 In 1972, the Texas Legislature turned the railroad over to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to be used as a state park.However, by 2006, the train cost the state of Texas $1 million per year more to maintain and to operate than the revenue from the park generated.Because of budget concerns, the Eightieth Texas Legislature (2007) passed Senate Bill 1659 which allowed for the creation of an operating authority for the train with the power to lease the train to a private operator.