Train Museums in Texas: Every Railroad Museum by Town
- 33 museums
- 28 towns
- 10 with train rides
- 5 free
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Texas is one of the few states that built its own railroad: in 1883 the state founded the line between Rusk and Palestine that now runs as the Texas State Railroad. That line is one stop among many in this part of our guide to train museums across the country. This page covers 33 train museums, depot museums, heritage railroads and rail history sites in about 30 Texas towns and cities. Type your town into the finder to see what is closest to you.
The range is wide. In Frisco, the Museum of the American Railroad keeps Union Pacific Big Boy 4018 among more than 70 pieces of equipment. In Galveston, families can walk through sleepers and dining cars across five acres of rail yard. Smaller depot museums in Hearne, Nacogdoches and Henderson are free, and in San Antonio a train ride comes with every weekend admission ticket.
Hours vary a lot from one place to the next. Some museums open only on Saturdays, a few list no hours at all, and the heritage railroads run on set dates, so check each card before you drive.
Look inside the book
Big engines, little legs. 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 a Texas train museum.
Rally Takes the Train
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Quick picks: where to start in Texas
Best first visit with a toddler
San Antonio
Every weekend ticket includes a 10 to 15 minute ride on the museum's own Longhorn and Western Railroad, and model layouts fill the time between trains.
Biggest collection
Museum of the American Railroad
Frisco
More than 70 pieces of equipment, including Union Pacific Big Boy 4018 and Pennsylvania Railroad GG1 4903, seen on historian-led yard tours.
Best for climbing aboard
Galveston
Five acres of passenger cars, sleepers and diners you can walk through, open daily from 10 am to 5 pm.
Best all-day train ride
Austin Steam Train Association
Cedar Park
The Hill Country Flyer makes a 66-mile round trip from Cedar Park with a two-hour lunch stop on the Burnet square.
Free and hands-on
Plano
Free admission, interactive electricity exhibits and a guided walk through Railway Post Office Car 360, with DART light rail stopping next door.
Free ride in the city
M-Line Trolley (McKinney Avenue Transit Authority)
Dallas
Restored streetcars roll through Uptown and Downtown Dallas 365 days a year on a name-your-fare basis, and kids get to pull the bell cord.
Rail fans who want live trains
Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum
Temple
The museum shares Temple's Santa Fe depot with Amtrak, so you can see Santa Fe Pacific 3423 outside and a passenger train on the tracks.
Every train museum in Texas, town by town
33 museums in 28 towns, A to Z by town. Tap any museum for its own page: the full story, what to see, what kids can do, hours, tickets, contact details and 20 answers to the questions families ask.
Amarillo
Model railroad museum
Amarillo Railroad Museum
A volunteer-built museum that pairs real rail cars, including a U.S. Department of Energy White Train car, with an HO scale Santa Fe layout and a garden railway. Open Thursday evenings and the second and fourth Saturday afternoons.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsBrownsville
Depot museum
Historic Brownsville Museum
A history museum in Brownsville's 1928 Spanish Colonial Revival Southern Pacific depot. The star is Rio Grande Engine No. 1, an 1872 Baldwin wood-burning narrow gauge locomotive. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsBrownwood
Railroad museum
Martin & Frances Lehnis Railroad Museum
A city-run railroad museum and visitor center in Brownwood, built from a Santa Fe railroader's collection: a 1931 caboose, a 1929 Pullman car, running model trains and a $2 Mini-Train ride on Saturdays. Open Tuesday to Saturday.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsCedar Park
Heritage railroad with a museum
Austin Steam Train Association
A volunteer-led heritage railroad that calls itself a moving museum. Its signature Hill Country Flyer leaves Cedar Park on Saturday mornings for a 66-mile round trip with a two-hour layover on the Burnet town square.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsDallas: 2 train museums
In Dallas the M-Line Trolley is the one to plan around, with free, name-your-fare rides every day. The Dallas Railway & Terminal collection has no public hours and is better treated as background reading.
