Galveston RR Museum - August 18th, 2014
Find Galveston's RR Museum at Sante Fe and 27th street
Fountain foreground, museum entrance and train station in the background
First RR in Galveston bypassed Houston and started in 1875
First train encountered is appropriately numbered #1
An oil burning prairie class locomotive built by Baldwin in 1920, retired 1960
Check out the Renfert Railroad Dining Collection in air conditioned comfort
The two Texas Limited engines ruined by Ike's flood were sold & scrapped
Enjoy more RR fine dining ware while the heat index is 109° outside
Happy to see some model train layouts back up and running
Hurricane Ike's flood waters washed the model trains right out the building
A second layout is coming along nicely but still need a 3rd to match pre-Ike
Inside the train station to find a short line at the ticket booth
The original Harvey House Restaurant is now a museum Ike's damage
Book store items lost but tile floors and stone walls bounced back quick
Prominent people of Galveston was restored to it's former glory
These rooms were unaccessible back in 2008 so go inside
Photos of the musuem's restoration after the 2008 flood line the walls
Ghosts of travelers past have a discussion in the rear meeting room
Stephen, Kathy and Mavis join in a group photo with fellow travelers
Thank you sir, an ice cold Coke would be great on a hot day like today
Back in the heat for the Sante Fe Super Chief Warbonnet #315 built in 1953
1892 Southern Pacific 4-6-0 Type Locomotive #314
Check me out, I'm an engineer! No, really! I got a BS degree
Don't believe me? Watch me parallel park this baby
Stephen shows me how to work the controls and get her out of the ditch
Peak down a warm coach car with the sun shining through the rear window
Walk through a dining car toward the kitchen in the center
One third of the RR car was the kitchen
And two thirds of the car had room for 44 diners
Another dining car, just missing table clothes from 2008 visit
Another small kitchen that can feed 40+ diners
Stephen checks out the Center for Transportation & Commerce Engine #555
Hop in and look between CT&CE #555 and Union Pacific Engine #410
Stephen demonstrates proper driving technique and looks for cows
Oldest car at the musuem, 1880 Fort Worth and Dallas Caboose #107
With a green 50 year newer inside, other than the stove
Walk past the tank cars to the end to come back around
Rock Island Derrick car (1904), Tender (1942) and Boom Car
Go inside the 1942 Missouri Pacific Caboose on the right
Can't tell if the inside is more worn down than the outside
The 1927 Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Caboose has been restored
Pass the 1926 Pullman Glen Fee sleeper car that visited all 48 states
Inside the self contained engine/coach combo built in 1954
1954 Fairbanks Morse H20-44 engine was the last one manufactured
Pullman sleeper car painted as the Robert E Lee for a movie
Couple empty chairs in the men's smoking lounge
I'm hope train beds were more comfortable than beachhouse beds
Public bathroom in the Donald E Harper Jr sleeper car
GE 80-tonner #1983 built in 1956 and refurbished in 2011 used by the museum
Six clerks sorted mail in the 1914 Illinois Central Post Office Car #100
Kathy, Mavis & Stephen pose in the 1929 Anacapa Private car
Eisenhower, Truman and Adlai Stevenson rode in the Anacapa
1911 Case Steam Tractor weathered hurricane Ike with no problem
Know the baggage cars lost all their displays from Ike's flood
Find a few heavy item displays refurbished such as track building tools
The velocipede didn't float too far off during the 2008 hurricane
Pass by "Mary and Elizabeth Too" on our way out. Stay dry!