Since 1957, the San Antonio Zoo Eagle has chugged along the tracks skirting the banks of the San Antonio River in Brackenridge Park, on the route of the longer Sunday walks of the Texas Trail Roundup. Stops include the Witte Museum, Kiddie Park, and the Japanese Tea Gardens. When opened, its 3.2 mile (5.1 km) route once made it the longest miniature rail track in the world. A ride is $3 — still a bargain.
The San Antonio Zoo took over the miniature train in 2001, after signing a 23 year lease agreement with the City of San Antonio. There are three trains, all of them replicas of the original 1863 C.P. Huntington #3 train, made in Wichita, Kansas. The original trains, exact replicas of those that ran on the Missouri-Pacific Railroad, ran on on 12″ wide track. The new trains run on 24″ track on two miles of track.
In July of 1970 two masked men ambushed the train and ordered the 75 passengers to hand over their valuables. Most thought it was a joke — part of the entertainment. Then the robbers brought out guns. They escaped with about $500 in what was the first train robbery in the Wild West in nearly 47 years.
