River City FlyerThe River City Flyer is big and shiny and cool enough just sleeping there on the tracks. But check it out on the first Friday of each summer month (Fri, Jul 3 and Aug 7, 2&4pm) at the corner of Fourth & Red River, downtown, where the 1916 steam engine comes to life with smokestack belching and the whoosh-whoosh of pistons pumping and rods rolling into motion. It is rush hour. You're just beginning your 90-minute cruise through downtown and East Austin. You pass under the freeway pulling out of the Fourth Street & Red River Station and smile.
First up is the Eastside's warehouse district, through the Fifth and Sixth Street trade corridor, where even busy lumberyard workers, stone chislers, and glass etchers take a moment to step out and wave. Then the train passes through the Boggy Creek Greenbelt, alongside East Austin neighborhoods where local families are also happy to see you chug by in style. On-board, there is a balloon artist for the kids and a snack car for the hungry. Suddenly life resembles a Mentos commercial. Everybody's smiling. Crossing under I-35 again at the Fiesta Supermarket, the traffic has never looked less daunting. From your carefree vantage point, the rest of the world can just cruise on by.
Tickets are available in advance at the ASTA office on Sixth Street in the southwest corner of the Driskill Hotel or at the platform at Fourth & Red River.
Austin Steam Train Association, 477-8468. – Jennifer Gin Lee