All Aboard! Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum to host Train Day Event

National Train Day is held on May 4, and the Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum is celebrating with a special train-themed event.   

Train Day will be held on Saturday, May 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Railroad & Heritage Museum. Attendees will have the opportunity to ride on the Speeder Cars that run on the tracks behind the museum, take fun photos, eat hot dogs, tour CentraMod to view model train displays, and more.  

 “I love this event because whether you are a train enthusiast or just interested in history, Train Day has something for everyone,” said Natalie Alvara, Director of Libraries and Museums. “We hope our fun activities allow families to discover more about railroad history while also making memories.”      

National Train Day commemorates the completion of the transcontinental railroad project with the placement of the golden spike in Promontory, Utah. The holiday was initiated by Amtrak in 2008 to raise awareness about the benefits of railway travel and to celebrate the history of trains in the United States.  

The Train Day event not only celebrates National train history, but Temple’s rich railroad history as well. On June 29th, 1881, Temple Junction was created as a major railway, the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railway, pushed north from Galveston. 157 business lots and 28 residential lots were sold, forming the new settlement named in honor of Bernard Moore Temple, the Santa Fe Railway’s chief engineer. After being founded as a railroad town, trains have continued to play a vital role in Temple’s history and economic development over the years. 

 “We take great pride in celebrating the railroad that helped build our City,” said Alvara. “Without the railroad, Temple would be a very different City today if it would exist at all.”  

Tickets for the event are $5, and children two and under are free. To purchase tickets, please visit https://bit.ly/TrainDay24.