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Texas Transportation Museum

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox museum

|name = Texas Transportation Museum

|image = Texas Transportation Front Sign as of 2021.jpg

|imagesize = 300

|map_type =

|coordinates = {{coord|29.548163|-98.434766|display=inline}}

|established = 1964

|location = San Antonio, Texas

|type = Transportation Museum

|website = {{URL|txtransportationmuseum.org}}

}}

The Texas Transportation Museum (TTM) is a transportation museum located in San Antonio, Texas.

It was created in 1964 to help preserve artifacts and information about San Antonio's transportation history. TTM operates as much of its collection as possible, including many railroad vehicles on its own heritage railroad, the Longhorn and Western Railroad, multiple model train layouts, and many antique automobiles. TTM's goal is to provide an educational and entertaining experience which interprets how developments in transportation technology shaped and continue to impact daily life.

The museum hosts three major events annually, an Easter egg hunt in April for Easter, "Spook-Track-Ula" in October for Halloween, and "Santa's Railroad Wonderland" in December for Christmas.{{cite web |url=https://txtransportationmuseum.org/events/ |title=Events |access-date=2022-01-19}}{{cite web |url=https://sanantonio.kidsoutandabout.com/content/santas-railroad-wonderland-0 |title=Santa's Railroad Wonderland |access-date=2022-01-19}} High school Cross Country running races starting from the adjacent North East ISD Sports Park run through the property as well.

Different areas, including a remodeled caboose, picnic tables, children's play area and a large outdoor pavilion can be rented for group parties. The children's play area includes a playscape consisting of a wooden steam engine and a metal scale-model diesel engine.{{cite web |url=https://txtransportationmuseum.org/parties/ |title=Parties |access-date=2022-01-19}}{{cite web |url=https://fun4alamokids.com/Parties-Events/Outdoor-Parties/Texas-Transportation-Museum-Parties/View-details |title=Texas Transportation Museum - Parties |access-date=2022-01-19}}{{cite news |last1=Barrera |last2=Chavez |first1=Alicia |first2=Steven |date=2021-03-20 |title=Texas Transportation Museum debuts new train donated by local student |url=https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2021/03/20/texas-transportation-museum-debuts-new-train-donated-by-local-student |work=KSAT 12 |access-date=2022-10-26}}

TTM is a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

History

The museum was formed in 1964 after some Railfans tried to restore a steam locomotive that was being displayed at the Comal Power Plant. The locomotive was taken to the Pearl Brewery and fired up where it spread black soot across the area.{{Cite web |title=Texas Transportation Museum {{!}} locomotive #1 |url=https://www.txtransportationmuseum.org/newpage18ef88b2 |access-date=March 26, 2025}}

The museum was originally located at the Pearl Brewing Company in Downtown San Antonio and had used the tracks of the Texas Transportation Company. In 1967 the museum was granted use of approximately {{convert|40|acre|ha|spell=in}} of what was then known as the Northeast Preserve, now McAllister Park, just north of the San Antonio International Airport on Wetmore Road.

Longhorn and Western Railroad

The Longhorn and Western Railroad is the Texas Transportation Museum's standard gauge heritage railroad that operates on its property with no connection to the general rail system. The L&W consists of approximately {{convert|5/8|mi|km|adj=on}} of trackage in total, with its mainline that runs {{convert|1/3|mi|km|adj=on}} from the east and west ends of the property.{{cite web |url=https://classic.txtransportationmuseum.org/collection-the-railroad.php |title=The Longhorn and Western Railroad |access-date=2022-01-19}} Visitors can ride the full sized diesel-powered train every hour on the half hour on Saturdays and Sundays, and Fridays during the summer or holidays. A steam day is held once a month where visitors can ride behind the museum's standard gauge steam locomotive.{{cite web |url=https://sanantonio.kidsoutandabout.com/content/train-rides-texas-transportation-museum |title=Train Rides- Texas Transportation Museum |access-date=2022-01-19}}{{cite news |last=Sauers |first=Camille |date=2021-06-14 |title=I boarded a 1925 steam engine in San Antonio. Here's what happened. |url=https://www.mysanantonio.com/lifestyle/article/Texas-Transportation-Museum-san-antonio-steam-16246875.php |work=mySanAntonio |access-date=2022-01-19}}

File:TTM Locos.jpg #7071, 1911 Baldwin 2-8-0 #6, and 1954 Baldwin RS-4-TC 1A #4035]]

=Rolling stock preserved on the L&W=

==Operating==

==Static display==

Antique vehicles

{{multiple image

| align = right

| direction = vertical

| width = 200

| header =

| image1 = 1924 Fire Truck at TTM.jpg

| alt1 =

| caption1 = 1924 Buffalo Type 50 fire engine

| image2 = 1929 Ford Model AA Truck.JPG

| alt2 =

| caption2 = Ford Model AA Truck

}}

=Fire apparatus=

  • 1898 American LaFrance steam pumper{{cite web |url=https://txtransportationmuseum.org/vehicles/ |title=Vehicles |access-date=2022-02-02}}
  • 1924 Buffalo Type 50 fire engine
  • 1947 Mack Type 85

=Tractors=

  • 1939 Case
  • 1941 Cletrac DG-5
  • 1948 Ford 8N
  • 1946 John Deere Model H

=Cars and trucks=

  • 1929 Ford Model AA
  • 1931 Ford Model A Tudor
  • 1924 Ford Model TT
  • 1903 Oldsmobile Curved Dash
  • 1918 Oldsmobile Speedster

=Carriages=

  • 1900 Doctor’s Carriage
  • 1898 Victorian Brougham
  • 1903 Studebaker

Model railroad displays

  • HO scale layout operated by the Alamo Model Railroad Engineers (AMRE){{cite web |url=https://sanantonio.kidsoutandabout.com/content/ho-scale-indoor-model-railroad |title=HO Scale Indoor Model Railroad |access-date=2022-01-19}}
  • G gauge outdoor layout operated by the San Antonio Garden Railroad Engineers Society (SAGRES){{cite web |url=https://txtransportationmuseum.org/modelrailroads/ |title=Model Railroads |access-date=2022-01-19}}
  • N scale layout operated by the San Antonio N-Trak Association (SANTRAK){{cite web |url=https://www.santrak.org/ |title=San Antonio N-Trak Association |access-date=2022-01-19}}
  • O scale layout operated by TTM volunteers
  • Z scale layout

Gallery

File:L&W 4035.jpg|Former US Army 1954 Baldwin RS-4-TC 1A Diesel-Electric Switcher #4035

File:1942_GE_45_Ton_locomotive_at_the_Texas_Transportation_Museum,_Mar_2017.jpeg|Former US Air Force 1942 GE 45-ton switcher #7071

File:1911_Baldwin_2-8-0_Steam_at_Texas_Transportation_museum_2.jpg|Former Moscow, Camden and San Augustine Railroad 1911 Baldwin 2-8-0 Steam Locomotive #6

File:TTM -1.jpg|Former Comal Power Plant 1925 Baldwin 0-4-0T #1

File:US Marines Speeder at TTM.jpg|US Marine Corps Fairmont motor car #256260

References

{{San Antonio}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Automobile museums in Texas

Category:Railroad museums in Texas

Category:Museums in San Antonio

Category:Museums established in 1964

Category:Model railway shows and exhibitions