Amarillo Railroad Museum, Texas

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Amarillo, Texas · Updated October 19, 2026 · 11 min read

Model railroad museumThursday evenings and the second and fourth Saturday of each month

The Amarillo Railroad Museum preserves the railroad heritage of the Texas Panhandle with real rail equipment, a library of railroad paper and a large HO scale layout recreating the Santa Fe from Canadian, Texas to Clovis, New Mexico.

  • HO layout of the Panhandle Santa Fe
  • U.S. DOE White Train car
  • Phillip Pratt Memorial Garden Railway
  • Grew from a model railroad club
  • Open Thursday evenings
  • Second and fourth Saturdays

Amarillo Railroad Museum at a glance

Hours
Thursdays 7 pm to 9 pm; second and fourth Saturdays 11 am to 3 pm; closed major holidays
Admission
Not posted online; contact the museum
Seasonal events
Open House, Annual Train Show
Plan for
About 1 to 2 hours
Best for
Model railroaders, rail fans and families with train-loving kids
Best ages
Ages 4 and up

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Amarillo Railroad Museum? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Amarillo.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

From a newspaper notice to a Panhandle rail museum

The museum began with a notice in the local newspaper calling a meeting for anyone interested in forming an HO scale model railroad club. From the start, the goal was ambitious: the club wanted its own property for a permanent layout. Members set dues at $20 a month ($25 for families) to save up, adopted standards for building modules, and assembled a modular layout that became the club's first railroad.

For the first few years the Amarillo Model Railroad Association met in storage space at an Amarillo automotive shop where one member worked. To grow, it took its modules to the Tri-State Fair and Exposition, started an annual Train Show, and in 1996 hosted the Lone Star Region convention of the National Model Railroad Association. Later the club moved into an empty store in an older Amarillo shopping mall and opened its layout to the public on a regular schedule.

As the railroads around them changed, members decided the group needed to do more than model trains. They broadened the charter to preserve the real railroad heritage of the Texas Panhandle, and the club became the Amarillo Railroad Museum. Its mission now covers restoring actual railroad equipment and collecting railroad paper and ephemera, as well as building layouts, and it works to build ties with the City of Amarillo, Potter County and like-minded groups.

Members have marked more than three decades since the founding, and the museum describes itself as thriving. It still holds regular business meetings and an annual meeting each May, a reminder that it remains a member-run organization.

Real cars outside, the Santa Fe in miniature inside

Outdoors, the museum displays a group of unusual railroad cars, including an actual car from the U.S. Department of Energy White Train. Visitors can also sit and watch trains on the Phillip Pratt Memorial Garden Railway, the museum's G scale garden layout. A Keller speeder and Halliburton pneumatic hoppers are among the pieces the museum has featured recently.

Indoors, members are building a large HO scale layout that follows the Santa Fe Railroad across the Texas Panhandle from Canadian, Texas to Clovis, New Mexico. It is set between 1950 and 1970, chosen to capture the last steam operations and the arrival of second-generation diesels in the area, with cameo sections for the Rock Island and Burlington. Because the layout is still under construction, Thursday evening visitors often find members at work on it. The museum also keeps a railroad library and a company store.

Don’t miss

  1. The White Train carAn actual car from the U.S. Department of Energy White Train, a piece the museum highlights in its own descriptions.
  2. HO scale Santa Fe layoutA recreation of the Santa Fe from Canadian to Clovis in the 1950 to 1970 era, with Rock Island and Burlington cameos.
  3. Phillip Pratt Memorial Garden RailwayA G scale garden railroad where visitors can sit and watch the trains run outside.
  4. Keller speederA speeder the museum has recently spotlighted on its website, worth asking about on your visit.
  5. The railroad libraryA collection of railroad paper, ephemera and prototype data that supports the museum's preservation mission.

Model trains, a garden railway and real cars

Kids who love model trains have plenty to watch here, from the G scale trains rolling through the Phillip Pratt Memorial Garden Railway to the HO layout taking shape indoors. Seeing real rail cars outside gives a sense of scale next to the miniatures.

Thursday visits run from 7 to 9 pm, which can be late for small children, so families with young kids may prefer the second and fourth Saturday afternoon hours. The museum's open house is another good chance to see everything running.

Plan your visit: tips for Amarillo Railroad Museum

  • Use the site address, 3160 I Avenue, not the P.O. box, for directions.
  • Saturday hours suit families with young children better than Thursday evenings.
  • Closed on major holidays, so check the calendar before a holiday visit.
  • Thursday evenings are work nights, a good time to talk with members building the layout.

A member-run nonprofit

Amarillo Railroad Museum, Inc. is run by its members, who build the layouts, restore equipment and keep regular business meetings and an annual meeting each May. You can support it by becoming a member, donating through its website, or shopping its company store. Email info@amarillorailmuseum.com or call (806) 335-3333 to learn more.

The nearest rail museums, in New Mexico

The nearest rail stops are across the state line. The Clovis Depot Model Train Museum is about 96 miles away in Clovis, the far end of the Santa Fe line the Amarillo layout models, and the Tucumcari Railroad Museum is about 107 miles away. For more in the Lone Star State, see our Texas train museum guide.

Every train museum in Texas

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of Rally the corgi dreaming about his toy turtle, green bone and yellow ball
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

The Amarillo layout follows one real railroad all the way across the Panhandle, and the members clearly thought about every stop. That kind of care reminds me of Rally packing for his trip in our book: his turtle toy, his green bone and his yellow ball, each one chosen on purpose. Little details make a journey feel like yours. If your child wants to draw their own packing list, our coloring pages are free.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

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More for train families

Work or volunteer at Amarillo Railroad Museum?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Amarillo Railroad Museum: 20 questions visitors ask

Where is the Amarillo Railroad Museum?

