Interurban Railway Museum in Plano, Texas
Trolley and streetcar museumFreeFree; open Tuesday to Saturday
The Interurban Railway Museum is a free history museum in Plano's original Texas Electric Railway station, where interactive exhibits on electricity and local history sit beside Car 360, a restored railway post office car you can tour.
- Free admission
- Original Texas Electric Railway station
- Tour Railway Post Office Car 360
- Hands-on electricity exhibits
- Next to DART Downtown Plano station
Interurban Railway Museum at a glance
- Hours
- Tue to Thu 11 am to 4 pm, Fri 10:30 am to 4 pm, Sat 1 pm to 5 pm; closed Sun and Mon
- Admission
- Free
- Seasonal events
- Plano International Festival (special hours), Rest in Plano Fest (evening hours), Friday family stories
- Plan for
- About 1 hour
- Best for
- Families with young kids and DART riders
- Best ages
- Ages 3 to 12
- Parking
- Lot immediately next to the museum and the DART stop
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Contact and directions
- Address901 E 15th St, Plano, TX 75074(opens in a new tab)
- Phone(972) 941-2117
- Emailmuseum@planoconservancy.org
- Websiteplanoconservancy.org/interurban-railway-museum(opens in a new tab)
Follow Interurban Railway Museum
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Interurban Railway 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 Plano.
Rally Takes the Train
Eight pages from the book
Turn the page
That's 8 of 25 pages
See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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Like it so far? See the full book
25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.
Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
Plano's station on the Texas Electric Railway
From 1908 to 1948, the Texas Electric Railway linked the towns of North Texas with electric interurban cars, and Plano had its own stop on the line. That station building still stands at 901 East 15th Street in Haggard Park, in historic Downtown Plano, and today it is the Interurban Railway Museum.
The building's railroad story did not end when the interurbans stopped. Dallas Area Rapid Transit later reused the old interurban right of way for its light rail line, so the Downtown Plano DART station sits right beside the museum. Visitors can step off a modern train and walk into the station that served the electric cars a century earlier.
The City of Plano owns the museum, and the Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation, Inc. runs it. The Conservancy's mission is to raise awareness of preservation and to protect, preserve and share Plano's heritage resources, and it has kept the museum free to visit. Its staff and volunteers lead tours, run weekly family programs, open the museum for community festivals and send out a newsletter every other month, all to keep the story of the interurban era and early Plano in front of new generations.
Inside the station and aboard Car 360
The station houses exhibits on transportation, electricity, science and the history of Plano and the Texas Electric Railway, many of them interactive, so children can learn by doing rather than just reading labels.
Outside sits Railway Post Office Car 360, a restored railway car you can explore on a guided tour. Guides explain how the railway post office system sorted mail on the move, point out period advertising inside the car and talk about life in early Plano. With the museum in Haggard Park and the surrounding historic downtown, it is easy to add a walk or a meal to the visit.
Don’t miss
- Railway Post Office Car 360The museum's restored railcar, where guided tours explain how mail was sorted aboard moving trains.
- The Plano Station buildingThe original Texas Electric Railway station, listed in Wikipedia as Plano Station, now the museum itself.
- Interactive electricity exhibitsHands-on displays explain the power that ran the interurban cars, a favorite with school-age kids.
- The DART connectionLight rail trains run on the old interurban right of way right next to the station, linking past and present.
- Haggard ParkThe museum's green setting in historic Downtown Plano makes a good spot for a break before or after the tour.
Hands-on science and a car to climb into
The museum's exhibits on electricity and science are interactive, which makes this one of the easier rail museums for younger visitors. Kids can also step inside Car 360 on a guided tour and see how mail was once sorted on a moving train.
The Conservancy also invites families back every Friday for programs with fun and stories, and arriving by DART light rail turns the trip into a real train ride for small fans. Admission is free, so a short visit with a toddler costs nothing.
Plan your visit: tips for Interurban Railway Museum
- Take DART light rail to Downtown Plano station; the museum is right beside it.
- Parking is in the lot next to the museum and the DART stop.
- Ask for a guided tour of Car 360; it is the highlight of the visit.
- Friday visits line up with the museum's family story programs.
- The museum opens with special hours during community events, so check the Plano Conservancy site.
The Plano Conservancy and the City of Plano
The City of Plano owns the Interurban Railway Museum, and the Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation, Inc. runs it, keeping it free for everyone. Visitors can help by signing up for the Conservancy's newsletter, coming to its Friday programs and festival nights, and supporting the Conservancy's wider work protecting Plano's heritage resources.
Keep the North Texas rail day going
The Museum of the American Railroad is about 12 miles away in Frisco, and the M-Line Trolley in Dallas, about 16 miles off, lets kids ride a vintage streetcar. History fans can also read about the Texas Electric Railway historic collection. See every train museum in Texas for more.
- Texas Electric Railway historic collectionPlano / Dallas area, TX · same town
- Dallas Railway & Terminal Museum historic collectionDallas area, TX · about 4 mi
- Museum of the American RailroadFrisco, TX · about 12 mi
- McKinney Avenue Transit Authority / M-Line TrolleyDallas, TX · about 16 mi
- Grapevine Vintage RailroadGrapevine, TX · about 23 mi
- Grapevine Cotton Belt Railroad Historic DistrictGrapevine, TX · about 23 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
Guides here lead visitors up into Car 360, and I like thinking about that first step inside, with someone kind showing the way. In our book, Mr. Conductor in his blue uniform holds out a hand to help Rally aboard, and Rally trusts him right away. My kids are learning to read now, and that page is the one they sound out most. Our list of train books for toddlers has more for little readers.
