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Special Events
Special event ticket sales are final. Events are held rain or shine. No refunds or date changes permitted.
The Polar Express™ Train Ride
Departing the Palestine Depot
November 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28, & 29
December 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27
Times: 5:10pm, 6:45pm, & 8:15pm
December School Runs - 2, 3, 9, & 10
Times: 10:00am & 12:00pm
All Aboard! The Polar Express™comes to life at the Texas State Railroad.
Inspired by the award winning book by Chris Van Allsburg, come experience the magic of The Polar Express™. Read along with the story as the train makes a roundtrip journey to the North Pole. Meet Santa and enjoy caroling, hot chocolate and a treat. And, for those who believe, a special gift for each child. Everyone is encouraged to wear their pajamas!
Advanced tickets on sale now!
Tickets:
Friday, Sunday, & Weekdays
• Coach $19 child (ages 2-11), $34 adults
• Climate Controlled $21 child (ages 2-11), $38 adults
Saturday Tickets
• Coach $23 child (ages 2-11), $38 adults
• Climate Controlled $25 child (ages 2-11), $42 adults
First Class Seating in Private Car 1511
Climate Controlled - Limited Seating
Enjoy The Polar Express™ Train Ride on our First Class private car. You will experience first class service at your table by Chefs, enjoy a variety of cookies served on silver trays, drink delicious hot chocolate with whip cream and chocolate sprinkles in our collectable Polar Express™ mugs as well as an additional choice of coffee, tea, or sparkling cider. Enjoy a First Class experience on board The Polar Express this Christmas! Table seating for 2 and 4 individuals.
Tickets:
$39 child (ages 2-11), $58 adults
Parking Fee
(collected at entrance)
$5 per car
The Lone Ranger® Train Ride Event
Departing the Rusk Depot
Coming again in 2010!
If you missed our 2009 events, click here to learn about special appearances with The Lone Ranger on Saturdays throughout the year.
Join the fun as America's Favorite Hero, The Lone Ranger and his faithful companion, Tonto save the day!
Come take a ride on this special train that pays tribute to America's most beloved western hero. The train ride will bring to life the old west. As bandits take charge of the train, the masked rider and his faithful companion, Tonto, will come save the day! Before or after the ride enjoy the many family-oriented activities at the depot. There will be live musical entertainment, western themed activities, and much more!
Tickets
Coach & Open-Air Seating:
$19 Child (ages 2-11) and $34 Adult
Climate Controlled:
$23 Child (ages 2-11) and $38 Adult
Day Out With Thomas™ 2009: Hero of the Rails Tour
Departing the Rusk Depot
October 16th, 17th, 18th and 23rd, 24th, 25th, 2009
10:00am, 10:45am, 11:30am, 12:15pm, 1:00pm, 1:45pm, 2:30pm & 3:15pm
*Additional 4:00pm on Saturdays
Take a 30 minute ride with a full size Thomas the Tank Engine™, meet Sir Topham Hatt, enjoy live storytelling, live musical entertainment, build with LEGO® DUPLO® Bricks, temporary tattoos, food vendors, & Much Much, More!
Families will enjoy hours of fun during this special event!
Click here to also visit the DOWT Information page - Take a look at the Frequent Questions and Answers
Tickets on Sale Now!!
Click Here to Book Tickets Online Through TicketWeb!
Or Call TicketWeb at 1-866-468-7630
* Please note that tickets for this event are not sold directly through the Texas State Railroad Reservation Office. Tickets are sold through TicketWeb. For specific questions or information regarding this special event at the Texas State Railroad, you may call our reservation office: 1-888-987-2461.
Tickets are $18 (plus tax and service fees) for ages two and up. Special discount for groups of 20 or more.
Visit TicketWeb or call 1-866-468-7630 to book your tickets today!
© 2009 Gullate (Thomas) Limited.
The Little Engine That Could™ Rail Tour Event
Departing the Palestine Depot
Coming again in 2010!
If you missed our 2009 event, click here to learn about special appearances with The Little Engine That Could on Thursdays during May, July & September.
Enjoy meeting a full-sized replica of The Little Engine That Could! Meet the Bear and Elephant as well as other characters from the original book by Watty Piper. Event includes a 30-minute train ride with The Little Engine That Could, meeting characters from the book, live musical entertainment, book readings, and fun children activities and games. Visit www.thelittleenginethatcouldtour.com for more information.