The Amarillo Railroad Museum is at 3160 I Avenue, Amarillo, Texas 79111. Its mailing address is P.O. Box 31105, Amarillo, Texas 79120, so be sure to use the I Avenue address for directions. Call (806) 335-3333 if you need help finding it.

What are the Amarillo Railroad Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the museum is open every Thursday evening from 7 pm to 9 pm and on the second and fourth Saturday of each month from 11 am to 3 pm. It is closed on major holidays. Check the calendar at amarillorailmuseum.com before visiting.

How much does the Amarillo Railroad Museum cost?

The museum does not post admission prices in the material available for this guide. Call (806) 335-3333 or email info@amarillorailmuseum.com to ask about admission or suggested donations before your visit. Donations can also be made through the museum's website.

What is the White Train at the Amarillo Railroad Museum?

The museum's outdoor display includes an actual car from the U.S. Department of Energy White Train, among other unusual railroad cars. The museum highlights it on its Facebook page. Ask members on your visit about the car's history and how it came to Amarillo.

What is the HO layout at the Amarillo Railroad Museum?

Members are building a large HO scale layout of the Santa Fe Railroad across the Texas Panhandle, from Canadian, Texas to Clovis, New Mexico, set in the 1950 to 1970 era to capture the last steam and second-generation diesels. It includes cameo sections for the Rock Island and Burlington.

Does the Amarillo Railroad Museum have a garden railway?

Yes. The Phillip Pratt Memorial Garden Railway is the museum's G scale garden railroad, where visitors can sit and watch trains run outdoors. The museum's website has a section on the garden railroad, and a separate page links to its YouTube videos.

Is the Amarillo Railroad Museum good for kids?

Yes, especially for kids who love model trains. The garden railway, the HO layout and real rail cars give children plenty to watch. Thursday hours run 7 to 9 pm, so families with young children may find the Saturday afternoon hours easier.

Is the Amarillo Railroad Museum the same as the Amarillo Model Railroad Association?

Yes, in a sense. The museum started as a model railroad club called the Amarillo Model Railroad Association. As the railroads changed, members expanded the charter to preserve the real railroad heritage of the Texas Panhandle, and the group became Amarillo Railroad Museum, Inc.

When was the Amarillo Railroad Museum founded?

The museum says it began with a newspaper notice calling a meeting to form an HO scale model railroad club, and members have celebrated more than 30 years since the founding. One museum directory gives 1986 as the year it was established; confirm the date with the museum.

Is Amarillo Railroad Museum, Inc. a nonprofit?

Yes. Amarillo Railroad Museum, Inc. is a non-profit, member-run organization. It holds a business meeting at 7 pm on the second Thursday of even-numbered months and an annual meeting each May. Members fund and build the layouts and care for the equipment.

What can you see at the Amarillo Railroad Museum?

Highlights include an outdoor display of railroad cars with a real Department of Energy White Train car, the Phillip Pratt Memorial Garden Railway, the HO scale Santa Fe layout under construction, a Keller speeder, a railroad library and a company store.

Can I visit the Amarillo Railroad Museum on a Thursday night?

Yes. The museum is open every Thursday from 7 pm to 9 pm, and Thursday evenings are also when members come to work on the layout. One reviewer who stopped by on a Thursday met a group of dedicated volunteers building the Santa Fe model.

What do Amarillo Railroad Museum reviews say?

Reviewers on TripAdvisor mention arriving on a Thursday evening to find dedicated members at work on a model train exhibit that will follow the Santa Fe across Texas. A Thursday visit is a good chance to see work in progress and ask questions.

Where can I see Amarillo Railroad Museum photos?

The museum's Facebook page has more than 2,000 followers and posts photos of the layout, the garden railway and the outdoor cars. The museum's website also links to YouTube videos and features recent items like the Keller speeder and its open house.

Does the Amarillo Railroad Museum hold an open house?

Yes. The museum held a 2025 Open House, which it featured on its website, and the club has a long history of hosting an annual Train Show. Check the calendar at amarillorailmuseum.com or the Facebook page for upcoming open house dates.

How can I join the Amarillo Railroad Museum?

The museum offers memberships, and its website has a membership section with details. Members help build the layout, restore equipment and preserve railroad paper and ephemera. Email info@amarillorailmuseum.com or stop by on a Thursday evening to meet members.

Does the Amarillo Railroad Museum have a library?

Yes. Preserving railroad paper items and ephemera is part of the museum's mission, and its website lists a library and a historic and prototype data section. Ask on a visit or email info@amarillorailmuseum.com about research access.

Is the Amarillo Railroad Museum wheelchair accessible?

Accessibility details were not available for this guide. The museum has both indoor layouts and an outdoor display of rail cars, so ask ahead about access to each area. Call (806) 335-3333 or email info@amarillorailmuseum.com before your visit.

How can I donate to the Amarillo Railroad Museum?

You can donate through the Donate link on amarillorailmuseum.com, buy from its company store, or become a member. Gifts support restoration of real railroad equipment, the HO and garden layouts, and the museum's collection of railroad paper and ephemera.

What train museums are near Amarillo?

The closest rail museums on our site are in New Mexico. The Clovis Depot Model Train Museum is about 96 miles away, and the Tucumcari Railroad Museum is about 107 miles away. Clovis is the western end of the Santa Fe route that the museum's HO layout recreates.

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