Texas & Pacific Railway Depot in Fort Worth, Texas
Historic rail siteHistoric 1931 depot; T&P Station serves commuter trains, no museum hours posted
Built in 1931 on the south side of downtown Fort Worth, the Texas & Pacific Railway depot stands for the railroad that gave the city its first rail line in 1876 and carried it through the busy years of World War II.
- Depot built in 1931
- T&P reached Fort Worth in 1876
- T&P Station serves TRE and TEXRail
- South side of downtown Fort Worth
Texas & Pacific Railway Depot at a glance
- Hours
- No museum hours; T&P Station follows commuter rail schedules
- Admission
- No admission; commuter rides need a transit fare
- Train rides
- Trinity Railway Express and TEXRail commuter trains stop at T&P Station
- Plan for
- About 30 minutes for a look around
- Best for
- Architecture and rail history fans
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Contact and directions
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Texas & Pacific Railway Depot? 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 Fort Worth.
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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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.
How the T&P built Fort Worth a station for the boom years
The Texas and Pacific Railway was created by federal charter in 1871 to build a southern transcontinental railroad from Marshall, Texas toward San Diego, California. Its line gave Fort Worth its first railroad in 1876, and according to Historic Fort Worth the T&P stayed central to the city's growth all the way to the peak of train travel in World War II.
During the oil boom of the 1920s, Fort Worth grew faster than its transportation facilities could keep up. Beginning in 1928, T&P President John L. Lancaster met with city leaders about the problem, and the railroad's new depot, built in 1931, replaced an earlier T&P station that appears on postcards from the early 1900s. Archive photos of the newer building show a main lobby, a hallway out to the platform, a café and a segregated waiting room labeled for Black passengers, a reminder of who traveled through it and how.
Texas railroad historians note that the T&P and the Santa Fe were Fort Worth's two main depots and that both are still standing. Today the name T&P Station also belongs to a Trinity Railway Express and TEXRail commuter terminal at 1600 Throckmorton Street.
What you can see today
This is a historic depot and an active commuter station rather than a museum, with no exhibit hours or tours posted. The best way to experience it is from the T&P Station commuter platforms or the surrounding streets, and to pair a look at the building with the online image archive of more than 160 Fort Worth T&P photos, postcards and views of the Lancaster Yards and Tower 55.
Don’t miss
- The 1931 depotBuilt during Fort Worth's oil boom era to meet the city's growing need for rail service.
- Commuter trains at T&P StationTrinity Railway Express and TEXRail trains use the T&P Station terminal at 1600 Throckmorton Street.
Watching commuter trains come and go
There are no exhibits or play areas listed here, so this is a quick stop rather than an outing on its own. Kids who love trains may enjoy watching Trinity Railway Express and TEXRail trains arrive at T&P Station, and a short commuter ride can be an easy first train trip for little ones.
Plan your visit: tips for Texas & Pacific Railway Depot
- There is no museum at the depot, so plan it as a short history stop.
- Look up TRE or TEXRail schedules if you want to see or ride a train at T&P Station.
- Browse the Railfans Depot online archive for historic photos of the station before you go.
Who keeps the T&P story alive
No group operates the depot as a historic site with public hours. Historic Fort Worth documents the Texas & Pacific complex, and the Railfans Depot archive collects Fort Worth T&P photographs, postcards and railroadiana for anyone who wants to learn more or share their own images.
Where to see more Texas rail history
The Fort Worth Stockyards Trinity River Train is only about 4 miles away, and the Grapevine Vintage Railroad, about 20 miles northeast, runs vintage excursions. For a large collection of locomotives and cars, the Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco is about 40 miles away. For more ideas, see every train museum in Texas.
- Fort Worth Stockyards Trinity River TrainFort Worth, TX · about 4 mi
- Grapevine Vintage RailroadGrapevine, TX · about 20 mi
- Grapevine Cotton Belt Railroad Historic DistrictGrapevine, TX · about 20 mi
- McKinney Avenue Transit Authority / M-Line TrolleyDallas, TX · about 31 mi
- Dallas Railway & Terminal Museum historic collectionDallas area, TX · about 38 mi
- Museum of the American RailroadFrisco, TX · about 40 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
Archive photos of this station show a café and a big main lobby, and I can picture families waiting there with bags at their feet. Before Rally's trip in our book, he packs his own little suitcase: his turtle toy, his green bone and his yellow ball. Every big station makes me think of that moment of getting ready. If your kids want to pack along with Rally, our coloring pages have the scene.
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
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- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Texas & Pacific Railway Depot?
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.
Fort Worth's Texas & Pacific depot: 20 common questions
Where is the Texas and Pacific Railway station in Fort Worth?
T&P Station is at 1600 Throckmorton Street on the south side of downtown Fort Worth, Texas. It serves as a terminal for Trinity Railway Express and TEXRail commuter trains, and the Texas & Pacific depot built in 1931 is part of the city's rail history there.
When was the Fort Worth Texas and Pacific depot built?
