Museum of the American Railroad facts for kids
4018 and 4501 sit on display at the Museum of the American Railroad
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| Former name | Southwest Railroad Historical Society, Age Of Steam Railway Museum |
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| Established | 1963 |
| Location | Frisco, Texas, United States |
| Type | 501(C) Not For Profit |
| Collections | Railway Rolling Stock and Historic Railroad Buildings |
| Public transit access | Frisco Shuttle Busses |
| Nearest parking | Frisco Discovery Center |
The Museum of the American Railroad is a cool place in Frisco, Texas, where you can explore the history of trains! It used to be called the Age of Steam Railroad Museum. This museum has over 70 different types of trains, including old steam engines, diesel locomotives, passenger cars, and freight cars. All these trains are spread out over 15 acres, making it one of the biggest train collections in the United States. You can even walk through some of the trains on special guided tours.
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Museum History
The museum started small in 1963 at Fair Park in Dallas. It was a popular part of the yearly State Fair of Texas. In 1986, it officially became a museum. It stayed at Fair Park until November 2011.
The museum then moved to Frisco, Texas. This big move was part of a plan to make the museum even better. The plan included new buildings, new ways of running things, and new programs. The museum's offices and some exhibits are currently at the Frisco Heritage Museum. This is a temporary spot while the main new museum location is being built.
In July 2018, a special exhibit called TrainTopia opened. It features a huge model train setup. This exhibit is located in the Frisco Discovery Center, right next to the museum's main site.
Train Collection
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The Museum of the American Railroad has many different types of trains. Here are some of the amazing vehicles you can see:
Steam Locomotives
Steam locomotives are old trains that use steam to move. They are very powerful!
- Union Pacific #4018: This is a huge "Big Boy" train. It was built in 1941.
- St. Louis-San Francisco Railway #4501: This train was famous for pulling the "Meteor" train. It was built in 1942.
- St. Louis-San Francisco Railway #1625: Built in 1918.
- Dallas Union Terminal #7: Built in 1923.
Diesel Locomotives
Diesel locomotives use diesel engines, like big trucks. They are more modern than steam trains.
- Southern Pacific #2379: Built in 1956, and it still works!
- Colorado & Wyoming #1107: Built in 1943, and it also still works!
- Union Pacific #6913: Built in 1969.
- United States Army #8000: Built in 1942. This train is operational.
- Santa Fe #49: Built in 1952. It's painted in the famous Santa Fe "Red Warbonnet" colors. This train is operational.
- BNSF #97: Built in 1967. It is currently being restored.
- Santa Fe #M-160: This is a "Doodlebug" train. It was built in 1931 and still works!
- Santa Fe #2404: Built in 1939.
- Santa Fe #2260: Built in 1948.
- Santa Fe #608: Built in 1951.
- Santa Fe #59L: Built in 1948. It is currently being restored.
- Santa Fe #2428: A Santa Fe CF7 model.
- Santa Fe #2447: Another Santa Fe CF7 model.
- Asarco #10: Built in 1945.
- Southern Pacific #MW8209: Built in 1949. It is being restored to look its best.
- Vulcan Materials Company Plymouth Locomotive Works: A 30-ton model built in 1943.
Electric Locomotives
Electric locomotives run on electricity, often from overhead lines or a third rail.
- Pennsylvania Railroad class GG1: A famous electric locomotive.
Passenger Cars
These are the cars where people rode on trains.
- Sleepers: Cars where passengers could sleep during long journeys.
- Amtrak #2997: Built in 1950.
- Amtrak #2913: Built in 1950.
- Amtrak #2090: Built in 1959.
- Amtrak #2532: Built in 1954.
- Pullman Company "Glengyle": Built in 1911. This is one of the oldest all-steel sleeping cars still around.
- Amtrak #2516: Built in 1950.
- Pullman Company "Goliad": Built in 1926. It was one of the first cars to get air conditioning in the 1930s.
- Pullman Company "Glen Nevis": Built in 1925.
- Pullman Company "McQuaig": Built in 1925.
- Coaches: Regular seating cars for passengers.
- Santa Fe #3197: Built in 1940.
- Texas and Pacific Railway #1143: Built in 1920.
- St. Louis-San Francisco Railway #759: Built in 1912.
- Lounges: Cars where passengers could relax and socialize.
- Diners: Cars where passengers could eat meals.
- Santa Fe #1550: Built in 1948.
- Santa Fe #1554: Built in 1948.
- Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad #438: Built in 1937.
- Other Passenger Cars:
- Fort Worth and Denver Railway Business car: "Texland," built in 1900.
