With roots all the way back to 1896, the Galveston Railroad Museum plays a vital part in the island’s rich history. This Galveston, TX museum was once a depot built by the Santa Fe, Colorado, and Gulf railroads. Today, this expansive railroad depot houses a vast assortment of dining car fine china, two model railroad layouts, and 5 acres of trains. This large collection of around 40 pieces of rolling stock includes passenger cars, cabooses, locomotives, and freight cars. Here, you can enjoy a ride on the caboose on Saturdays and Sundays, purchase souvenirs from the gift shop, check out the interactive displays, and view the various rotating exhibits in the Map Room. The Galveston Railroad Museum also hosts exciting yearly events including the Rail Baron’s Ball and the Polar Express themed train ride. For a truly unique experience, the museum also offers the opportunity to stay in the historic Bonnie Brook rail car. It features 4 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms with a comfortable seating area and air conditioning.

During your next visit to Galveston, you really must make time to check out the Galveston Railroad Museum. Explore the past by going through the museum’s permanent exhibitions, which include model railway layouts, galleries, and a variety of different kinds of locomotives. Additionally, throughout the course of the year, the museum hosts a variety of rotating temporary exhibits, ensuring that visitors are never bored with the collection. The museum is committed to the preservation of its historic collections, as well as the study, display, and utilization of those collections. The growth of educational and interactive programs within the museum will promote efforts pertaining to railroading and transportation that are intended to benefit our local community. The Railroad Museum is home to one of the five largest restored railroad collections in the country, as well as one of the five largest in the southwestern United States. The museum also features a wide variety of railroad artifacts and exhibits, including over 40 different locomotives and pieces of rolling stock. Additionally, the museum owns a mile of track, and caboose rides are offered on Saturdays between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., provided that the weather cooperates. There is a wide selection of both indoor and outdoor locations available for use for private gatherings.

Although it didn’t open its doors to the general public until 1983, the Galveston Railroad Museum can trace its history all the way back to the depot and headquarters that were constructed in 1896 by the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe railroad. The business and the terminal expanded along with the railroad, and in 1932 the firm erected the art deco depot that is still in use today. After Santa Fe’s departure from Galveston in 1972, the structure was remained empty for a number of years. Mary Moody Northern was the primary supporter of the building’s renovation and the formation of the train museum, which received backing from the local community. The museum experienced fast expansion during this time as it amassed a collection of china from dining cars, constructed a model railroad layout, and served as the station for the Texas Limited excursion train. In 1996, after the Texas Limited discontinued operations, the museum purchased the passenger cars and two locomotives that were associated with the company. In 2008, Hurricane Ike caused a flood that covered the museum with salt water up to 10 feet deep. A significant portion of the museum’s collection was either completely obliterated or substantially damaged. The museum was closed so that it could rebuild and preserve its collection. In order to replace the Texas Limited locomotives, the museum purchased two F-7A diesel locomotives in Santa Fe colors. The museum reopened in 2011 after having been closed for three years due to renovations. The Train Museum is home to forty different pieces of rolling stock, a sizeable collection of dining car china, and two fantastic model railroad layouts at the moment. In addition, the Museum offers caboose trips on the weekends, specifically on Saturdays between the hours of 11:00 am and 2:00 pm and on Sundays between the hours of 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm.