Zilker Eagle train back on track after Sunday derailment

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AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Zilker Eagle reopened to the public late Sunday afternoon after a temporary derailment earlier in the day, officials shared in a social media post.

KXAN heard from several viewers about a train derailment Sunday morning. Operators confirmed the Zilker Park train closed around 11 a.m. Sunday due to the track being "tampered with."

Train operators said crews check the tracks each morning for any debris on them. Once the train was up and running Sunday, officials said that's when some tampered with train operations.

"After the train was opened and running for the day, someone placed a large rock on the tracks, which caused it to derail," officials said in part. "No one on the train was hurt, and the train is now back on the tracks and running safely."

KXAN reached out to train operators for more details on safety checks and measures crews take to avoid derailments. We'll update this story once we receive a response.

The Zilker Eagle opened to the public June 12, marking the return of a train to Zilker Park roughly five years after the Zilker Zephyr ceased operations. The park's mini train first launched in 1961 and operated under multiple names prior to its May 2019 closure due to erosion under and surrounding the tracks.

More details on train operations can be found online.