There are four loops which run every day.
The upper loop is a frontier town with tunnels and bridges to display equipment from the earliest part of American railroad history. The fact that many railroads continue to operate on systems which were originally built in the 1880s allows us to use more contemporary short line equipment here as well. You might find a 2-10-0 steam locomotive pulling short Wooden Overton cars, a switch engine running boxcars to the industries in the mountains or even a Rail Diesel car carrying passengers and freight on the short line through the mountains.
The upper loop is a frontier town with tunnels and bridges to display equipment from the earliest part of American railroad history. The fact that many railroads continue to operate on systems which were originally built in the 1880s allows us to use more contemporary short line equipment here as well. You might find a 2-10-0 steam locomotive pulling short Wooden Overton cars, a switch engine running boxcars to the industries in the mountains or even a Rail Diesel car carrying passengers and freight on the short line through the mountains.
A Day in the Life of an American Railroad was built to allow the Museum to showcase trains from many eras and regions of the country.
By Dr. Stephen Duncan
The Inner and Outer loops are parallel to one another and simulate mainline tracks across the country. The camera train is usually found on the inner loop. It is a dummy locomotive with a miniature wireless camera located in the cab. Since the locos fitted with cameras (we have two) are modern, the trains we run here are usually modern as well. You might find them pulling BNSF hopper cars, box cars or mixed freight.
The outer loop usually displays a passenger train. We have several very interesting ones to show. We have Southern Pacific and Union Pacific sets, as well as ATSF silver cars pulled by PA #53 which actually ran here in Galveston. We also have steam consists for the ATSF, the SP Daylight and the Norfolk and Western Cavalier. These are changed almost every week for variety.
The industrial loop simulates the traffic that might be found in a port or industrial area. The trains here are usually short and mixed. You will notice that the engines used in this type of operation tend to be smaller and more able to maneuver around the tight radius turns found in industrial sidings.
The trains are indeed all run by a computer. Actually each train engine carries an on board computer chip (DCC). We use DIGITRAX TM equipment. Our computer is running a program called WINLOC which tells the Digitrax equipment what to do. We can also run the equipment manually using Digitrax throttles.
Each switch (point) on the layout is assigned a number and can be controlled either by the computer or by manual selection using the Digitrax throttle.
Each switch (point) on the layout is assigned a number and can be controlled either by the computer or by manual selection using the Digitrax throttle.
DCC allows multiple trains to be run on the same track at different speeds and even in different directions.
On the opposite wall from the layout is a display of various HO equipment which is not currently in use. Some of the cars while beautiful, do not operate well on the track. All of the engines are not compatible with DCC control. You will notice examples of many levels of equipment running from early toy-train styled equipment by TYCO, through very nice for the day equipment by Fleischmann up to fine brass models made in Japan and Korea.
On the opposite wall from the layout is a display of various HO equipment which is not currently in use. Some of the cars while beautiful, do not operate well on the track. All of the engines are not compatible with DCC control. You will notice examples of many levels of equipment running from early toy-train styled equipment by TYCO, through very nice for the day equipment by Fleischmann up to fine brass models made in Japan and Korea.
Engines we have available for use include:
Functioning DCC locomotives:
ALL STEAM:
2-10-0
4-8-2
0-6-0
2-6-6-2
2-8-0
2-8-0
4-8-4
2-10-4
4-8-4
Functioning DCC locomotives:
ALL STEAM:
2-10-0
4-8-2
0-6-0
2-6-6-2
2-8-0
2-8-0
4-8-4
2-10-4
4-8-4
SOUTHERN PACIFIC (5)
UNION PACIFIC (3)
SD45
SD45
FairbanksMorse
SD45
SD45
FairbanksMorse
Phase III
Model Railroads
(9)
Frisco 1632
MOPAC 5305
ATSF 2065
UP Challenger
ATSF 2523
SOUTHERN PACIFC
ATSF 3777
ATSF 3829
SP Daylight
Frisco 1632
MOPAC 5305
ATSF 2065
UP Challenger
ATSF 2523
SOUTHERN PACIFC
ATSF 3777
ATSF 3829
SP Daylight
2177
2177
2177
2177
2177
2177
2177
2177
2177
2177
2177
2177
2177
2177
2177
2177
2177
ID # (throttle)
SP 4629
SP 4632
SP
SP 100
SP 1951
SP 4632
SP
SP 100
SP 1951
tiger
tiger
Black Widow
Red Stripe
Red Gray
tiger
Black Widow
Red Stripe
Red Gray
4629
4629
4629
100
1951
4629
4629
100
1951
UP 3024
UP 1402
UP 1325
UP 1402
UP 1325
Armour Yellow
Armour Yellow
Armour Yellow
Armour Yellow
Armour Yellow
4629
4629
4629
4629
4629
SANTA FE:
F3 AB
GP30
GP30
GP60
GP60
SD45
F7 AB
F7 AB
GP7
EMD (Doodle)
PA
DOC's Erie Built
F3 AB
GP30
GP30
GP60
GP60
SD45
F7 AB
F7 AB
GP7
EMD (Doodle)
PA
DOC's Erie Built
(16)
ATSF
SPSF 2772
SPSF 2759
BNSF 8739
BNSF 8727
ATSF 5300
ATSF 284c
ATSF 220
ATSF 2672
ATSF M189
ATSF 53
ABA 90
ATSF
SPSF 2772
SPSF 2759
BNSF 8739
BNSF 8727
ATSF 5300
ATSF 284c
ATSF 220
ATSF 2672
ATSF M189
ATSF 53
ABA 90
Red Warbonnet
Kodachrome
Kodachrome
blue
blue
blue
Blue/yellow
cigar band
Yellow Bonnet Blue
Silver Red Warbonnet
Red Warbonnet
Red Warbonnet
4629
2821
5592
5592
5592
5592
0707
0707
4629
4629
5592
90
AMTRAK
5592
(1)
AMTRAK 96
AMTRAK 96
AMD Genesis
SW7
SW7
F7 AB
RDC
SW NW2
SW7
F7 AB
RDC
SW NW2
Office: 409.765.5700 Fax: 409.765.5744
Galveston Railroad Museum
123 Rosenberg
Galveston, TX 77550
Galveston, TX 77550
E-Mail: galvrrmuseum@sbcglobal.net
