Uncertain future is taking toll on railroad employees
Denzel Washington visits Rusk for 2nd time, negotiations still underway to film 'The Great Debaters' at the Texas State Railroad BY LELAND ACKER

The instability of the future of the Texas State Railroad is taking its toll on the employees and friends of the train. Recent legislation in the Texas Senate was discussed during Thursday's meeting of the Friends of the Texas State Railroad.

"The employees are affected and their future is in limbo," said Dolores Bryson, a board member of the Friends group. "Their jobs are totally insecure right now."

Robert Crossman, Texas State Railroad superintendent, said last week's senate vote of 31-0 to approve SB 1659 was a clear message of privatization.

"The deal is not done," said Mr. Crossman said. "Nobody knows what the funding will be. We just have to sit here and wait."

If the train becomes a static display, there will only be two jobs in the "new" park. Those jobs would pay substantially less than what current employees are making. However, Mr. Crossman stated that the future is unclear, even if the legislature privatizes the train.

"Nobody knows what American Heritage (the company who is the front runner of private operators to take over the train) will offer," he said. "They have stated they want the current staff to work for them."

When asked whether current state railroad employees would work for a private operator or leave to maintain state employment, Mr. Crossman said he had no idea.

"We have every potential situation," he said. "We have employees who could pick up the phone today and say 'I'm retiring today.' We have others who have just started working for us, and we have every situation in between those."

Mr. Crossman said currently, the railroad is having trouble getting people to apply for the open positions due to the insecurity over the train's future. He added that having American Heritage as a private operator could help in that situation.

"American Heritage would have more of a marketing budget. They will be able to get new employees," Mr. Crossman said.

Friends President Al Holmes said representatives from American Heritage were already in East Texas preparing to operate the train.

"They're serious about coming in here," Mr. Holmes said. Charles Hassell added that America Heritage has already begun negotiations to bring in Thomas the Tank Engine.

"(Either) Thomas the Tank Engine or a Grateful Dead concert would fill every hotel room in town," Mr. Crossman said.

Mr. Crossman also told the Friends that while production personnel from the movie, "The Great Debaters," have visited the state railroad, no contract has been signed. He added that another movie company was also looking at the train for a possible filming location.

In other business, the Friends heard a presentation from Sheilah O'Heaney, of the Cherokee Civic Theatre. Mrs. O'Heaney presented the theatre's plans to have an outdoor performance of "Dirty Work at the Crossroads" on May 12 at the Rusk depot. She asked the Friends to co-sponsor that event and help with the civic theatre's summer reading program. The Friends agreed to the proposal.

The Friends of the Texas State Railroad also voted to schedule the Murder Mystery Train on July 14. The Friends of the Texas State Railroad meet at 10 a.m. the first Thursday of every month at the Rusk Depot.