The Fort Worth Texas and Pacific Railroad depot was built in 1931. It replaced an earlier T&P station that appears on postcards from the early 1900s, including one postmarked 1909, and it was designed for a city that had outgrown its old facilities during the 1920s oil boom.
Is there a museum at the Texas & Pacific Railway Depot in Fort Worth?
No museum, exhibits or tour hours are posted for the Fort Worth depot. It is best treated as a historic building and active commuter station. For a Texas & Pacific museum, the Texas & Pacific Railway Museum is in the railroad's old depot in Marshall.
Where can I see Texas and Pacific Railway depot photos?
The Railfans Depot archive at texaspacificrailway.org has more than 160 Fort Worth images, including postcards of the original and existing T&P stations, the main lobby, the café, the hallway to the platform, the Lancaster Yards and Tower 55. It is a private archive, not the depot's own site.
Can you ride a train from T&P Station in Fort Worth?
Yes. T&P Station is a terminal for Trinity Railway Express and TEXRail commuter trains, so you can board with a regular transit fare. Check the current TRE and TEXRail schedules before you go, since service varies by day and time.
Is T&P Station the same as the historic Texas and Pacific depot?
T&P Station is the commuter rail terminal named for the Texas and Pacific, located at 1600 Throckmorton Street. The 1931 depot and the commuter station are usually described separately, so check transit maps if you want to know exactly which platforms sit closest to the historic building.
When did the Texas and Pacific Railway reach Fort Worth?
The Texas & Pacific established Fort Worth's first rail line in 1876, according to Historic Fort Worth. The railroad stayed central to the city's development from that start through the peak years of train service during World War II.
What was the Texas and Pacific Railway?
The Texas and Pacific Railway Company, known as the T&P, was created by federal charter in 1871 to build a southern transcontinental railroad between Marshall, Texas and San Diego, California. Fort Worth became one of the most important cities on its line.
Why did Fort Worth need a new T&P depot?
Fort Worth's growth during the 1920s oil boom outstripped its transportation facilities. Beginning in 1928, T&P President John L. Lancaster met with Fort Worth city leaders about the problem, and the new depot built in 1931 was part of the railroad's response.
What was inside the Fort Worth T&P station?
Historic photos in the Railfans Depot archive show a main lobby, a hallway leading to the platform, a café and a segregated waiting room labeled for Black passengers. Together they show how many people passed through and how travel was divided during that era.
What are the Lancaster Yards in Fort Worth?
The Lancaster Yards were the Texas & Pacific rail yards in Fort Worth, and photos of them appear in the Railfans Depot archive. Historic Fort Worth documents the related Texas & Pacific Railroad complex and freight buildings, named for T&P President John L. Lancaster.
Are Fort Worth's old train depots still standing?
Yes. Texas railroad historians note that Fort Worth was served by many railroads and that its two main depots became the Texas & Pacific and the Santa Fe. Both buildings are still standing, which makes downtown Fort Worth a good place to look at railroad architecture.
Is the Texas and Pacific depot in Natchitoches the same one?
No. This page covers the Texas & Pacific depot in Fort Worth, Texas. Natchitoches is in Louisiana, and its T&P depot is a separate building. For details or photos of the Natchitoches depot, look for a Louisiana history source or that city's visitor information.
Are there Natchitoches Texas and Pacific depot photos here?
This page does not include photos of the Natchitoches depot, which is a different Texas & Pacific building in Louisiana. The Railfans Depot archive at texaspacificrailway.org organizes its photos by town and state, so browse there for any T&P stations outside Fort Worth.
Is the Fort Worth T&P depot good for kids?
It is a short stop rather than a full outing, since no exhibits are listed. Children who like trains can watch Trinity Railway Express and TEXRail trains at T&P Station, and a quick commuter ride can be a fun, low-cost first train trip for young kids.
How much does it cost to visit the Texas & Pacific depot in Fort Worth?
No admission fee is listed, because this is a historic depot and commuter station rather than a ticketed museum. If you want to ride, you need a regular Trinity Railway Express or TEXRail fare. Check current fares with those services before your trip.
Is there parking at T&P Station in Fort Worth?
Parking details are not posted for the historic depot. T&P Station is a commuter rail terminal on the south side of downtown, so check Trinity Railway Express or TEXRail station information for current parking options before you drive in.
Who was John L. Lancaster?
John L. Lancaster was president of the Texas & Pacific Railway. Beginning in 1928, he met with Fort Worth city leaders as the city's oil boom growth outpaced its rail facilities, and the T&P's Fort Worth yards and freight complex carry his name.
Is texaspacificrailway.org the official depot website?
No. Texaspacificrailway.org is Railfans Depot, a curated online archive of Texas & Pacific locomotives, stations, structures and railroadiana with a mailing address in Lindale, Texas. It is a helpful history resource but does not operate the Fort Worth depot or the commuter station.
What train museums are near Fort Worth?
The Fort Worth Stockyards Trinity River Train is about 4 miles away, and the Grapevine Vintage Railroad is about 20 miles northeast. The Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco, about 40 miles away, has a large collection of locomotives and cars. Further east, the Texas & Pacific Railway Museum in Marshall tells more of the railroad's story.
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