedding Oak Wine Flyer, The Sunset Wine Flyer and the murder mystery train. Lopez is excited for more people to engage and learn about ASTA because the organization is still a hidden gem, she said.
“I would love for people to know that we are here, whether that be to come ride the trains, come experience the events, come look at our museum, come work in the yard [or to] come be a volunteer,” Lopez said.
The history
The organization has a variety of vintage leased and donated cars for riders to experience from the 1930s-1980s. The cars are maintained weekly and volunteers are consistently working to either maintain, restore or preserve their accuracy. All of the crew, engineers, conductors, crew chiefs, brakemen and car attendants are volunteers who dedicate their time and expertise.
“It is a big old piece of equipment,” Lopez said. “It is a labor of passion to keep it running and that is what our volunteers are. They're very passionate people who have dedicated such a significant amount of their time to keeping history alive.”
ASTA is actively working to restore the 786 steam locomotive back to functionality, as well as restoring the 442 vintage diesel locomotive. The goal for ASTA is to have two fully functional engines, Lopez said.
Community members can get involved by volunteering or donating to help support restoration efforts.
The local impact
As executive director, Lopez hopes to continue community outreach, broaden awareness and offer more opportunities aboard. In the future, she is interested in working with local libraries to do a conductor reading time for summer reading programs and engage with high school organizations that may need volunteer hours.
“I would love us to start expanding the opportunities that ASTA can provide to others so that the community knows how impactful they are to us,” Lopez said.
- 401 E. Whitestone Blvd., Ste. C-100, Cedar Park
- www.austinsteamtrain.org
