The free event includes exciting tales of the day the train first pulled into town in 1876, plus live railroad music by celebrated balladeer, Kim O'Connor and the "Lucky Railroad Rangers."
There was a up-close inspection of the art deco T&P Terminal, railroad memorabilia displays, viewing of the restoration in progress of the North Texas Traction Company interurban cars, historic railroad item vendors, information on current passenger, freight and excursion railroads.
A set of Union Pacific's road locomotives was shined up and parked in the depot for public inspection.
An Operation Lifesaver booth was manned by personnel from Union Pacific, who will discuss railroad crossing safety. Children were given "Sly Fox and Bertie" coloring books after they watched a tape on crossing safety.
Some folks came from as far away as Abilene.
Railroad Day commemorates the anniversary of the first train's arrival in Fort Worth on July 19, 1867, and the railroad's transformation of Fort Worth from a town with a "panther sleeping in its streets" into a bustling metropolis as one of the top 50 cities in the United States.
Drama was provided as the state legislature stayed in session overtime to preserve the land grants for the Texas & Pacific. Railroad. Local citizens volunteered to work around the clock to lay the tracks directly on top of the ground without an improved roadbed and across Sycamore Creek on a rickety wagon bridge. It was so rickety that it had to be rebuilt before the train could return to Dallas.
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