Choke Canyon State Park

About Choke Canyon State Park

The Texas State Railroad (TSRR) dates back to a property purchase in 1881, which was dedicated to the construction of a track system. The purpose of the route was to connect the Kansas Gulf Shortline Railroad with a state prison and an iron smelter under construction at the time. At the same time, Tyler built K & G in Rusk and Tyler, Texas, the state's first railway station.

The link would allow the iron foundry to move across the state to import raw materials and ship products. The growing demand for rail transport soon led to the development of its own railway, which eventually stretched from Rusk to Palestine and offered freight and passenger transport to local communities.

The historic state railway is still operated as a completely independent railway system. Train crews maintain and operate the 25 miles of tracks and 24 bridges, as well as all tracks and bridges.

Passengers can board the historic train at Rusk Palestine and travel to the end of the line, which has a Victorian station.

The journey to the opposite station takes an hour and a half, and when visitors arrive they have half an hour to have lunch, browse the station shop or take a short hike in the countryside.

Passengers then board the train again, head home and board the train again at the same station, this time on the other side of the park for one last stop.

Texas State Railroad is known as one of the oldest and most famous steam railroad lines in the United States. The TSRR is the only steam train that runs two steam trains at the same time and runs every day. Every day, trains to the east and west meet on the middle line, and a steam train ride through State Park takes four and a half hours.

Railroad enthusiasts have the opportunity to see two historic steam locomotives driving through the park on their way to the Texas State Railroad Museum.

In Palestine State Park, there is a picnic table in the shadow of the historic Texas State Railroad Museum steam locomotive depot. The depot is located just a short walk from the main entrance of the park at the northern end of the parking lot. Rusk State Park offers shade-giving picnic tables and a small picnic area with a few shady picnic spots. In the Palestinian State Park there are two shadow-down, one shadow-down.