The Railway Museum of San Angelo is joining up with Amtrak for National Train Day this Saturday May 11th. Amtrak started this event 6 years ago and it has grown from being celebrated in just Amtrak serviced towns to a nation wide celebration of all trains, past, present and future, according to David Wood, president of the Museum.

The museum will offer a new exhibit from renowned photographer, Allen Johnson. The exhibits will feature some of Mr. Johnson’s 80.000 photos along with a special exhibit of Photo equipment which will run through June. Texas Pacifco Railroad will join in the celebration with an exhibit of two of their newest Engines. The Museum will open both of their engines and their caboose for tours. The Museum’s largest room of Railroad related equipment has been totally redone and now features a rail motor car made in 1938 and last used in 1992 in Presidio Texas by Floyd Seaton. Mr. Seaton retired from the Santa Fe RR and now lives in San Angelo and he will be at the museum for National Train Day to tell visitors of that last ride.

Bring the whole family for a journey back in time to when the Railroad was San Angelo’s largest employer and the best way to travel. In 1958 if you brought your mail down to the railroad station before the 5 am train left for Brownwood, your letter would be most likely be delivered that same day to postal customers all the way to Brownwood. During the first big oil boom that started in 1923 San Angelo was the official “Oil Capital of West Texas” .  Come check out why that title was lost and why downtown San Angelo buildings have been frozen in the time of that first great oil boom period.

Have you been seeing and hearing more trains running through San Angelo in the last 12 months? Representatives of the railroad and the museum will be on hand to answer why. Come to the National Train Day this Saturday at the historic Railroad Passenger Staion, 703 S. Chadbourne.

The Museum is open from 10 to 4 and there is a small admission charge. For more information call 325-657-4880 or visit their website: http://railwaymuseumsanangelo.homestead.com/

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