The Texas State Railroad is a heritage railroad operating between Palestine and Rusk, TX. It was founded in 1883 by the state of Texas to haul raw materials for a smelter at the prison in Rusk. As of today, the railroad operates both steam-powered and diesel-powered excursion trains.
Locomotive Roster[]
Current Locomotives:
- Southern Pine Lumber Company 2-8-0 #28 (Undergoing FRA Mandated 1,472-Day Boiler Inspection and Overhaul)
- Tremont & Gulf 2-8-2 #30
- Texas & Pacific 4-6-0 #316 (Placed On Static Display At the Hall of Giants Along the Palestine Wye; Awaiting Future Overhaul)
- Texas & Pacific 2-10-4 #610 (Placed On Static Display At the Hall of Giants Along the Palestine Wye)
- Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 4-6-2 #1316 (Placed On Static Display At the Hall of Giants Along the Palestine Wye; Awaiting Possible Restoration)
- Temple Lumber Company 45-Tonner #1 (Stored in Rusk)
- Southern Pacific RS-2 #7
- U.S. Army Transportation Corps MRS-1 #8
- Canadian National FP9A #125
- Canadian National FP9A #126
Former Locomotives:
- Southern Pacific 4-6-0 #2248 (Acquired By the Fort Worth & Western Railroad in 1990; Now Owned By the Grapevine Vintage Railroad As of 2004 Awaiting A Future Overhaul)
- Texas South-Eastern 70-Tonner #22 (Leased Locomotive; Leased From the Texas South-Eastern Railroad From 1962 to 1969)
Trivia[]
- Locomotive 28 used to operate as Texas State Railroad No. 300.
- Locomotive 30 used to operate as Texas State Railroad No. 400.
- Locomotive 316 used to operate as Texas State Railroad No. 201.
- Locomotive 1316 used to operate as Texas State Railroad No. 500.
- Locomotive 2248 used to operate as Texas State Railroad No. 200 before being acquired by the Fort Worth & Western Railroad in 1990.
- Locomotive 610 operated mainline excursions between 1976 and 1982, including the American Freedom Train and the Southern Railway (later Norfolk Southern) steam excursion program.
- From 2014 to 2016, locomotive 30 masqueraded as Magma Arizona No. 7, as it was previously sold to the Magma Arizona Railroad before its retirement from service.
- Locomotive 610 is now on permanent static display in Palestine, TX with no future plans to return to operation anytime soon.
- Locomotives 125 and 126 were both acquired from Larry's Truck and Electric in McDonald, OH in early 2018 and originally numbered as Canadian National Nos. 6521 and 6533. They both previously operated at the Georgia Southwestern Railroad prior to being sold to the Texas State Railroad.