The railroad needed a shipping point as it laid the tracks through West Texas, and in 1881 the community was officially founded to be that stop.
Community organizers first held a festival to celebrate that history in 1991. That event ran out of track in 1995.
In 2024, Corrender Taylor, native of Abilene and railroad enthusiast, revived the effort with support for the Abilene Preservation League.
The goal of the event is to provide a space for locals from Abilene and those of the surrounding area to have a place where they can learn more about Abilene’s history with the railroad since it is such a vital part of the towns legacy.
This year the festival celebrated their third year with the most vendors, attractions, and activities that the festival has seen since its rebirth.
“I get a sense that this little festival is kind of in its early growing stages, I hope that they can, that they can get it you know, keep it going,” said Phillips.
Timothy Phillips is an independent living history reenactor who played the blacksmith in the living history presentation put on by Frontier Texas!
The experience displayed the railroad construction camp that would’ve been present in Abilene around the 1880s.
The interactive demonstrations and hands on activities allowed audiences to imagine what it would’ve been like to be building the railroad in the time of Old West.
Phillips says that the era of the Western Frontier is as important for children to know the history of as other major societies.
“I have, kind of, a theory that there are in human history, you got certain, societies that, that did something special. You had the Pharonic Age in Egypt, you had the British Empire, the High Renaissance in France and Italy and the U.S. We had the western frontier,” said Phillips.
Phillips believes that those living in the time of the Old West recognized it’s significance in the midst of it.
“If you read some of the stories by people like Jay Wright Moore and Charles Goodnight that were here when it was the Old West, that some of them who were not that educated still recognize that this is something special and it's going away,” said Phillips.
The Abilene Society of Model Railroaders work to ensure that the legacy of the past innovations and their importance to the history of the area lives on.
The festival stretched across downtown. Along the route, Cedar Street Coffee Company hosted model train exhibits. The Model Railroaders set up the space with many sets.
Children and adults alike stood in awe admiring the intricate details and the technicalities of the trains themselves.
Dan Schuler, the current president of the Abilene Society of Model Roadroaders, says it isn’t just about showing off the model trains, “We like not only the train show but historical aspect of it. Most people don't realize Abilene wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the railroad. And so we play on that.”
For Schuler and the society, sharing the love of the railroad’s history comes naturally with hobby of model railroads, even though history isn’t always kids’ favorite subject.
“And for us, our club has from an 86 year old to a ten year old, we cover every decade of members. And so, to be able to show that, along with having fun and that mechanical aspect, you know there's so many aspects of running a train from building it to running it to the scenery. It works really well and, and we enjoy it, uh, because there's, you know you need to know the history and so you repeat the good, not the bad,” said Schuler.
Along-side the model train exhibits vendors from the surrounding area offered a variety of model trains, parts, and scenery for sale.
Tim DiMiceli and his wife Tina own Train Geeks out of San Angelo.
The couple appreciates the opportunity to offer extra elements for established train enthusiasts, or for a starter model railroad diorama.
“My goal is very simple, keep the hobby alive, make it affordable, make it fun, and get away a little bit here and there, and just have fun. You know, it's I have more fun interacting with people than I do selling,” said DiMicel.
The festival and the model train exhibit drew a wide range of age groups. Including, young Cole Horton. Cole, native to San Angelo, has loved trains since he was three years old, “Ever since I went to a railway museum in San Angelo, trains are my favorite thing.”
The bright eyed wonder displayed by young Cole, other children, and many adults throughout the festival satisfied the hopes of the organizers.
Board member of the Abilene Preservation League, Courtney Campbell, ran the information desk at the Texas and Pacific Railway Depot for the festival. She said her favorite part of the weekend was watching people’s reactions, seeing them get excited about trains and their history.
“I just love when people that are just train lovers, whether they're twelve, whether they're, you know, 48, 84, they just come in there so excited and they're dressed up, that's my favorite part when people get so excited and just, you know, ready for this event and it’s something they look forward to. That’s what I like to see,” said Campbell.
Although the latest iteration of the event is only in it’s third year, the access it provides to the public to learn interesting and vital history about the town and have fun sharing the love and hobby of trains has attracted visitors, vendors and rail-fans from Abilene and the surrounding areas.
Year-round people can explore the history of the Texas and Pacific Railroad, its trains, and the town of Abilene on the Texas State Historical Association’s website or the Abilene Visitors website.
