The origins of this Fair Park mainstay date back to 1963, when the “Age of Steam” exhibition made its way through the State Fair of Texas, offering a glimpse at the H & TC Depot and a pair of locomotives. In the last five decades, the Museum of the American Railroad has expanded its holdings significantly, now boasting a varied collection of cabooses, passenger equipment, structures, and more.
Would-be conductors can check out a pre-World War II passenger train, complete with coaches, sleeping and lounge cars, and a dining car. The museum also houses locomotives powered by a number of different energy sources, like the 1941 Union Pacific steam locomotive known as “Big Boy,” and a General Motors FP45 that runs on diesel. The Museum of the American Railroad also hosts occasional special events, like the annual Dinner in the Diner, where a special Valentine’s Day menu is offered to couples inside the museum’s dining car.