Photo by Michael Barera, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Grapevine Vintage Railroad
4.3· 1,825 Google reviews
About Grapevine Vintage Railroad
Riding the Grapevine Vintage Railroad traverses a 21‑mile former Cotton Belt line from the historic Cotton Belt Depot in Grapevine to the Fort Worth Stockyards Station. Two restored 1920s‑era Victorian coaches and an open‑air car glide behind the 1896 Cooke 4‑6‑0 steam locomotive “Puffy” or vintage diesel power such as the 1953 EMD GP7 “Vinny.” The journey showcases North Texas scenery along historic trackage.
At a Glance
Verified daily- Type
- Heritage railroad & tourist attraction
- Location
- TX
- Rating
- 4.3 ★ 1,825 Google reviews
- Upcoming
- Fri, Oct 9
Upcoming Events
Plan Your Visit
- Parking
- Free lot · paid lot · street parking
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance · accessible restroom · accessible parking
- Good For
- Families
- Hours
- Monday: ClosedTuesday: ClosedWednesday: ClosedThursday: ClosedFriday: 10:30 AM – 1:30 PMSaturday: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PMSunday: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Find the Depot
The Trains
The Grapevine Vintage Railroad runs a 21‑mile (34 km) excursion between the historic Cotton Belt Depot in Grapevine and the Fort Worth Stockyards Station on former St. Louis Southwestern (Cotton Belt) trackage. Its roster includes the 1896 Cooke 4‑6‑0 steam locomotive #2248 “Puffy,” the 1953 EMD GP7u diesel #2199 “Vinny,” and two EMD FL9 diesels #2014 and #2016, all pulling two restored 1920s‑era Victorian coaches and an open‑air car.
History
See full history
The line that now carries the Grapevine Vintage Railroad began as the “Tarantula” train operated by the Fort Worth & Western Railroad. In 1999 the FWWR contracted Coe Rail, Inc. to run the Tarantula service, but an accident with a freight train in 2000 caused the FWWR to terminate that agreement and resume direct control. Later in 2000 the City of Grapevine approached FWWR owner William Davis about acquiring the passenger operation, and the city completed the purchase around 2005. Following the acquisition the city renamed the service the Grapevine Vintage Railroad and assigned it the FRA reporting mark GVRX, operating it under trackage agreements with the Fort Worth & Western Railroad.
Around the Depot
Texas riders near the Grapevine Vintage Railroad can also visit the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority about 19 mi off and the Museum of the American Railroad roughly 20 mi away.
Grapevine MainAttraction·★ 4.6 (82)1 min walkDirections →Main Street festAttraction·★ 4.5 (11)1 min walkDirections →Grapevine Tin ShopMuseum·★ 5 (1)1 min walkDirections →
Getting There & Staying Nearby
Optional trip extras from our travel partners.
Rent a Car
Most heritage railroads sit well off the interstate. Picking up a rental at the nearest airport is usually the easiest way in.
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Tours & Activities Nearby
Tours
Guided tours, day trips, and things to do around the area, bookable in advance through Viator.
Browse nearby tours →Bookings made through this link support usatrainrides at no extra cost to you.