Rail preservation group
Dallas Railway & Terminal Museum historic collection
A historic collection tied to Dallas's streetcar, interurban and terminal railway past. No public museum hours were found, so see the story through the City of Dallas archives, the M-Line Trolley and nearby rail museums.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsTrolley and streetcar museum
M-Line Trolley (McKinney Avenue Transit Authority)
Restored historic streetcars running 4.6 miles through Uptown and Downtown Dallas, 365 days a year. Rides are free with a name-your-fare donation, and a full loop takes about an hour. Kids can pull the bell cord to request a stop.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsDenison
Historic rail site
Historic Katy Depot
The Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad's 1911 station in downtown Denison, restored as a home for local shops, restaurants, lofts and an event venue. It is a living historic building rather than a traditional museum, so come to shop, eat and admire the architecture.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsEl Paso
Trolley and streetcar museum
El Paso Streetcar
Restored PCC streetcars that once served El Paso's old system now run a 4.8-mile route in two loops between Chihuahuita and Kern Place. Service returned in November 2018 after a 44-year gap. Check current schedules and fares before you ride.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsElmendorf
Railroad museum
San Antonio Railroad Heritage Museum
A nonprofit rail museum in Elmendorf, southeast of San Antonio, open Saturdays 9 am to 5 pm. Its railroadiana collection shares space with the Elmendorf Public Library, and its roster includes Southern Pacific, Katy and Missouri Pacific equipment.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsFort Worth: 2 train museums
Fort Worth has the short Stockyards Trinity River Excursion from Historic Stockyards Station and, about 4 miles south, the 1931 Texas & Pacific depot, which is now a commuter station rather than a museum.
Heritage railroad with a museum
Stockyards Trinity River Excursion
A family-sized train ride of about 45 minutes from Fort Worth's Historic Stockyards Station, run by the Grapevine Vintage Railroad. It crosses the Trinity River and Trinity Park, then returns. It does not leave from Grapevine, so meet the train at the Stockyards.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsHistoric rail site
Texas & Pacific Railway Depot
Fort Worth's 1931 Texas & Pacific depot on the south side of downtown. The T&P Station name now belongs to a Trinity Railway Express and TEXRail commuter terminal at 1600 Throckmorton Street. There is no museum here, so treat it as a history stop.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsFrisco
Railroad museum
Museum of the American Railroad
One of the largest historic rail collections in the country, now in Frisco. Historians lead one-hour walking tours of the rail yard Wednesday to Saturday, and the indoor TrainTopia model layout makes a good add-on for younger kids.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsGalveston
Railroad museum
Galveston Railroad Museum
Five acres of real railcars around Galveston's restored 1932 depot, open daily 10 am to 5 pm. Walk through passenger cars, see the red and silver Santa Fe Warbonnets, and ride the Harborside Express caboose on select weekends.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsGrapevine: 2 train museums
Grapevine's two listings work as one stop: the Grapevine Vintage Railroad boards in the Cotton Belt Railroad Historic District, so a ride and a walk around the old rail district fit in the same morning.
Historic rail site
Cotton Belt Railroad Historic District
A National Register historic district in eastern Grapevine built around the old Cotton Belt line, home to the Historic Cotton Belt Depot where the Grapevine Vintage Railroad boards. Come for a train ride and a walk around the district.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsHeritage railroad with a museum
Grapevine Vintage Railroad
A city-run excursion railroad with air-conditioned 1920s-era coaches. The Cotton Belt Route runs about 90 minutes from downtown Grapevine to the Fort Worth Stockyards, and Santa's North Pole Express fills the holiday calendar.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsHearne
Depot museum
Hearne Depot Museum
A 1901 Southern Pacific and Missouri Pacific depot that Hearne saved, moved and restored, now a free museum with curator-led tours, oral histories and a model train layout. Open Wednesday to Saturday, and trains still pass right by.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsHenderson
Depot museum
Rusk County Depot Museum & History Center
A free history campus in Henderson that grew from one railroad depot into twelve historic structures, including an 1841 log cabin. The depot is now a hands-on Children's Discovery Center, and November brings the Heritage Syrup Festival.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsHouston: 2 train museums
Railroad museum
Houston Railroad Museum
A small rail history museum listed on Mesa Drive in Houston, tied in directories to the Gulf Coast chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. Hours are not posted online, so confirm it is open before you drive over.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsRail preservation group
