We’ve Launched a New Website! Next Phases of Construction Revealed
For many months, we’ve been designing and refining the Museum’s future buildings & outdoor spaces with our engineers, architects, and contractors. That hard work and collaboration have been documented every step of the way, culminating in an exciting new website revealing a spectacular vision for the Museum.
The website features the Museum’s proposed main building, exhibits pavilion, shop facilities, and outdoor spaces in stunning new renderings & video animations. They are the culmination of our stakeholders, planners, and designers working in concert to create the ultimate museum setting to house and present our historic collection.
The new website, Building America’s Railroad Museum, features five pages, providing background on the Museum, beautifully created content showing future buildings, as well as a progression of the work. Seven videos will capture your imagination as you navigate the website. It will serve as a tool to garner interest and excitement in our future, with periodic updates as we move towards a capital campaign to realize this exciting vision. We chose to create the new website in order to present a clean, focused presentation of our future, with easy to reference pages that can be updated. Our original website, www.historictrains.org continues to provide up-to-date information to visitors and detailed background about the Museum and its collection & programs.
Our sincere thanks to the engineers, planners, and designers who are credited throughout the website. They have been on this journey for several years and will continue with us to the finish line!
Click here to begin your journey to the future of the Museum of the American Railroad www.buildingamericasrrmuseum.org
Sleeping Car “Goliad” Turns 100!
The Museum's Pullman Sleeping Car "Goliad" reached its centennial this year, celebrating 100 years of continuous public service. Providing extra-fare sleeping accommodations in Pullman’s vast fleet for nearly 40 years, followed by another 60 years as a museum piece, Goliad has a long, rich history.
In this view, Goliad has recently arrived at Fair Park following donation by the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1964. It wears the "Lark Gray" paint scheme in this rare image by Lawrence "Larry" Muir, an early member and supporter of the Museum. In 1993, Larry provided funding for the purchase of the Museum's former Southern Pacific Diesel Locomotive #2379, a Fairbanks-Morse H12-44.
Built in Pullman's Chicago Shops in 1926 as part of Lot #4945, Goliad features 12 open sections and one first-class drawing room. This was the most common floor plan at the time and reflected the ratio of tourist-class accommodations to first-class space based on demand. The upper and lower berths in the sections slept 24 passengers, while the single drawing room featured an upper, lower, and convertible settee in a private space with enclosed annex (restroom). Drawing Rooms were well suited for families seeking additional space and privacy.
Goliad provided sleeping accommodations primarily on Southern Pacific’s Sunset Limited, the line’s Los Angeles to New Orleans transcontinental route. Traversing 2,000 miles via Tucson, El Paso, SanAntonio, and Houston, passengers spent two nights aboard the train if traveling the entire route.
Goliad was also assigned to other routes later in its career. It operated on the San Francisco - Los Angeles Lark, a popular overnight train. Goliad was relegated to peak needs only when newer post-war streamlined equipment displaced older heavyweight Pullmans. Its retirement was also hastened as open-section sleeping accommodations fell out of favor with a more modest traveling public in the 1950s. Following a stint on the Fort Worth & Denver Railway, Goliad's final assignment was transporting troops to Fort Hood in the early 1960s.
This image shows a view of Goliad's 12 open sections in daytime configuration.
In this view, Section 9 is made up for nighttime use with upper & lower berths.
Goliad joined the Age of Steam Exhibit in 1964 following donation by the Southern Pacific Railroad. It became a key piece in the complete heavyweight passenger train displayed at Fair Park for nearly 50 years. Goliad has seen literally millions of fairgoers over the years. Add to that number the throngs of year-round visitors during the ensuing museum years at Fair Park.
Goliad is tired after a century of use but remains remarkably intact and original. The car is opened periodically for special guided tours and educational programs. It is no longer open for unescorted tours – a sign of the times when greater care must now be exercised with irreplaceable artifacts. Goliad is in need of new mahogany window sashes and interior & exterior refinishing. Amazingly, while its interior carpet and upholstery are worn, careful conservation is preferred to total replacement which would erase some of its character and history. With care and conservation, Goliad will enlighten and educate visitors well into the next century.
In celebration of Goliad’s delivery date of September 1926, we will provide special staff-led tours of the car during that month. Happy 100th Goliad!
Henry Hill Retires, Leaves a Railroad Legacy in Frisco
When we first met the City of Frisco’s Deputy City Manager Henry Hill, it was in Conference Room 5A of Frisco's new City Hall. He was part of a one-two pitch with then-mayor Mike Simpson to move our museum 30 miles up the road from Dallas. That was way back in 2007, and the rest is history. But what we didn't expect was an enduring advocacy for the Museum amid unprecedented growth in one of America's most progressive cities.
In getting to know Henry, we quickly learned that he has a passion for history and what museums do to preserve it. He holds dear Frisco's railroad heritage and how we help tell the story. Henry's stewardship of our role in the City oftentimes seems to be respite from his never-ending responsibilities of running a municipality. Our success in Frisco is due in large part to Henry's guidance and support – never blurring his role, while sharing in our accomplishments.
But wait, there's another angle to this story. Henry has railroad roots! His father and grandfather both worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad. While meeting in his office a few years ago, he showed us a photograph of his grandfather on the Pennsy. Henry’s father worked for the Philadelphia Division before serving in the Army during WWII. His grandfather was an inspector on the line for several years. The Philadelphia Division extended to Trenton, NJ to the east, and Harrisburg, PA, Hagerstown, MD, and Winchester, VA to the west. In Henry's grandfather's era, the Pennsylvania Railroad was the largest corporate entity in the U.S., with more employees than the federal government. What a great family connection with railroad history!
Henry J. Hill, Jr. 1946 Fireman for the Pennsylvania "Pennsy" Railroad
When Henry announced his retirement from Frisco city government after 27 years, we were saddened, but happy that he can now enjoy a well-earned reward for his career of public service. His steady hand on the needs and challenges of Frisco while the City grew larger by the day is evident to us all. But on February 2, Frisco said goodbye to one of its best. Henry recently posted regarding the Museum, “It’s been great to work with you all. The MAR was a wonderful addition to Frisco."
We’re proud that Henry Hill's contributions live on here at the Museum of the American Railroad. It's safe to say that Henry Hill honored his family's railroad legacy for a third generation. Enjoy sunny Florida. Well earned!
The Museum's preserved GG1 electric locomotive has direct ties to Henry Hill's railroad family, having operated on the Philadelphia division of the Pennsylvania Railroad and Amtrak between 1940 and 1980.
North Texas Gives to the Arts!
North Texas Gives to the Arts is back, now through April 30! If you are in a position to participate, we encourage you to check out the Museum of the American Railroad's page here: https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/organization/museum-of-the-american-railroad
And, there's a bonus!
Matching Funds Available
The first $100,000 in donations will be matched dollar-for-dollar by North Texas Gives to the Arts' presenting partner The Giana Foundation Fund, along with sponsors Robert B. and Virginia Payne Fund for Arts & Culture and Communities Foundation of Texas. Available for online gifts only, the first $100 per donor per organization will be matched. This helps ensure these generous matching dollars are available to as many participating organizations as possible.
We greatly appreciate your continued support through the month of April and year-round!
New Friends of MAR Memberships Available
Join the Friends of the Museum of the American Railroad to support our efforts and get some great perks!
Family and Individual levels are available, so there's something for everyone!
Click here for more information: Participate — Museum of the American Railroad