- Texas and Pacific Railway Railway Post Office-Baggage Car #916: Built in 1918.
Transit Equipment
These are trains used for local travel, like subway or commuter trains.
- Metra Electric District "Highliners": These were built between 1971 and 1979. Several of these cars are operational.
- Trinity Railway Express RDC-1 #2001: Built in 1954.
- Vought Airtrans Car #45.
Freight Equipment
Freight cars are used to carry goods and materials.
- Kansas City Southern #7460: A boxcar.
- Kansas City Southern Lines #107859: Another boxcar.
- Lone Star Producing Company #1817: A tank car.
- Western Pacific Railroad #68652: A boxcar.
- Texas & Pacific Railroad #X4446: A boxcar.
- Packers Car Line (Armour & Company) PCX 4063: An ice refrigerator car.
- Packers Car Line (Armour & Company) PCX 4005: Another ice refrigerator car.
- Genesee & Wyoming Railroad #GNWR 1032: A mechanical refrigerator car.
Cabooses
Cabooses are special cars at the very end of a freight train.
- Santa Fe Caboose #999311: Built in 1949.
- Santa Fe Caboose #1618.
- Cotton Belt #2332: Built in 1920.
- Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad #932: Built in 1971.
Speeders and Handcars
These are small vehicles used by railroad workers to inspect tracks.
- Union Pacific Railroad #MT14444M: Built in 1977.
- Track-Work Incorporated #RIMC 915: Built in 1955.
- Gifford-Hill & Company #H109: A handcar donated in 1964.
Historic Structures
The museum also preserves old railroad buildings.
- Houston & Texas Central Railroad Depot: Built around 1905.
- Houston & Texas Central Railroad Handcar Shed: Also from around 1905.
- Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railroad Interlocking Tower 19: This tower helped control train movements.
Road Vehicles
- Railway Express Agency Ford 1-ton box truck: From 1941.
Past Collection Items
Some trains that were once part of the museum's collection include:
- Texas & Northern bobber caboose.
- Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority PCC #3329.
- New Orleans Public Service Incorporated Electric Streetcar #919.
- Econo-Rail Inc., Procter & Gamble Plant, Dallas, TX #PG 13: S-2 Diesel Locomotive.
- Econo-Rail Inc., Houston, TX #E-R 10: S-6 Diesel Locomotive.
- New York Central Railroad Company #3001: A 4-8-2 steam locomotive.
- Texas & Pacific Railway #638: A 2-10-4 steam locomotive. This one was sadly scrapped because of damage.
TrainTopia: A Miniature World
The museum has a fantastic exhibit called "TrainTopia – A Railroad Odyssey in Miniature." It's located in the Frisco Discovery Center, right next to the main museum site. This is a huge, professionally built G scale model railroad layout. It was given to the museum by the Sanders family. A generous donation helped move the layout and set up the exhibit space.
The miniature scene shows places from Texas all the way to Arizona. You can see cool details like the rocky areas of the Four Corners region near New Mexico. There's also a busy downtown Dallas street scene with tiny animated cars. Look for the Palo Duro Drive-In Theater playing a movie! You'll also spot a West Texas refinery and working sawmills in Colorado. A special light show makes the exhibit change from day to night, just like real life. The layout has hundreds of tiny trains, most made by LGB in Germany.
Gallery
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St. Louis-San Fransico. 1625 (2-10-0)
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Metra Electric District (ex-Illinois Central) Highliner I (several other cars can be seen behind this unit)
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Pennsylvania Railroad GG1 No. 4903
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Alco PA-1 ATSF No. 59 as under restoration
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TRE Budd RDC-1 No. 2001 seen next to the PA-1
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Union Pacific Big Boy (4-8-8-4) No. 4018
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Dallas Union Terminal (ex-Southern Pacific S-12) No. 7 (0-6-0)
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St. Louis-San Francisco No. 4501 (4-8-4)
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SLSF 4501 tender
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ATSF No. 49 (EMD F7A)
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Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad dining car -438
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Santa Fe 3197 Observation coach
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Union Pacific DDA40X 6913
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Santa Fe CF7 2428
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Santa Fe CF7 2447
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ex-T&P Business Car 1147
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Colorado & Wyoming 1107 Baldwin VO-1000
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Unidentified Chair car
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Santa Fe M-160 Gas-electric Doodlebug
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Amtrak 2516 Domitory-lounge car (ex-UP)
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Lone Star Producing Company 1817 tank car
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US Army ALCO RSD-1 in derelict condition (on the exterior, the locomotive is operational)
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Front of SLSF 1625
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Front of SLSF 4501
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ATSF Caboose 1618
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See Also
