Tex-N | Author Archives

Dallas Public Library “Trains & Stories” Event June 27, 2018

Posted on June 6, 2018 by admin Posted in Train Shows

The Tex-N Modular Railroad Club participated in the second annual Dallas Public Library “Trains & Stories” event on Wednesday, June 27, 2018. The Club displayed a 14’ by 17’ model railroad with four loops of trains operating continuously. The railroad was fully decorated with grass, trees, creeks, bridges, buildings, autos, trucks, people, and of course, trains! All trains were modeled after real railroads with steam and diesel locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, cabooses, and Thomas and Henry from the “Thomas The Tank Engine” books and TV show.

This “Trains & Stories” event drew over 300 attendees from the surrounding community. Children especially loved our trains and the story time led by the librarian. Tex-N will be back in the summer of 2020 for the next Trains & Stories Event!

KCS Military Train Passes Through Garland, TX

Posted on August 6, 2017 by admin Posted in Railfanning

by Inge Trost

On Friday morning, May 10, 2017, I got in my car to make a trip to the supermarket. I stopped at a red light at the corner of Naaman School Road and Highway 78 (Lavon Drive) in Garland, Texas. The light turned green and I turned north onto Highway 78, crossed the KCS tracks, and noticed a pair of KCS locomotives stopped on the tracks. Then I noticed all the automobiles parked on the side of the road and people taking pictures.

I turned my car around and found a good parking spot at the McDonald’s on Naaman School Road and Highway 78. A lot of people were waiting there and taking pictures. The train wasn’t moving. About 20 minutes later the lead engine turned the light on and the crossing arms came down. As those KCS locomotives moved forward I noticed they were pulling a military train! I got my phone out and took this video.

I wonder where that military train was heading as it moved south. Perhaps the Houston ship channel? And then? I guess I’ll never know. But seldom do I see a military train. It was a very special day.

Have fun watching.

UP 4-8-8-4 Big Boy #4018 Run-By At Perry Road Crossing, Carrollton, TX

Posted on May 21, 2017 by admin Posted in Railfanning

August 25, 2013

The Museum of the American Railroad and its collection of artifacts and rolling stock outgrew its space at Fair Park in Dallas, TX in 2006. The City of Frisco, TX, wanting to preserve their railroad heritage, offered the Museum a new home on 12 acres adjacent to the city center in April, 2008. Museum structures (H&CT depot and ATSF Tower 19) moved in 2012. Rolling stock moved in 2013. UP Big Boy #4018 was the last piece of rolling stock to move to Frisco on August 25, 2013.

This video was filmed by Tex-N Club member Richard Harper as it passed through his neighborhood. “It was a sunny Sunday, August 25, 2013, when I rushed home from church, attempting to catch the movement of UP Big Boy #4018 on the way to Frisco. I got in my car and drove to the Perry Road crossing in Carrollton. It was a hot summer day but my car’s air conditioning kept my iPhone and myself cool enough to capture this event.”

Thanks, Richard, for sharing your archive footage with us.

For more information on this move, visit the Museum of the American Railroad’s website at
http://www.museumoftheamericanrailroad.org/TheFriscoProject/PhaseIandTheBigMove/TheBigMoveRollingStock.aspx.

Oklahoma City Train Show Highlights

Posted on January 23, 2017 by admin Posted in Train Shows

The Annual Oklahoma City Train Show was held December 3-4, 2016 at the Cox Pavilion on the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. A show highlight for N Scalers is the creation of a giant operating train layout made up of NTRAK modules from various clubs in the region. Tex-N Modular Railroad Club attended and contributed 10 modules for the layout! Other clubs participating were Oklahoma N-Rail, Northeast Oklahoma N Scalers, AustNtrak, Fort Bend Model Railroad Club and Nashville NTRAK.

Scale Trains’ Union Pacific GTEL 8500 Horsepower “Big Blow” Turbine Locomotive on Tex-N Sealy Module

A special guest at the show was a pre-production model of Scale Trains’ Union Pacific GTEL 8500 Horsepower “Big Blow” Turbine Locomotive with DCC Sound. This model ran on the giant layout including Tex-N’s modules! See video highlights of this layout, along with a special appearance of the UP GTEL Turbine, in our Event Gallery here! For more information on Scale Trains’ model click here.

Thanks to all the vendors, dealers, manufacturers, staff, and train clubs for another terrific show!