Texas Railroad History Museum
A Houston area rail preservation listing we could not confirm as a public museum. There is no posted website, address or hours, so check before you go, or head to the Houston Railroad Museum or Galveston Railroad Museum nearby.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsJefferson
Heritage railroad with a museumClosed
Historic Jefferson Railway
A 3 foot narrow gauge tourist line that ran about three miles beside Big Cypress Bayou in Jefferson. Recent write-ups describe it in the past tense, so check its Facebook page before planning a ride.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsKaty
Depot museum
MKT Depot Museum
The 1898 MKT depot in downtown Katy's railroad pocket park, home to the Katy Heritage Society Railroad Museum and a red caboose. Hours are not posted online, so check the museum's Facebook page before you go.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsMarshall
Depot museum
Texas & Pacific Railway Museum
A small museum and gift shop inside Marshall's restored 1912 Texas & Pacific depot, which is still the town's Amtrak stop on the Texas Eagle. Listed hours are Wednesday to Friday 10 am to 3 pm and Saturday 11 am to 3 pm.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsNacogdoches
Depot museum
Nacogdoches Railroad Depot
Southern Pacific's 1911 passenger depot in Nacogdoches, listed on the National Register, now a free city-run railroad museum. Tours run Thursday to Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm, with Junior Engineer Days in summer and a model train display in early December.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsOrange
Depot museum
Orange Train Depot Museum
A Victorian-style 1902 Southern Pacific depot in Orange, restored by the nonprofit Friends of the Orange Depot and used as a small museum and event venue. Hours are not posted, so call (409) 330-1576 to schedule a visit.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsPalestine
Heritage railroad with a museum
Texas State Railroad
A heritage railroad running steam and diesel excursions 25 miles each way through the Piney Woods between Palestine and Rusk. Trips run on set dates, so book through the railroad's website before you drive.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsPlano: 2 train museums
Trolley and streetcar museum
Interurban Railway Museum
A free museum in Plano's old Texas Electric Railway station, run by the Plano Conservancy. Kids can try hands-on electricity exhibits and tour Railway Post Office Car 360. Open Tuesday to Saturday, with DART light rail right next door.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsRail preservation group
Texas Electric Railway historic collections
The story of the Texas Electric Railway, the South's largest interurban (1908 to 1948), preserved in UT Arlington photo archives, a Dallas-Waco scrapbook and a historical marker. There is no single museum, so pair research with the Interurban Railway Museum in Plano.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsRosenberg
Railroad museum
Rosenberg Railroad Museum
A community-built nonprofit museum in Old Town Rosenberg with Tower 17, historic rail cars and a model train layout. The museum posts few details online, so call (281) 633-2846 to confirm hours and admission before you go.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsSan Angelo
Depot museum
Railway Museum of San Angelo
A rare surviving Orient railroad depot in San Angelo's Cultural District, saved by local citizens and run by volunteers. Expect model train layouts, bilingual exhibits and a speeder, with tickets of $5 or less. Open Friday to Sunday.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsSan Antonio
Railroad museum
Texas Transportation Museum
A volunteer-run museum in north San Antonio where a train ride on the Longhorn and Western Railroad is included with admission on weekends. Model railroads, classic cars, buses and wagons fill out the visit, and parking is free.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsTemple
Depot museum
Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum
A railroad museum inside Temple's historic Santa Fe depot, still shared with Amtrak. See Santa Fe Pacific 3423, cabooses and sleepers, and come on the second Saturday for Family Day. Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for kids.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsTexas City
Museum with a major rail exhibit
Texas City Museum
A city history museum with a Saturday-only bonus: the Galveston County Model Railroad Club's layouts on the second floor. Come Saturday between 10 am and 4 pm to see the trains plus the 1947 Texas City Disaster exhibit and Children's Discovery Room.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsWichita Falls
Railroad museum
Wichita Falls Railroad Museum
A volunteer-driven museum at Depot Square built around 1906 steam Engine 304 and KATY diesel 1029, plus troop sleepers, diners and cabooses. It is working toward a full reopening, so email the museum to confirm hours before you go.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsCompare every Texas train museum side by side
Type, train rides, admission, hours and who each one suits, in one table. Tap a column to sort it, or a museum to open its page.
