Museum of the American Railroad, Frisco, TX

The Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco, TX has an impressive collection of large, unique, and historic locomotives. These locomotives include:

• Pennsylvania Railroad GG-1 4903
• Union Pacific DDA-40-X 6913
• Santa Fe (Delaware & Hudson) ALCO PA-1 16 (one of only four surviving units in North America)
• Saint Louis-San Francisco 4-8-4 Northern 4501
• Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 Big Boy 4018

The museum collection began as the "Age of Steam" exhibit at the 1963 Texas State Fair. One of the first display pieces was the Dallas Union Terminal 0-6-0 7. By 2010 the museum collection had outgrown the "Fair Park" site at the Texas State Fair grounds. In 2011, construction began at the current site of the museum in Frisco, TX.

Today, Museum of the American Railroad includes an operation indoor G-scale layout. Tours can be arranged to see the museum's collection of rolling stock. The people who interface with the public are very knowledgeable and accommodating.

The museum as big plans for the future. A new museum building and concourse with tracks and platforms has been designed. Once completed, the museum will be a very enjoyable place to visit.

Any time a steam locomotive collection includes a Big Boy, it will be the star of the show. 4018 last operated in October 1957 when it was stored in Green River, WY. 4018 remained stored in the roundhouse at Green River until 1961. It was officially retired in June 1962 with 1,037,123 miles on it. 4018 then had its piston rods cut and was then moved to Cheyenne, WY. 4018 arrived at the Age of Steam Museum in 1964. In 1998 it was announced that 4018 would be restored to operating condition for use in a movie. However, those plans never materialized. In 2007 4018 was repainted to its original paint scheme

More Photos

• A nice landscape view of 4018 (May 2019 photo by Wes Barris)
• Another nice view of 4018 (May 2019 photo by Wes Barris)

4501 is one of four surviving SLSF Northerns. It last operated in 1952. 4501 was retired in 1964 and donated to the museum in 1964.

More Photos

• Side view (May 2019 photo by Wes Barris)
• Close-up of rear truck booster (May 2019 photo by Wes Barris)
• Close-up of 74" Baldwin disk driver (May 2019 photo by Wes Barris)
• Close-up of crank pin bearing (May 2019 photo by Wes Barris)
• Cab interior (May 2019 photo by Wes Barris)
• Engineer's side showing automatic and independent brakes and reverser (May 2019 photo by Wes Barris)
• Firebox interior (oil burner style) side sheets and rear tube sheet (May 2019 photo by Wes Barris)
• Dynamo (and weeds growing from under the boiler jacketing) (May 2019 photo by Wes Barris)

This is Dallas Union Terminal Company class S-13 0-6-0 Baldwin switcher 7. It was retired in 1962 and donated to the museum in 1963 making it the first locomotive in the museum's collection.

1625 is called a "Russian Decapod". It was built in 1918 as a five-foot gauge locomotive to be exported to Russia. Because of the Russian revolution it was never delivered. Instead, it was regauged to standard gauge and sold to the United States Railway Administration (USRA). From there it went to the Saint Louis - San Francisco railroad.

It operated until 1957 but was not officially retired until 1964 and then donated to the museum.

This F-7 was built for the Canadian National Railway in 1952 as their number 9167. It was upgraded to F-9A specifications in 1973. Retired in 1989, it was purchased by the museum in 2000. It is beautifully painted and serviceable.

GG-1 4903 (and 4901) pulled the funeral train of Senator Robert Kennedy from New York to Washington on June 8, 1968. It is in relatively good shape and currently painted in Brunswick Green with a yellow stripe.

6913 was built in 1969 at a cost of $551,168 (@2,557,960 in 1998 dollars). It ran more than 2,000,000 miles before being retired in 1985. It was donated to the museum in 1986.

• Museum of the American Railroad (Official site)
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