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| Established | 1964 |
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| Location | San Antonio, Texas |
| Coordinates | 29°32′53″N98°26′05″W / 29.548163°N 98.434766°W /29.548163; -98.434766 |
| Type | Transportation Museum |
| Website | txtransportationmuseum |
TheTexas Transportation Museum (TTM) is atransportation museum located inSan Antonio, Texas.
It was created in 1964 to help preserve artifacts and information about San Antonio's transportation history. TTM operates as much of its collection as possible, including manyrailroad vehicles on its ownheritage railroad, the Longhorn and Western Railroad, multiple model train layouts, and many antique automobiles. TTM's goal is to provide aneducational and entertaining experience which interprets how developments in transportation technology shaped and continue to impact daily life.
The museum hosts three major events annually, an Easter egg hunt in April for Easter, "Spook-Track-Ula" in October for Halloween, and "Santa's Railroad Wonderland" in December for Christmas.[1][2] High school Cross Country running races starting from the adjacent North East ISD Sports Park run through the property as well.
Different areas, including a remodeled caboose, picnic tables, children's play area and a large outdoor pavilion can be rented for group parties. The children's play area includes a playscape consisting of a wooden steam engine and a metal scale-model diesel engine.[3][4][5]
TTM is a registered 501(c)(3)charitable organization.
The museum was formed in 1964 after someRailfans tried to restore a steam locomotive that was being displayed at theComal Power Plant. The locomotive was taken to thePearl Brewery and fired up where it spread black soot across the area.[6]
The museum was originally located at the Pearl Brewing Company inDowntown San Antonio and had used the tracks of theTexas Transportation Company. In 1967 the museum was granted use of approximately forty acres (16 ha) of what was then known as the Northeast Preserve, now McAllister Park, just north of theSan Antonio International Airport on Wetmore Road.
TheLonghorn and Western Railroad is the Texas Transportation Museum'sstandard gaugeheritage railroad that operates on its property with no connection to the general rail system. The L&W consists of approximately5⁄8-mile (1.0 km) of trackage in total, with its mainline that runs1⁄3-mile (0.54 km) from the east and west ends of the property.[7] Visitors can ride the full sized diesel-powered train every hour on the half hour on Saturdays and Sundays, and Fridays during the summer or holidays. A steam day is held once a month where visitors can ride behind the museum's standard gauge steam locomotive.[8][9]