| Hours | Best for | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amarillo Railroad MuseumAmarillo | Model trains | No | Not posted online; contact the museum | Thursdays 7 pm to 9 pm; second and fourth Saturdays 11 am to 3 pm; closed major holidays | Model railroaders, rail fans and families with train-loving kids |
| Historic Brownsville MuseumBrownsville | Depot museum | No | Admission includes the depot, Simon Celaya building and Yturria Education Center; prices not posted online | Tuesday to Saturday 10 am to 4 pm; closed Sunday and Monday | Families, rail fans and Brownsville history lovers |
| Martin & Frances Lehnis Railroad MuseumBrownwood | Railroad museum | Yes | Ages 13+ $4, ages 60+ $3, ages 5 to 12 $2, 4 and under and active military with ID free | Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm (except holidays) | Families with young kids and Santa Fe fans |
| Austin Steam Train AssociationCedar Park | Heritage railroad | Yes | Fares vary by trip and car class; tickets are sold online through Etix or by phone | Office and museum: Wednesday to Friday 10 am to 4 pm (closed noon to 1 pm), plus one hour before each departure. Hill Country Flyer: Saturday mornings, 9 am to about 3:30 pm | Families, grandparents and day trippers from Austin |
| Dallas Railway & Terminal Museum historic collectionDallas | Preservation group | No | Not applicable; see related museums for prices | No public hours found for the collection | Researchers and Dallas rail history fans |
| M-Line Trolley (McKinney Avenue Transit Authority)Dallas | Trolley museum | Yes | Free; riders are asked to name their fare | Mon to Thu 7 am to 10 pm; Fri 7 am to midnight; Sat 10 am to midnight; Sun and holidays 10 am to 10 pm | Families, visitors exploring Uptown and Downtown, and streetcar fans |
| Historic Katy DepotDenison | Historic site | No | No admission is posted; it is open as a shopping and dining destination | Hours vary by shop and restaurant; check katydepottx.com or Facebook | Architecture lovers, shoppers and history fans |
| El Paso StreetcarEl Paso | Trolley museum | Yes | Check the current fare before riding | Check current service before you go | Families, transit history fans and visitors exploring Downtown and UTEP |
| San Antonio Railroad Heritage MuseumElmendorf | Railroad museum | No | Not posted online; check the museum's website or Facebook page | Saturdays 9 am to 5 pm | Rail fans and families exploring the San Antonio area |
| Stockyards Trinity River ExcursionFort Worth | Heritage railroad | Yes | Ticket prices are posted by the Grapevine Vintage Railroad; check before you go | Runs on a posted schedule; check the Grapevine Vintage Railroad for dates and times | Families with small children and first-time train riders |
| Texas & Pacific Railway DepotFort Worth | Historic site | No | No admission; commuter rides need a transit fare | No museum hours; T&P Station follows commuter rail schedules | Architecture and rail history fans |
| Museum of the American RailroadFrisco | Railroad museum | No | TrainTopia: adults $12, ages 3 to 12 $6. Combo with yard tour: adults $18, children $10 to $12 (the site lists both). Under 3 free | TrainTopia: Wednesday to Saturday 10 am to 5 pm, Sunday 1 pm to 5 pm. Yard tours: Wednesday to Saturday at 11 am and 1 pm (no Sunday tours) | Rail fans and school-age kids; TrainTopia for younger children |
| Galveston Railroad MuseumGalveston | Railroad museum | Yes | Adults $14, seniors 65+ $10, ages 3 to 12 $8, ages 2 and under and active or retired military free | Open daily, 10 am to 5 pm (may vary on holidays and event days) | Families with young kids and anyone who wants to walk inside real railcars |
| Cotton Belt Railroad Historic DistrictGrapevine | Historic site | Yes | Free to walk the district; train tickets sold separately | District is outdoors; train times vary by excursion, check the Grapevine Vintage Railroad schedule | Families who want a train ride in a historic setting |
| Grapevine Vintage RailroadGrapevine | Heritage railroad | Yes | Fares vary by excursion; current prices are on the railroad's website | Excursions run on a set schedule; check the railroad's schedule and pricing page | Families and day trippers in Dallas and Fort Worth |
| Hearne Depot MuseumHearne | Depot museum | No | Free; donations welcome | Wednesday to Saturday, 11 am to 4 pm; closed Sunday to Tuesday | Families, railfans and train photographers |
| Rusk County Depot Museum & History CenterHenderson | Depot museum | No | Free; donations welcome | Monday to Friday 10 am to 4 pm, Saturday 9 am to 1 pm | Families with young kids and East Texas history fans |
| Houston Railroad MuseumHouston | Railroad museum | No | Not posted online | Not posted online; contact the museum before you go | Rail history fans in the Houston area |
| Texas Railroad History MuseumHouston | Preservation group | No | Not posted; could not be confirmed | Not posted; could not be confirmed | Rail history researchers |
| MKT Depot MuseumKaty | Depot museum | No | Not posted online; ask the museum | Not posted online; check the MKT Depot Museum Facebook page | Families with young kids and Katy history fans |
