Historic Jefferson Railway facts for kids
Steam locomotive of the Historic Jefferson Railway, since sold to Kirby Family Farm
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Reporting mark | JCB |
| Locale | Jefferson, Texas |
| Dates of operation | 1985–2024 |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 3 ft (914 mm) |
| Length | 3 miles (4.8 kilometres) |
The Historic Jefferson Railway was a special kind of train line in Jefferson, Texas. It was known as a narrow gauge railroad, which means its tracks were closer together than standard train tracks. This railway followed the Big Cypress Bayou river for about three miles. It had a unique track design with loops at both ends. This allowed the entire train to turn around easily without needing complex switching movements.
The train's path took passengers past the Jefferson Ordnance Magazine. This is a very old building, one of the few remaining "powder magazines" from the United States' Civil War. A powder magazine was a safe place to store gunpowder. This historic site is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, showing its importance.
Contents
About the Jefferson Railway
A Journey Through History
The City of Jefferson built this railway in 1985. They bought the trains and cars from an old amusement park called Six Gun Territory in Silver Springs, Florida.
The Old West Town of Hangtown
In the late 1980s, a pretend Old West town called Hangtown was built along the tracks. This town was famous for its exciting stunt shows, which included pretend "shoot-outs" for entertainment. However, after some time, the city found it too expensive to run the railway. So, it was put up for sale. Several private owners tried to bring the train back to life, but it completely stopped running by the mid-1990s.
The Railway's Journey Continues
In 1999, a local business person bought the train, tracks, station, and land. Their goal was to protect the riverfront area from new buildings. The train only ran sometimes during this period, mainly to keep access rights to the land. Otherwise, the railway stayed closed. Sadly, during these years, Hangtown was not cared for and eventually fell apart.
A family group took over the railway in early 2002. They worked hard to keep the railway running for many years. However, in March 2024, the family announced their retirement. They closed the railway and put it up for sale.
The Trains of Jefferson Railway
Famous Steam Engines
The Historic Jefferson Railway first had two impressive 4-4-0 steam locomotives. A "4-4-0" describes the wheel arrangement: four small wheels at the front, four large driving wheels in the middle, and zero wheels at the back. These engines were named Robert E. Lee (engine number 7) and Sam Houston (engine number 4). They were built in 1964 for the Six Gun Territory Amusement Park.
Both engines were sold to the Jefferson Railway in 1985 and kept their original names and numbers. The Robert E. Lee was the main engine that pulled the trains. The Sam Houston was kept mostly for spare parts. In 2017, the Sam Houston was sold to the Kirby Family Farm in Florida. The Robert E. Lee was also sold to the same farm in 2019.
The "Critter" Locomotive
After the steam engines were sold, the railway used a smaller, gasoline-powered locomotive. It was nicknamed "Critter" and was built by the Plymouth Locomotive Works. This "Critter" engine continued to operate the railway until it closed in 2024.
See also
- List of heritage railroads in the United States
