When the Texas Pacific Railway pushed westward in 1881, ranchers and businessmen chose a shipping point just east of Buffalo Gap. That decision gave birth to the city of Abilene, said Coriander Taylor, director of the Abilene Railroad Fest.
“Majority of these communities around Abilene wouldn’t be here … if the railroad hadn’t come through,” Taylor said.
From the start, the railroad shaped life in Abilene, carrying cattle, cotton, grain and later oil. The Texas & Pacific depot became a hub not just for freight but for passengers. Families waved goodbye to loved ones, soldiers departed for war and visitors arrived from across the country.
“Our last passenger train, I believe, came through in 1967. And we haven’t had passenger service since,” Taylor said. “So we are strictly a freight line … those tend to service all of the little small industries in between.”
Today, freight trains still roll through Abilene, hauling raw materials and goods that fuel the Texas economy. The golden age of passenger rail remains alive only in memory and historic landmarks like the restored depot downtown.
Organizers revived Abilene Railroad Fest last year, working with local historical groups to spotlight the city’s ties to the rails. Taylor said the event traces its roots to the early 1990s.
“The Abilene River Festival … started in 1991 and ran through 1997. But obviously it didn’t really take off. So it ended up petering out,” Taylor said. “Last year, we opted to give it a try and see how it went, and it went well. So here we are again.”
Abigail Payne, executive director of the Abilene Preservation League, said the festival blends history and fun.
“Living history exhibits, presentations … we had a choo choo train that carried adults and children like a trackless train,” Payne said. “It’s an event that is for families and train enthusiasts. So we try to cater to whether you have a four-year-old that likes Thomas the Train or … a senior citizen that has researched and followed trains your whole life.”
Payne said learning about the railroad has changed how she views trains in her daily life.
“Prior to being in this position, if I was stopped at a railroad crossing, it was just an annoyance,” she said. “But now … I’m thinking this is a picture of commerce and transportation bringing refrigerated foods or just all sorts of things that we need in our daily life.”
She added that the work of organizing the festival helps build connections across the community.
“Being a smaller community, collaborating together means that we all get to succeed and share in the joy of bringing an event and entertainment to Abilene,” Payne said. “And the more organizations you can have involved in that … the healthier it is.”
Alongside music, food and train-themed activities, Taylor said the festival’s main goal is simple: fun.
“One of my main goals was to create more or less of a convention or exhibition experience and make it truly feel like a festival,” Taylor said. “I was joking with the staff that I wanted to party like it was 1881.”