| Texas & Pacific Railway MuseumMarshall | Depot museum | No | Not posted online; call or check the museum's website | Listed as Wednesday to Friday 10 am to 3 pm, Saturday 11 am to 3 pm | Rail history fans and Amtrak travelers |
| Nacogdoches Railroad DepotNacogdoches | Depot museum | No | Free; donations welcome | Tours Thursday to Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm; closed major holidays | History lovers and school-age kids |
| Orange Train Depot MuseumOrange | Depot museum | No | Not posted; ask when you call | Not posted; call (409) 330-1576 to schedule | Local history fans and event hosts |
| Texas State RailroadPalestine | Heritage railroad | Yes | Fares vary by trip and seating class; prices are listed when you book online | Runs on scheduled excursion dates only; check the online schedule | Families, rail fans and day trippers from Dallas or Houston |
| Interurban Railway MuseumPlano | Trolley museum | No | Free | 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 | Families with young kids and DART riders |
| Texas Electric Railway historic collectionsPlano | Preservation group | No | No museum admission; online images are free to view | No public museum hours; archives set their own research hours | Rail historians, researchers and interurban fans |
| Rosenberg Railroad MuseumRosenberg | Railroad museum | No | A small admission fee, according to visitor reviews; confirm current prices by phone | Not posted online; call (281) 633-2846 before you go | Families and rail fans exploring Old Town Rosenberg |
| Railway Museum of San AngeloSan Angelo | Depot museum | No | $5 adults, $4.50 seniors 65+, military and NRHS members, $3 children 5 and up, under 5 free | Friday 1 to 5 pm, Saturday 10 am to 4 pm, Sunday 1 to 5 pm | Families with young kids, model railroaders and history fans |
| Texas Transportation MuseumSan Antonio | Railroad museum | Yes | General admission tickets sold online and at the door; train ride included. Group rate $8 per person (20 minimum) | Open to the public Saturday and Sunday; train rides at 10:30 am, 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm. Fridays 9 am to noon for booked groups | Families with young children and car and train fans |
| Temple Railroad & Heritage MuseumTemple | Depot museum | No | Ages 0 to 4 free, 5 to 12 $2, 13 to 59 $4, 60+ $3, active duty military free with ID | Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm; federal holidays may change hours | Families with young kids and Amtrak riders with time to spare |
| Texas City MuseumTexas City | Rail gallery | No | Adults $7, seniors $5, students $4, children 6 and under free | Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm; model train exhibit Saturdays only | Families with young train fans who can visit on a Saturday |
| Wichita Falls Railroad MuseumWichita Falls | Railroad museum | No | Not yet posted; the museum's ticket page says tickets are coming soon | Contact the museum for current hours and tour availability | Rail fans and local history lovers |
| Historic Jefferson RailwayJefferson | Heritage railroad | No | Not posted online; check the railway's Facebook page | Not posted; recent write-ups describe the railway in the past tense | Rail history fans and visitors to Jefferson |
No museum on this page matches every filter you picked.
Map of every train museum in Texas
How the railroad built Texas
Railroads decided which Texas towns grew. Hearne was born when the Houston & Texas Central reached it in 1869, and once the International Railroad crossed there in the 1870s it became known as the Crossroads of Texas. When the Houston East and West Texas Railroad arrived in Nacogdoches in 1882, the local economy shifted from farming toward trade. The Texas & Pacific reached Fort Worth in 1876, and the railroad helped turn the city into a livestock shipping center. In Marshall, the T&P yards shaped the town so deeply that its 1912 depot still speaks for them.
The story did not stop at steam. From 1908 to 1948 the Texas Electric Railway ran interurban cars from Dallas to Denison, Corsicana and Waco, the largest interurban in the South, and the Dallas and Fort Worth area once held about 70 percent of the state's electric railway mileage. El Paso's streetcars began with mule-drawn cars in 1881 and once crossed the border into Juárez. Out west, Arthur Stilwell planned a railroad from Kansas through San Angelo to Mexico's Pacific coast, and the Santa Fe carried the Panhandle and Central Texas for most of the twentieth century.
Each museum tells a piece of it. The Galveston Railroad Museum covers Texas railroading from 1830 to 1980, the Hearne Depot Museum and Nacogdoches Railroad Depot explain the junction and trading towns, and the Texas & Pacific Railway Museum honors the T&P's workers. For the electric era, start at the Interurban Railway Museum in Plano. The Santa Fe story lives at the Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum, the Lehnis Railroad Museum in Brownwood and the Amarillo Railroad Museum, while the Railway Museum of San Angelo keeps the Orient's dream alive and the Historic Brownsville Museum shows an 1872 wood-burning engine from the Valley's first railroad.
Texas train day trips
Trip 1
A Saturday on Galveston Bay
- Texas City MuseumTexas City
- Galveston Railroad MuseumGalveston
The Texas City Museum's model railroad layouts run only on Saturdays, and the Galveston Railroad Museum is about 9 miles away and open daily. See the model trains and the Children's Discovery Room in the morning, then spend the afternoon walking through real railcars in Galveston. On select weekends from late spring through summer, add a Harborside Express caboose ride.
Trip 2
North Texas rails, old and new
- Museum of the American RailroadFrisco
- Interurban Railway MuseumPlano
- M-Line Trolley (McKinney Avenue Transit Authority)Dallas
Book a morning yard tour or TrainTopia visit at the Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco, then drive about 12 miles to the free Interurban Railway Museum in Plano. From there, finish the day on Dallas's M-Line Trolley, about 16 miles south. Remember that Frisco's yard tours do not run on Sundays and the Plano museum is closed Sunday and Monday.
Trip 3
Central Texas depot day
Temple's depot museum and the Hearne Depot Museum are about 47 miles apart, and both are open Wednesday to Saturday. Start with Santa Fe Pacific 3423 and the cabooses in Temple, then head east to Hearne's free museum, where the model trains are inside and the freight trains roll right past the window.
Drive times from Houston, Dallas and San Antonio
Times are approximate, measured from each city's downtown without traffic.
| Museum | From Houston | From Dallas | From San Antonio |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKT Depot MuseumKaty | 40 min | ||
| Rosenberg Railroad MuseumRosenberg | 40 min | ||
| Texas City MuseumTexas City | 50 min | ||
| Galveston Railroad MuseumGalveston | 1 hr 5 min | ||
| Texas State RailroadPalestine | 3 hr | 2 hr 20 min | |
| Interurban Railway MuseumPlano | 25 min | ||
| Grapevine Vintage RailroadGrapevine | 30 min | ||
| Museum of the American RailroadFrisco | 35 min | ||
| Temple Railroad & Heritage MuseumTemple | 2 hr 45 min | ||
| Texas Transportation MuseumSan Antonio | 15 min | ||
| San Antonio Railroad Heritage MuseumElmendorf | 20 min | ||
| Austin Steam Train AssociationCedar Park | 2 hr |
Holiday trains and seasonal days at Texas museums
Texas has a full holiday train calendar. THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride runs from the Galveston Railroad Museum and from the Texas State Railroad's Palestine Depot, where kids come in pajamas and Santa hands out silver sleigh bells. The Grapevine Vintage Railroad runs Santa's North Pole Express, the Austin Steam Train Association runs the North Pole Flyer each December, and the Texas Transportation Museum hosts Santa's Railroad Wonderland. In Nacogdoches, the free Loblolly Model Train Display fills the depot in early December. Fall brings Spook-Track-Ula at the Texas Transportation Museum and CabooseFest in Galveston, with a caboose hayride and pumpkin patch. See our roundups of Christmas train rides in Texas and Halloween and pumpkin train rides in Texas for dates and booking tips.
Good to know before you go
- Frisco's yard tours cover up to a mile of rough ground in about an hour and suit ages 8 and up. The museum warns that summer surface temperatures in the yard can pass 120 degrees, so younger kids usually do better in the air-conditioned TrainTopia layout.
- The Hill Country Flyer lasts about six and a half hours. Children under 14 need an adult with them when moving between cars, and the shorter themed rides on the Bertram Flyer route often suit toddlers better.
- On the Texas State Railroad, the full Piney Woods Express takes about four hours. The Rusk Turntable Excursion is about an hour and a half, which is easier with small children.
- Galveston's Harborside Express caboose ride costs $8 on top of admission and does not run from November 1 to January 1.
- The Texas Transportation Museum's main lot is gravel, which is bumpy for strollers, and some displays use mannequins that can startle very young children.
- Dallas's historic M-Line cars cannot board wheelchairs and may not fit large strollers, so bring a small stroller if you can.
- Several smaller museums, including those in Rosenberg, Katy, Orange and Wichita Falls, do not post regular hours. Call or check their pages before you drive.