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
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.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
- Train museums in Texas: every museum by town, with a map
- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Texas
- Halloween train rides in Texas
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Interurban Railway 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
- Interurban Railway Museum official website(opens in a new tab)
- Interurban Railway Museum on Facebook(opens in a new tab)
Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.
Interurban Railway Museum in Plano: 20 questions families ask
Where is the Interurban Railway Museum in Plano?
The Interurban Railway Museum is at 901 E 15th St, Plano, Texas 75074, in Haggard Park in historic Downtown Plano. It sits right beside DART's Downtown Plano light rail station, so you can arrive by train or park in the lot next to the museum.
What are the Interurban Railway Museum hours?
As of October 2026, the museum is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 am to 4 pm, Friday from 10:30 am to 4 pm and Saturday from 1 pm to 5 pm. It is closed Sunday and Monday. Special hours are added during community events, so check the Plano Conservancy site.
Is the Interurban Railway Museum free?
Yes. The Interurban Railway Museum is a free history museum, including its interactive exhibits on electricity, science and Plano history. Guided tours of historic Car 360 are offered as part of a visit. Donations and support for the Plano Conservancy help keep it free.
What is the Interurban Railway Museum?
It is a free history museum in the former Plano Station of the Texas Electric Railway, which connected North Texas communities from 1908 to 1948. Interactive exhibits cover transportation, electricity, science and local history, and visitors can tour a restored Railway Post Office car, Car 360.
Are Interurban Railway Museum reviews good?
Visitor reviews on Tripadvisor and travel sites highlight the free admission, the hands-on exhibits and the guided tour of Railway Post Office Car 360, where guests learn about the mail system and period advertising. Read recent reviews on Tripadvisor for current impressions from families.
Where can I see Interurban Railway Museum photos?
Photos of the station, its exhibits and Car 360 appear on the Plano Conservancy's Facebook page, on Tripadvisor and on the Visit Plano attraction listing. The Wikipedia article on Plano Station, Texas Electric Railway also covers the historic building.
What is Car 360 at the Interurban Railway Museum?
Car 360 is a restored Railway Post Office car that visitors can tour with a guide. Inside, guests learn how the railway post office system handled mail on moving trains, look at period advertising and hear about life in early Plano. It is the museum's signature railcar.
What was the Texas Electric Railway?
The Texas Electric Railway was an interurban line that connected North Texas communities from 1908 to 1948 using electric passenger cars. Plano had its own station on the line, and that building is now the Interurban Railway Museum, which tells the railway's story.
Is the Interurban Railway Museum good for toddlers?
Yes, for a short visit. Admission is free, the exhibits on electricity and science are interactive, and climbing aboard Car 360 gives little ones a real railcar to explore. Friday family story programs are another good fit for young children. Plan on about an hour.
Can you take DART to the Interurban Railway Museum?
Yes. DART's Downtown Plano light rail station is right next to the museum. The light rail line reuses the old interurban right of way, so you ride modern trains along the same route the Texas Electric Railway cars once used.
Is there parking at the Interurban Railway Museum?
Yes. Parking is available in the lot immediately next to the museum and the DART rail stop in Haggard Park. Historic Downtown Plano is walkable from there, so you can leave the car and add lunch or a stroll to your visit.
How long does a visit to the Interurban Railway Museum take?
Most families spend about an hour touring the exhibits and Car 360. Add time if you are coming by DART, joining a Friday family program or walking around Haggard Park and historic Downtown Plano afterward.
Who runs the Interurban Railway Museum?
The museum is owned by the City of Plano and operated by the Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation, Inc. The Conservancy promotes preservation awareness and works to protect, preserve and share Plano's heritage resources, including the museum and its railcar.
Does the Interurban Railway Museum have family programs?
Yes. The Plano Conservancy invites families to join it every Friday for fun and stories at the museum. Program details change, so check the Conservancy's website or Facebook page for the current schedule before you go.
Does the Interurban Railway Museum open for special events?
Yes. As of October 2026, the museum announced special hours of 11 am to 5 pm on October 17 for the Plano International Festival and 5 pm to 10 pm on October 24 for Rest in Plano Fest. Watch the Plano Conservancy site for future event hours.
Can you ride a train at the Interurban Railway Museum?
The museum does not run rides, but Car 360 is open for guided tours, and DART light rail stops right next door. Riding DART to Downtown Plano is an easy way to give kids a real train trip as part of the visit.
Can schools or groups visit the Interurban Railway Museum?
The museum's interactive exhibits on electricity, science and history suit school groups well. Group booking details are not posted online, so email museum@planoconservancy.org or call (972) 941-2117 to arrange a visit. Reaching out a few weeks ahead gives staff time to plan a tour for your group.
How do I contact the Interurban Railway Museum?
Call (972) 941-2117 or email museum@planoconservancy.org. The Plano Conservancy's website lists museum hours and special event times, and its Facebook page shares news. You can also sign up for its newsletter, which goes out every other month on the 1st.
Is the Interurban Railway Museum building historic?
Yes. The museum occupies the former Plano Station of the Texas Electric Railway, a historic train station at 901 E 15th Street. Wikipedia covers it as Plano Station, Texas Electric Railway, and the building is still served by rail through DART's Downtown Plano station.
What train museums are near the Interurban Railway Museum?
The Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco is about 12 miles away, and the M-Line Trolley in Dallas is about 16 miles. The Grapevine Vintage Railroad and Grapevine Cotton Belt Railroad Historic District are about 23 miles away for families who want a train ride.
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