San Antonio, TX
Texas Transportation Museum
4.6· 534 Google reviews
At a Glance
Source checked 2026-08-15- TypeVolunteer-run transportation museum with short full-size train rides on its private railroad
- LocationSan Antonio, TX
- Rating4.6 ★534 Google reviews
- UpcomingSat, Oct 17
About Texas Transportation Museum
Texas Transportation Museum is a volunteer-led museum founded in 1964 and built around the Longhorn & Western Railroad, a private full-size line on its San Antonio grounds. Regular admission includes short train rides when the official calendar marks the museum open, plus model railroads, railroad cars, early road vehicles, fire apparatus, horse-drawn vehicles, tractors, and transportation artifacts. The current homepage describes 10–15-minute rides on a covered flatcar or caboose with rotating diesel power. Older subpages publish a different departure cadence, so visitors should use the live visit calendar rather than relying on a repeated timetable. The accessible flatcar has a boarding ramp, while the museum cautions that not every historic exhibit is accessible.
Choose the Texas Transportation Museum Visit That Fits
Choose the visit that fits your groupFamilies, first-time riders, railfans, and visitors wanting a compact full-size train experience
Take the regular museum-loop train
Choose an open date on the live calendar for the short included ride, then allow time for railroad cars, model layouts, road vehicles, and outdoor displays.
Wheelchair users and travelers who need a specific boarding or site-access plan
Use the accessible covered flatcar
The museum identifies its ramped flatcar as the accessible ride car, but visitors should call about the gravel lot, platform route, securement, seating, restrooms, and the exact operating consist.
Families planning a dated October evening event
Plan Spook-Track-Ula
The official 2026 event page lists Oct. 17, 18, 24 and 25 with evening train rides and family Halloween activities; event admission and policies replace regular-day rules.
Holiday visitors who will verify the live 2026 session before travel
Plan Santa's Railroad Wonderland
The newer homepage lists Dec. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20 for 2026. Use live ticketing because an older annual-events block still carries 2025 detail text.
Upcoming Events
Complete official date check
2026 special-event calendar
Reconciled the current homepage, visit calendar, ticket page, current-exhibits page, Longhorn & Western page, and annual-events page. The current homepage and older Longhorn page disagree on ordinary departure frequency, so regular rides remain a currently listed calendar-controlled product rather than an inferred weekend occurrence set. Exact future dates are retained only where the current official homepage or 2026 event block publishes them. The annual-events page still contains a stale 2025 Santa detail block, but the newer homepage publishes six explicit 2026 Santa dates; live ticketing must confirm sessions. Past Easter and car-show dates, private rentals, non-train displays, and undated live-steam promises are excluded. Check the live official calendar ↗
Plan Your Visit
- WeatherThe railroad and many displays are outdoors, and the museum may close early in inclement weather
- Open DaysPublic opening is generally Saturday-Sunday, but the official date calendar controls and may carry closures or event hours
- Admission$12 adults 13+, $10 children 4-12, $9 seniors 65+, and free under 4 on regular days at the current review; events may use separate prices
- Ride InclusionRegular full-size train rides are included with general admission and may be repeated subject to capacity and operations
- Ride LengthThe current homepage describes a 10-15-minute museum-loop ride
- RouteFrom the relocated Southern Pacific depot, the train travels about one-half mile toward the museum rail yard and Wallaceville before returning
- EquipmentRotating historic diesel locomotives normally power regular rides; steam runs only when specifically announced
- BoardingThe covered Missouri Pacific flatcar uses a ramp and is the museum's identified accessible train car
- Site AccessFree parking includes accessible spaces near the depot; the main lot is gravel and not every historic railroad exhibit is fully accessible
- FoodDrinks and a water fountain are normally available; snacks and concessions are event-dependent, and visitors may use picnic tables with their own food
Find the Depot
The Trains
The Longhorn & Western collection includes a 1925 Baldwin 0-4-0 steam locomotive, a GE 45-ton diesel, a 1954 Baldwin RS-4-TC diesel, passenger and business cars, cabooses, motorcars, and the 1937 Missouri Pacific flatcar converted for accessible passenger service. Current exhibit pages identify the diesels and steam locomotive as operating, but the homepage says diesel assignments rotate and live-steam days are announced separately. Visitors should not assume the photographed locomotive, a caboose, or steam power will be assigned to a chosen departure.
