Great Beer Now
You don’t see many passenger railroads anymore. Sure, there are the national operations like Amtrak, but even those are rarely used. Texas has a functioning passenger railway great for short rides and nostalgic fun. It’s the Texas State Railroad, a railway with depots in east Texas.
I visited the Palestine, Texas depot when I rode on the train. I was here for the Polar Express, which is a themed ride during the holiday season. It lasts about an hour and features a reading of the Polar Express book, cookies and hot chocolate, and a visit from jolly old Saint Nick. There is singing and dancing, too, and families with young children will enjoy it most of all.
This railroad train has about 12 different passenger cars. Each car features different seating arrangements. I rode in the car with love seats situated in pairs, facing each other, which was perfect for my family of four. They have other options, too. And the Polar Express is just one of many options. If you want a longer trip, they offer them throughout the year. You ride all the way to the Rusk terminal and back, on some of the trips, and you can also get served food and drink in your car.
There is plenty of parking at this depot. We had no problem getting our vehicle in place and walking quickly into the depot. It’s mostly outdoor space with picnic tables, a gift shop, restrooms, ticket office, and snack bar. They did serve us cookies and hot chocolate on the Polar Express, but I recommend getting other, more filling food first, at the snack bar, if you’re feeling hungry.
It’s cool to take a ride on a train and the Texas State Railroad is a fun way to relive the bygone days when rail travel was commonplace. It’s fun, the service is great, and the entertainment is memorable. Whether you take one of the themed rides or another, longer train ride, Texas State Railroad is a nice way to spend time with family here in East Texas.
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