A note from Rally's family
Rally is our family's real corgi, and in the book he rides the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner out of San Diego with Mom and Dad. My favorite page is when Mr. Conductor, dressed all in blue, holds out a hand to help him aboard. My mom dreamed up this story before she died in 2021, and now my kids are learning to read with it. If your little one is counting the days until a Texas train ride, our free train coloring pages are good for the drive, and you can read how Rally's story began.
Train museums in neighboring states
From Dallas, Oklahoma City is about 4 hours 20 minutes north, where the free Oklahoma Railway Museum has an outdoor rail yard, cabooses and train rides from its Oakwood Depot on scheduled days. It is the standout on our Oklahoma train museums page.
From Houston, head about 2 hours 50 minutes east into Louisiana for the free DeQuincy Railroad Museum in a 1923 Kansas City Southern depot, with a 1913 steam switch engine outside. It is only about 31 miles past Orange. See more on our Louisiana train museums page.
In the Panhandle, Amarillo families can reach the Clovis Depot Model Train Museum in about 2 hours 10 minutes, with eleven operating model railroad layouts and views of busy BNSF trains. It leads our New Mexico train museums list for West Texas visitors.
A train book for the drive
Marshall's 1912 depot museum is still a stop on Amtrak's Texas Eagle, so if you want to make the trip by rail, read our guide to riding the Texas Eagle with kids.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. They fit in a folder with a few crayons for the drive to the museum or the wait for the next train ride.
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 every state: search all 50 by town
- Christmas train rides in Texas: Santa trains and holiday rides
- Halloween train rides in Texas: pumpkin trains for next October
- The Texas Eagle with kids: ride a real Amtrak train
- Every Amtrak route with kids: find a train by city or station
- Train books for toddlers for the drive home
Texas train museum questions
What is the biggest train museum in Texas?
The Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco holds the largest collection in the state. It has more than 70 pieces of steam, diesel, passenger and freight equipment on 15 acres, including Union Pacific Big Boy 4018 and a 1911 Pullman sleeper. The museum began at Fair Park in Dallas and moved to Frisco after 2011, and while construction continues, the yard is seen only on guided walking tours.
Are there free train museums in Texas?
Yes, several Texas rail museums are free. The Interurban Railway Museum in Plano, the Hearne Depot Museum, the Nacogdoches Railroad Depot and the Rusk County Depot Museum in Henderson all charge no admission and welcome donations. In Dallas, the M-Line Trolley is free to ride, with riders asked to name their own fare, as of October 2026.
Which Texas train museums have train rides?
Several Texas museums let you ride. The Texas Transportation Museum in San Antonio includes a ride with weekend admission, the Galveston Railroad Museum runs caboose rides on select weekends, and Brownwood's Lehnis museum runs a Mini-Train on Saturdays. For longer trips, look at the Hill Country Flyer from Cedar Park, the Texas State Railroad between Palestine and Rusk, and the Grapevine Vintage Railroad.
What is the best train museum in Texas for toddlers?
The Texas Transportation Museum in San Antonio is a strong first choice for toddlers. A 10 to 15 minute train ride on the Longhorn and Western Railroad is included with weekend admission, and several model railroads keep little ones busy between rides. Parking is free. The Interurban Railway Museum in Plano is a good free alternative, with hands-on exhibits and a railway post office car to step inside.
Is there a train museum in Houston?
Yes, the Houston Railroad Museum is listed at 7390 Mesa Drive, tied to the Gulf Coast chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. Its hours are not posted online as of October 2026, so contact it before you go. For a fuller day, families often head to the Galveston Railroad Museum, about an hour away, or to the depot museums in Katy and Rosenberg.
What train museums are near Dallas?
Dallas has several within about 35 minutes. The Museum of the American Railroad is in Frisco, the free Interurban Railway Museum is in Plano next to a DART station, and the Grapevine Vintage Railroad leaves from Historic Grapevine. Inside the city, the M-Line Trolley runs restored streetcars through Uptown and Downtown every day of the year.
Is there a train museum in San Antonio?
Yes, the Texas Transportation Museum in north San Antonio has collected the city's transportation history since 1964. It is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays, with train rides at 10:30 am, 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm as of October 2026. The San Antonio Railroad Heritage Museum in Elmendorf, about 21 miles away, adds a Saturday-only railroadiana collection.
Are there train rides near Austin?
Yes, the Austin Steam Train Association runs vintage trains from Cedar Park, about 25 minutes from downtown Austin. Its Hill Country Flyer leaves on Saturday mornings for a round trip to Burnet, and themed rides run on the shorter Bertram Flyer route. The Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum is about 50 miles north of Cedar Park if you want a depot museum too.