History
Baldwin built the saddle-tank steam locomotive now preserved as operating equipment at the museum.
Missouri Pacific flatcar 50043 was built; it later became the museum's covered accessible passenger car.
The Southern Pacific depot now used for admission and boarding was built for Converse, Texas.
Volunteers founded Texas Transportation Museum to preserve regional transportation history.
The museum's dedicated Longhorn & Western track entered the modern ride era described by the Texas Rail Plan.
Volunteers converted flatcar 50043 for passenger use and later added its successful boarding ramp.
The museum published dated Halloween and holiday railroad programs while continuing calendar-controlled regular rides.
See full history
Volunteers organized Texas Transportation Museum in 1964 to preserve and interpret the region's transportation history. The collection began through relationships with San Antonio railroads, including the electric Texas Transportation Company, and later developed its own Longhorn & Western Railroad from donated track and equipment. Volunteers built the private line and adapted historic freight equipment for passengers, including converting Missouri Pacific flatcar 50043 in 2006 and replacing an unsuccessful lift with a ramp. The museum now interprets the change from animal power and early roads to railroads, automobiles, trucks, fire equipment, and model railroading.
Around the Depot
Begin with the complete train and transportation collection on the museum grounds. The Witte Museum is the one promoted independent companion because it adds substantial Texas natural, cultural, and technology context about 6.3 straight-line miles away, with current visitor, parking, and access information. Weaker generic stops were not added merely to increase card count.
Getting There & Staying Nearby
Optional trip extras from our travel partners.
Rent a Car
Compare the attraction location with your airport or lodging before deciding whether a rental car fits the trip.
Compare rentals on Discover Cars →Bookings made through this link support usatrainrides at no extra cost to you.
Tours & Activities near San Antonio
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the regular train run?
The museum generally operates public rides on open weekend dates, but its current pages disagree on exact departure frequency. Select a date on the official visit calendar and confirm the day's departures before travel.
Is the train included with museum admission?
Yes on regular operating days. Special events and diesel cab rides use separate rules or add-on tickets.
How long is the ride?
The current homepage describes a 10-15-minute full-size train ride around the museum grounds.
Will the ride use steam?
Do not assume steam. Diesel locomotives rotate on ordinary rides, and the museum says the next live-steam day will be announced separately.
Is the train wheelchair-accessible?
The covered flatcar has a ramp and is the museum's identified accessible ride car. Call for the exact boarding plan because the main lot is gravel and not every historic exhibit is fully accessible.
Can I buy tickets at the door?
Regular admission is sold at the door and online. Advance purchase is encouraged for capacity-limited events, whose pricing and refund rules may differ.
What else is on the grounds?
The museum lists full-size railroad equipment, several model-railroad displays, automobiles, fire trucks, horse-drawn vehicles, tractors, engines, and rotating artifacts.
Can I bring food or a pet?
Visitors may bring food and drinks for available picnic tables. The museum currently permits well-behaved leashed pets, but special-event rules and service-animal needs should be reconfirmed.
Sources & Verification
Source-checked August 15, 2026. This free profile has not yet been claimed or confirmed by the operator.
- Official homepage for current ride length, operating pattern, flatcar access, 2026 event dates, collections, contact, parking, food, and pet guidance
- Official visit page for current admission, calendar-controlled days, weather warning, last admission, and parking
- Official ticket page for regular admission inclusion, event separation, cab-ride add-on, and contact details
- Official Longhorn & Western page for route, volunteer-built line, historic depot, and conflicting older departure cadence
- Official current-exhibits page for the ride route, equipment roster, passenger cars, and museum collection
- Official annual-events page for 2026 Spook-Track-Ula details and the stale 2025 holiday block
- Official accessible-flatcar history for the 1937 car, 2006 conversion, ramp, and passenger use
- Official history overview for the 1964 founding and interpretation mission
- Exact licensed Texas Transportation Museum image evidence on Wikimedia Commons