Abilene Railroad Festival, Exhibit is Full Steam Ahead

Look out, Abilene! The railroad train is about to roll through The Grace Museum this summer with a brand new history exhibition titled Full Steam Ahead: The Texas & Pacific Railway. Train enthusiasts, history buffs, families, and kids of all ages will enjoy this grand exhibition that will highlight the history of the Texas & Pacific Railway Company (T&P Railway).

The museum will host many exciting programs, gallery pop-ups, game nights, movies, and other events to accompany this exhibition, including participating in the upcoming Abilene Railroad Festival Sept. 5-7. Check out their online calendar for a full list of events (thegracemuseum.org/events) so you don’t miss out!

The growth of railroads after the Civil War made a significant impact on the lives of those living in the United States and Texas. Farming and ranching evolved into a commercial enterprise with the railroad opening new markets throughout the country. Growing industrialization and movement of goods changed the overall lives of people living in Texas.

Without the railroad, Abilene, Texas would not exist. The T&P Railway began plans to build a railroad line from Shreveport, La., all the way to San Diego, California creating a southern route that would help with winter climate complications. The T&P Railway began construction in 1872 and the first service between Longview and Dallas opened in July 1873. As construction moved west, talks of where to lay the rail line through Taylor County began, and by 1880, a group of land speculators converged to decide on the present location of Abilene. The first depot in Abilene opened in 1881.

Completed at the end of 1910, the existing one-story T&P Depot located at North 1st and Cypress Streets remained a busy stop throughout the 1920s as Abilene continued to grow. In the 1940s, the depot was used as a service station for soldiers shipping off to war. However, with the rise in popularity of automobiles throughout the United States, this led to the decline of passenger trains. The last T&P Railway passenger train came through Abilene in March 1967. The T&P Railway merged with the Missouri Pacific in 1976, which later merged with Union Pacific in 1980, and the passenger terminal closed in 1984.

Full Steam Ahead: The Texas & Pacific Railway will feature the significant impact of the Texas & Pacific Railway in Abilene. Artifacts such as model trains, photographs, timetables, dining car plates and silverware will be on public display starting July 13 through next summer. A recreated dining car, ticket booth, and agent desk will also be on view to show visitors how the train traveling experience might have been in the early 20th century.

“ALLLLLL ABOOOOARD!”

Contributed By The Grace Museum