The Texas and Pacific No. 638 was a Class I-1b 2-10-4 "Texas" type steam locomotive built in January 1928 by the Lima Locomotive Works for the Texas and Pacific Railway.
638 was designed to haul passenger and freight trains on the Texas & Pacific railroad.
The locomotive was donated to the City of Dallas, Texas for the State Fair of Texas back in 1953, when it was retired.
It was displayed in Fair Park during the fair for a couple years. Unfortunately, within it's first two years at Fair Park, #638 was heavily vandalized. It was scrapped in February, of 1955 due to vandalism.
Trivia[]
- In 1957, an ex-New York Central 4-8-2 #3001 was brought in to replace #638.
- In 1963, the Age of Steam exhibit opened which developed into the Age of Steam Museum. The public outcry that resulted from the loss of #638 was one of the reasons for the creation of the museum.
- In January 1947, the locomotive crashed near Toyah, Texas.