History
The railway was constructed in 1985 by the city of Jefferson, which purchased the train set from the defunct Six Gun Territory amusement park in Ocala, Florida. During construction, the train traveled over the completed portion of track and then returned to town in reverse. Once the final pieces of track were completed, the train no longer had to reverse; it was turned around on the far balloon track. Also during the late 1980s, a western "town" was constructed along a straightaway halfway down the line. "Hangtown" was the backdrop for an extensive stunt show, which included multiple shoot-outs. Eventually, the City of Jefferson could no longer afford to operate the railway, and it was put up for sale.
A series of private owners attempted to resurrect the line, but a combination of factors (including lack of maintenance) caused a complete shut-down by the mid-90s. By 1999, a local entrepreneur had purchased the train, track, depot, and property in order to keep the riverfront free from development. Aside from running the train sporadically to keep easement access, the railway remained closed. During this period, "Hangtown" became neglected and eventually collapsed.
The present owners, a family partnership, acquired the railway in early 2002 . The intervening years had not been kind to the train or track, and nearly six months of work were required to bring the locomotive boiler up to inspection standards. During that time, over 1,000 railroad ties were replaced, and the entire line was gauged. The locomotive's boiler presented a few challenges; in addition to a damaged crown sheet (the critical sheet of metal on top of the firebox) there was no manufacturer's stamp to be found. A special permit was granted by the state, and the boiler was stamped in the presence of an inspector. The crown sheet was replaced, and the locomotive was once again certified by the State of Texas.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony occurred during Labor Day weekend, 2002. The first public runs in years were deemed successful, with attendance in the hundreds.
Read more about this topic: Jefferson And Cypress Bayou Railway
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