Is there a train museum in El Paso?
El Paso does not have a traditional train museum on this list, but the El Paso Streetcar is a working piece of its rail history. Restored PCC streetcars that served the city's old system run a 4.8-mile route in two loops between Chihuahuita and Kern Place. Service returned in November 2018 after a 44-year gap, so check schedules and fares before riding.
Is there a train museum in Amarillo?
Yes, the Amarillo Railroad Museum preserves the railroad heritage of the Texas Panhandle. It has a large HO scale layout of the Santa Fe from Canadian, Texas to Clovis, New Mexico, a garden railway and a car from the Department of Energy White Train. As of October 2026 it opens Thursday evenings and on the second and fourth Saturday afternoons.
What can kids do at the Galveston Railroad Museum?
Kids can walk through real passenger cars, sleepers and dining cars across five acres beside Galveston's restored 1932 depot. Interactive crossing lights and model trains add to the visit, and the Harborside Express caboose ride runs on select weekends from late spring through summer for an extra fee. The museum is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm as of October 2026.
How long is the Hill Country Flyer from Cedar Park?
The Hill Country Flyer takes about six and a half hours from start to finish. It leaves Cedar Park at 9 am on Saturdays, reaches Burnet around 10:45 am for a two-hour layover on the courthouse square, and returns around 3:30 pm. The 66-mile round trip crosses the South San Gabriel River and winds through Short Creek Canyon.
How long is the Texas State Railroad ride from Palestine?
The full Piney Woods Express from Palestine takes about four hours round trip. The train runs 25 miles through the forest to the Rusk Depot and allows roughly an hour and 20 minutes there before heading back. Families with small children often choose the Rusk Turntable Excursion instead, which lasts about an hour and a half.
Where can you see Union Pacific Big Boy 4018 in Texas?
Union Pacific Big Boy 4018 is part of the collection at the Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco. While the museum is under construction, the rail yard is open only on guided walking tours, offered Wednesday to Saturday at 11 am and 1 pm as of October 2026. The same tour can include Pennsylvania Railroad GG1 4903 and Santa Fe F7 No. 49.
What is Rio Grande Engine No. 1 in Brownsville?
Rio Grande Engine No. 1 is an 1872 Baldwin wood-burning narrow gauge locomotive, described as the last of its kind in the world. It was the first engine of the Rio Grande Railroad, which ran between Brownsville and Point Isabel. It is on loan from the City of Brownsville and displayed by the Historic Brownsville Museum in the Simon Celaya building.
Where can kids ride THE POLAR EXPRESS in Texas?
THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride runs from the Galveston Railroad Museum and from the Texas State Railroad's depot in Palestine. On the Palestine trip, families are encouraged to wear pajamas, chefs serve hot chocolate and cookies while the story is read aloud, and Santa gives each child a silver sleigh bell. Tickets for holiday trains sell early, so book well ahead.
Do any Texas train museums have Halloween or fall events?
Yes, two Texas museums plan fall events with kids in mind. The Texas Transportation Museum in San Antonio hosts Spook-Track-Ula with trick or treat stops, and the Galveston Railroad Museum holds CabooseFest with a caboose hayride and a pumpkin patch. Check each museum's calendar for this year's dates, since they change from season to season.
What was the Texas Electric Railway?
The Texas Electric Railway was an electric interurban line that ran from 1908 to 1948, linking Dallas with Denison, Corsicana and Waco. It was the largest interurban in the South. Its old Plano station is now the Interurban Railway Museum, and DART light rail follows part of its former right of way, stopping right beside the museum.
Which Texas train museums are open on Sundays?
A handful of Texas rail sites open on Sundays. The Galveston Railroad Museum is open daily, the Texas Transportation Museum in San Antonio is open Saturday and Sunday, TrainTopia in Frisco opens Sunday afternoons, and the Railway Museum of San Angelo is open Sunday from 1 to 5 pm, all as of October 2026. Dallas's M-Line Trolley also runs every Sunday.
Is the Historic Jefferson Railway still running?
It appears not; recent sources describe the Historic Jefferson Railway in the past tense. It was a 3 foot narrow gauge tourist line that ran about three miles beside Big Cypress Bayou for nearly four decades. If you are in Jefferson, check its Facebook page, or drive about 15 miles to the Texas & Pacific Railway Museum in Marshall instead.
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