Prototype Tours

Want to see real locomotives being restored? Or maybe spend an afternoon riding a scale live steam railroad? The North Texas Express 2027 is the place to be!

We will have several different prototype activities at this year’s convention:

Austin & Texas Central Live Steam Railroad

The Austin & Texas Central is the newest iteration of the Central Texas railroad that traces its roots back to 1931. Spend a few hours Saturday afternoon touring the railroad and riding the rails! This is a self-drive tour, with the location northeast of Austin in Thrall (about an hour drive from the hotel – but worth the trip). The railroad will be open from 2-4pm. You must pre-register for this tour (walk-ups will not be allowed) via the store by June 15.

Ash Grove Cement Plant

A great prototype industry to model, the Ash Grove cement plant is serviced by the Union Pacific south of Austin near New Braunfels, TX. We will have a bus take a folks to the plant for a tour of the facility on Friday morning, leaving around 8 am with the tour starting around 9. Attendees will be broken into two groups who will tour different areas in parallel (then switch). This tour is limited to a maximum of 24 people.

The store is open for registration now!