1. We are Gulf Coast Chapter, NRHS, Inc.
operators of
Houston Railroad Museum
7390 Mesa Drive (RAILWOOD)
Houston, Texas
National Railway Historical Society (NRHS)
The National Railway Historical Society is composed of railroad enthusiasts interested in the
preservation of railroad history in more than 170 chapters in the U.S. and a small number abroad,
plus several hundred at-large members not affiliated with any chapter, a total of more than
15,000 people. NRHS is governed by a National Board of Directors representing chapters and
at-large members and holds an annual convention at which members enjoy train riding and other
activities relating to their interests. We are all volunteers in this largest of rail history
preservation organizations.
Gulf Coast Chapter, NRHS, Inc.
Ours is just one of the more than 170 NRHS chapters. Collectively we carry our interest beyond
just reading or talking about or photographing railroads, but actually engaging in preservation of
historic railroad equipment and historical archives of books, magazines and other memorabilia
representing railroad history from its beginning right up into the present day. We are a Texas
501(c)(3) chartered organization and we operate a railroad museum that has been in existence
more than 40 years in Houston.
So how did we get where we are?
The Gulf Coast Railroad Club was formed in the early 1960s in Houston; the “club” joined
NRHS to become the Gulf Coast Chapter, NRHS, Inc. in 1967. The chapter’s railroad
equipment collection started in 1968 at Houston Union Station (Track 10) with one passenger
car, later acquiring others and relocating with several passenger cars to the Mesa Drive address
in late 1977, reopening to the public in 1978.
Our current collection consists of 18 pieces of vintage railroad equipment, most of which are in
some stage of preservation or restoration. Among these are nine passenger train cars, six freight
cars and three locomotives. Our oldest rail car was built in 1915, the newest in 1979, with others
from the 1920s-50s. The Museum Visitor Center occupies one car and we also maintain a
library in one of the cars containing multiple volumes dating as far back as the 1880s, plus
thousands of other donated artifacts.
Almost all areas at the museum are open for visitors to explore except the library car, an area
only open to our membership for reading and research. Among the exhibit cars one may pass
through are a baggage car, a dormitory-lounge car, a parlor car, a coach, three Pullman and
Budd-built sleepers and a Railway Post Office/baggage car. Our observation-lounge car is under
restoration and not presently open. Freight cars include two cabooses, a tank car, and a special
helium transport car formerly used by NASA. Our locomotives are two 1945 ALCo S2 diesel-
electric switchers and a 1949 Baldwin diesel-electric switcher. The museum also has an HO
Gauge model railroad built and operated by members, a very popular exhibit with all who visit
there.

2. Currently Houston Railroad Museum is open to the public each Saturday from the first weekend
of April until the first weekend of November. Our hours are 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
What is in our chapter and museum’s future?
After 32 years at our current location we are making preparations to leave a site that was
provided to us by Weingarten Realty under a “gentlemen’s agreement” in 1978. In 2008
Weingarten sold the site to Global Stainless, a subsidiary of Sumitomo Corporation, which will
soon be building a large pipe storage facility on an empty lot adjoining the museum and the
present museum site.
Since well before this recent revelation the chapter board had been considering various sites
where the museum can grow further. Restoration work is expensive and time-consuming, and
requires many dedicated people to carry out the many tasks. It is our hope that we can acquire a
site more centrally located, with room to expand and allow us to complete projects that need our
attention. However, while the museum remains where it is, restoration work will continue
because “that is what we do.”
My own role in the Chapter
I am a proud volunteer, like all my fellow members. I have served on the Gulf Coast Chapter
board since 1996, as Membership Director for several years, as Editor since 2000 and as both
President and Editor in 2002 and 2003. I currently write and edit our 16 page newsletter, Gulf
Coast Railroading, ten times a year and provide some editorial advice and assistance in the
chapter as needed. I also work as a docent and in hands-on projects at the museum; presently I
am doing an inventory and reorganizing our library.
My greatest enjoyment is in researching Texas railroad history and writing about it, but I also am
an active “railfan” going trackside frequently to videotape and photograph trains around the
country. I was an active HO model railroader from 1950-1986; maybe someday I will be again,
but presently my interest lies in the real thing: railroads measuring 12 inches to the foot!
An invitation!
“Railfan” or “Rail history buff.” The word “railfan” can best be described by saying that every
person who likes to see a train going down the track is indeed a railfan. As a “rail history buff”
each one of us is interested in the how, when, where and what of railroads. Some of us got the
bug early in life, some later, but there are lots of people out there who probably qualify and don’t
know it.
If you are one of those people, come out to a meeting of the Gulf Coast Chapter at the Houston
Railroad Museum, 7390 Mesa Drive, on the third Tuesday night of the month (except December)
at 7:30 p.m. and see what we do.

3. Getting to the Houston Railroad Museum
From the Lone Star College campus proceed north on Barker Cypress to
US 290:
Drive via US 290 eastward to the Loop 610 interchange.
(North Loop 610 requires a right exit, so be aware)
Exit to North Loop 610 and follow North Loop 610 eastward.
Exit at McCarty Drive and turn left (northeast) on McCarty.
(NOTE: McCarty has heavy truck traffic at all times; we
recommend you remain on the inside/left lane all the way to Mesa
Drive)
Continue northeast on McCarty approximately one mile to Mesa
Drive (at the third traffic light counting the flashing yellow that
precedes it a few blocks).
Turn left (north) onto Mesa Drive.
Continue north on Mesa approximately one mile; the museum is on
the right (east) side of Mesa just a city block north of the large
concrete RAILWOOD sign.