History of Museum

The Galveston Railroad Museum opened to the public in 1983, but the Museum traces its roots back to the 1896 depot and headquarters built by the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe railroad. The depot and facility grew with the railroad, and by 1932 the company built the current art deco depot. Santa Fe left Galveston in 1972, and the building sat vacant for several years. With community support, Mary Moody Northern sponsored the refurbishment of the building and establishment of the railroad museum.

The museum grew rapidly, collecting dining car china, a model railroad layout, and acting as the terminal for the Texas Limited excursion train. After the Texas Limited ceased operations in 1996, the museum acquired its passenger cars and two locomotives.

In 2008, Hurricane Ike flooded the museum with 10 feet of salt water. Much of the museum’s collection was destroyed or severely damaged. The museum closed to rebuild and restore its collection, acquiring two F-7A diesel locomotives in Santa Fe colors to replace the Texas Limited locomotives. After three years of cleanup, the museum reopened in 2011.

At present, the Railroad Museum has forty pieces of rolling stock, a substantial collection of dining car china, and two incredible model railroad layouts. The Museum also runs weekly caboose rides on Saturdays between 11:00am and 2:00pm and Sundays between 1:00pm and 3:00pm.