About the Museum

The present depot was built by the International & Great Northern Railroad and opened in 1907. The depot was constructed on a concrete slab, with a concrete block interior and unique dark gray cement tiles with red grout on the exterior.  The blocks were cast by the local factory of Moeller, Mordhorst, and Blumberg, and are unique to this depot and not used anywhere else on the I-GN system.

The original chimneys and decorative dormers were removed by the railroad when shingles were replaced with a metal roof. The railroad remodeled the building in the 1960’s and again in the 1970’s to accommodate changing railroad needs.

In October 1986, the New Braunfels Historic Railroad and Modelers Society was granted a long term lease of the then-closed depot. Renovation and conversion of the depot began in 1987, completed almost entirely using volunteer work.  The renovations included replacement of wainscoting, painting floors, exterior painting and installation of brick pavers along the front of the depot. Doors and latticed transom windows and sidelights that had been plastered over in 1972 were revealed. Air conditioning was also added. In 1990, the waiting room and station agent’s office underwent extensive renovations to remove modifications made in 1972 and restore them to historical accuracy.  Replicas of the chimney and dormer were replaced in October 2012.

The New Braunfels Railroad Museum is operated largely by volunteer members of the New Braunfels Historic Railroad and Modelers Society (NBHRMS). We are a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of railroad artifacts and education. Our members have a diverse cross-section of interests including railroad history and model railroading in all scales.  Many members are Railfans, folks who love to observe trains in action.  If you are interested in joining the NBHRMS, we’d love to have you.