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Texas Train Rides And Excursion Trains

If you are looking for a rail excursion in the state, there are several Texas train rides to choose from. However, there really aren't as many tourist lines as you might think when one considers that at one time there was over 16,000 miles of track crisscrossing Texas. In any event, you do have the option of seeing both historic steam and diesel locomotives operating in the state, and you can even catch a trolley at the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority in Dallas. The state's busiest and most popular tourist train is the Texas State Railroad, which offers visitors a multitude of different excursion options and packages as well as hosting numerous special activities and events throughout the year. Of note, if you might be interested in visiting one of the state's railroad museums as well please click here to learn more.

Because of the state's size, valuable natural resources (oil, for instance), and important cities (Dallas/Fort Worth, Galveston, San Antonio, etc.) Texas found itself home to thousands and thousands of miles of rails. These lines were owned by once famous names like the Santa Fe, Katy, Frisco, Southern Pacific and others who operated well known passenger trains like the Sunset Limited, Super Chief, and others through the state. Today, the four tourist railroads you can ride in Texas try to keep this history alive and offer folks some of the different excursion options mentioned above depending on your interest and budget. In any event, to learn more about Texas train rides please read about each organization briefly covered below.

Texas Train Rides And Excursion Trains

Austin Steam Train

The Austin Steam Train is based in Austin, Texas operating through the state's "Hill Country" uses tracks once owned by the Southern Pacific. The line is 163-miles in length and used as both a commuter and freight rail line today with the Steam Train having permission to operate excursion trains on the line. Along with their standard excursion the train also offers murder mystery specials, seasonal trips, and charters. For more information about riding the train please click here.

Grapevine Railroad

The Grapevine Railroad, based Grapevine, Texas operates between its headquarters and Fort Worth on trackage originally owned by the St. Louis Southwestern Railway (The Cotton Belt). Along with two operable steam locomotives the railroad also has a GP7 diesel locomotive on hand to power its trains. The railroad operates numerous specials throughout the year (such as hosting "A Day Out With Thomas" the tank engine) along with their standard excursion schedule. For more information about riding the train please click here.

Longhorn & Western Railroad

The Longhorn & Western Railroad is part of the Texas Transportation Museum based in San Antonio. It was a self-built operation that features a little over a half-mile of trackage using a small, diesel locomotive for power. For more information about riding the train please click here.

McKinney Avenue Transit Authority

The only operating vintage trolley service in the state, the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority serves its namesake street in Dallas (in the Uptown district) as well as a section of St. Paul Street and Cole Avenue. Service is provided by restored trolley cars that are climate controlled. For more information about riding the train please click here.

Texas State Railroad

The Texas State Railroad, based in Rusk and Palestine, Texas, is perhaps the state's most popular tourist train. Using trackage once owned by the Southern Pacific the railroad features two operating steam locomotives and a vintage diesel locomotive (an Alco RS2). Along with their standard excursions the railroad hosts numerous specials throughout the year. For more information about riding the train please click here.

Please Click Here To Return To The Main Tourist Railroads Section

To learn more about the history of Texas railroads please click here. Also, for more information about Texas train rides you might want to consider the book Tourist Trains Guidebook, which is put together by the editors of Kalmbach Publishing's Trains magazine. The guide below is the latest, released in just April, 2011 that now includes more than 470 museums and tourist trains (it also lists all of Alabama's rail museums). In any event, if you're interested in perhaps purchasing this book please visit the link below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.

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