The Temple Railroad and Heritage Museum was founded in 1973 to collect, preserve and exhibit the history of the railroads and local history of Central Texas.
The original collection was housed in the 1907 Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe depot in Moody, TX. In 1996, an Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act grant for renovating the Temple Santa Fe depot, which had been vacated by the railroad and was destined for demolition, was applied for and received. Three years later, in 1999, work on the restoration began. Dedication of the restored depot took place on July 8, 2000, and this beautifully restored building is now the home of the museum. It is located next to an active railroad yard, where railfans can take in the operations and traffic of the BNSF and Amtrak.
The museum’s collection of railroad equipment is displayed on the grounds, including three locomotives, railroad passenger cars and cabooses. Restoration work on this rolling stock collection is ongoing, and the museum also regularly hosts changing temporary exhibits and educational programmes.