Peanuts™ - The Great Pumpkin Patch Express
Departing the Palestine Depot
Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays
October 4th, 9th, 10th, 11th & 30th, & 31st,2009
11:00am
Additional 1:45pm on Saturdays
New Date Added! November 1st at 11:00am
Tickets
Coach & Open-Air Seating:
$19 Child (ages 2-11) and $36.50 Adult
Climate Controlled:
$21 Child (ages 2-11) and $39.50 Adult
Take a train ride to the "Great Pumpkin Patch"! There you will meet Snoopy, pick your own pumpkin & decorate them, visit trick or treat street, enjoy live musical entertainment, hay ride, food vendors, and more! Children are encouraged to wear costumes for this fun event! Total event lasts approximately 2.5 hours.
*The pumpkin patch is in a field so please wear appropriate socks and shoes to protect your feet.
Click here to download the event flyer
Peanuts™ - The Valentine Express
February 2010!
Tickets will go on sale in 2010.
Meet Snoopy at the Texas State Railroad!
During the excursion you will meet Snoopy and enjoy a live reading of the book, "Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown". At the Rusk Depot (during the lunch layover) enjoy Valentine card making, watch "Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown" in the theatre, take pictures with Snoopy, and listen to live musical entertainment.
Dates, ticket prices, and additional information will be posted in January 2010!
Peanuts™ - The Easter Beagle Express
Coming again in 2010!
Tickets will go on sale in 2010.
Enjoy a relaxing train ride on The Valentine Express! During the ride you will meet Snoopy, enjoy a live reading of the book, "It's The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown". At the Rusk Depot (during the lunch layover) enjoy Easter Egg Crafts, watch "It's The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown" in the theatre, take pictures with Snoopy, and listen to live musical entertainment. It is a fun event for the whole family!
Dates, ticket prices, & additional information will be posted in January 2010!
Dinner Trains
New Year's Eve Masquerade Dinner Train
Departing the Palestine Depot
Thursday, December 31st
6:30pm - Champagne Reception & Entertainment
7:30pm - Dinner train departure
Celebrate the New Year on board our Masquerade dinner train! Wear your own masquerade mask or buy one during the reception. Entertainment will be provided during the reception and on board the train. Please check back for details as we get closer to the event
Tickets
$89 per person or $159 per couple.
Advanced reservations required. Seating is limited. Tickets sales for this event will end on December 28th at 5pm.
Dinner Menu
TBA
The three course meal will be announced soon.
Couples may bring one bottle of wine to enjoy with the meal.
Special Appearances
The Lone Ranger® Special Appearances
Meet The Lone Ranger during special appearances on Saturday excursions departing the Palestine Depot during April, June & August. Watch for the bandits on the train. There may just be a shootout in Maydelle!
Regular Steam Excursion fares apply. Visit Schedules & Fares for ticket prices .
Appearance Dates:
- April 18
- June 6, 20, 27
- August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
The Little Engine That Could™ Appearances
Meet The Little Engine That Could™ during special appearances (not to be confused with the event) on Thursday excursions during May, July & September. During these excursions, the train will depart from the Palestine Depot to the Jarvis Wye and then return to Palestine. The total trip is approximately one hour. Regular diesel excursion fares apply. Visit Schedules & Fare for ticket prices.
This trip is great for families and groups! The original story of The Little Engine That Could™ by Watty Piper will be read during the train ride.
Appearance Dates:
- May 7, 14, 21, 28
- July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
- September 3, 10, 17, 24
RAILFEST 2009
Palestine Depot
Saturday, September 5th - Festival Activities from 10:00am to 6:30pm
Sunday, September 6th - Steam Train Excursion at 9:00am to 11:45am
September 5, 2009
Enjoy a fun-filled day of trains, music, and more!! Join us for the 1st Annual RAILFEST at the historic Texas State Railroad!
- Steam Engine 300's Restoration Debut & Ceremony
-
T&P Steam Engines 201 & 610 on display
-
Photo-op's
-
Train Rides with Steam Engine 300
-
Motor Car rides
-
Shop tour
-
Live Steamers
-
Live Musical Entertainment All Day!!
- Meet Miss Texas
- Euro-bungee
-
Retail & Food Vendors
-
And fun for the kids: bounce houses, petting zoo, miniature train ride & more!
Hear live music from the following Texas bands:
Whiskey Myers - 5pm The Papers - 3pm Lauren Alexander - 12:15pm
Meet Miss Texas 2009 - Kristen Blair
Tickets (to enter the event):
Tickets price includes: train ride, shop tour, concert, meeting Miss Texas, & more
$20 for Adults (12 & over)
$10 for Child (3-11)
September 6, 2009
9:00am to 11:45am
Steam Excursion with Steam Engine 300 from Palestine to the Maydelle Turntable
BBQ lunch & live musical entertainment (included in ticket price) 11:45am - 12:45pm
Tickets:
Coach Seating: $40.50 for Adults (12 & over) & $23.00 for Child (3-11)
Climate Controlled: $43.50 for Adults (12 & over) & $25.00 for Child (3-11)
Book together & save!
Book your RAILFEST tickets & RAILFEST train ride together and save 10%!
This offer is only available if booked before the date of RAILFEST.
Fall Photo Excursion
Departing the Rusk Depot
Sunday, November 8, 2009
7:30am to 4:15pm
Join us for our Fall Photo Excursion with Steam Engine 300!
This is a full day event. Pick up your tickets & enjoy pastries beginning at 7:30am. Train will depart around 8:00am.
- Enjoy special photo runbys along the route from Rusk to Palestine
- Experience Steam Engine 300 on the 1890's Maydelle Turntable
- Tour both Palestine and Rusk Locomotive Shops
- Photo opportunities with the T&P 610
Tickets
$99.00 Coach & Open-Air Seating
$109.00 Climate Controlled
Breakfast pastries and picnic lunch included in ticket price.
Other Events
Rusk Chamber of Commerce Presents
Annual Pioneer & Heritage Festival
Saturday, October 3rd
You're invited to attend the upcoming Annual Pioneer & Heritage Festival scheduled for Saturday. October 3, 2009. The event will be held at the Texas State Railroad, Rusk Depot from 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM.
The family festivities will kick off with the 1st Friday in October event, starting at 5:00 PM with a Five - 4 person teams will perform a scavenger hunt thru the businesses on the square to find out who shot "Bad Billy Bart". The movie "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", will be shown after dark on the Courthouse lawn. Also on Friday, schools studying Texas History are invited to come out to the Rusk Depot and take a short train ride thru the piney woods on a real steam train and than visit Pioneer Demonstrations who dress as pioneers teaching the way Texas pioneers lived back when. Entry fee for students and teachers is $2.00 per person.
Saturday is bring your family for a country day filled with old and new events. For $1 or a can of food to benefit the Good Samaritan, a family can enjoy a day at the Texas State Railroad. The festival begins with Re-enactors, Arts & Crafts Booths, and Hay-rides around a beautiful depot setting. Train rides and campers will enjoy traveling from Palestine and Rusk on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This is where Texas History begins with a whole lot of fun!
For additional information, please call (903) 683-4242 or visit the website at www.RuskChamber.com.
Bikers & Boxcars
2nd Annual GWTA Texas State Rally
Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
September 18th, 19th, & 20th
The 2nd Annual GWTA Texas State Rally will be held at the Texas State Railroad Rusk Campgrounds. Registration will begin at 8:00am on the 18th.
This rally will offer a fun run, biker games, silent auction, door prizes, train rides, bike shows, food & bike vendors, self guided rides and new for this year, a geocaching game for those of you who utilize a GPS. There are activities planned for all three days and music throughout the weekend. Come out and meet other bikers!
Bike Rally admission will be $10.00 per person
Fun Run will be $5.00 per person
Geocaching will be $5.00 per person.
CASH ONLY will be collected at entrance of campgrounds by the Texas GWTA for the event.
All admissions benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Deep East Texas.
Camping fees and train tickets are collected and reserved through the Texas State Railroad.
Campsites are available for bikers for $20.00 a night. One RV or two bikes may share a campsite. There is a one time Vendor fee of $25.00. Camping at Vendor Site is allowed but camping fees will be applied. Hotels are located within 30 minutes of the rally for those who prefer to “hotel”. Please visit the Rusk Chamber of Commerce, Jacksonville Chamber, or Palestine CVB for a list of local hotels.
For a step back in history, catch a short ride on the special GWTA Rally Train Special on Saturday at 12:00pm for only $10.00 per person or the Sunday Family BBQ Train at 1:30pm at regular prices (BBQ lunch & musical entertainment at 12:30pm).
Please call the Texas State Railroad Reservation office to book train reservations. Advanced reservations are highly recommended.
