Docent Justino Milanes with Tiger Scouts from Fulshear. (Photo courtesy of Rosenberg Railroad Museum.)

New Leadership And Vision, Along With Expanded Funding, Are Bringing Renovations, New Exhibits And Increased Attendance

FROM LEFT: Rosenberg Railroad Museum Board President, Greg Cauthen, and Rosenberg Railroad Museum Executive Director, Tracy Hobdy, was appointed this past winter. (Photos by Brandon Campbell of BAC Photography.)

By Anna Saikin

It’s drizzling when I arrive at the Rosenberg Railroad Museum, but the Garden Railroad is still running. The large-scale model train greets visitors to the museum and runs the fourth Sunday of every month and during special events. Glenn Fair, a docent for over four years, points out nearby landmarks on the track before the weather picks up. “That’s Tower 17, right behind you. And those buildings represent downtown Rosenberg,” he said. My astonishment at the Garden Railroad’s attention to detail matches my young daughter’s enthusiasm as a real-life train rumbles past. The conductor toots his horn as we continue our museum tour.

Located in the heart of downtown Rosenberg, the Railroad Museum proudly displays its heritage with lively reminders that the railroad that travels through Fort Bend County is an integral part of the community. Previous visitors will fondly remember Tower 17, the MoPac Caboose, and Quebec, the 1879 business railcar,as hallmarks of the museum’s careful conservation of railway history. However, those who haven’t come since they were children should plan a return visit soon, as the museum is in the midst of substantial renovations, led by the museum’s new Executive Director, Tracy Hobdy, who was appointed this past winter.

Hobdy has a B.S. in curriculum and instruction from Texas A&M University and has been active in the education field for more than 25 years. She began working for the museum as a volunteer before developing classes with Boy Scouts of America as the education coordinator. As executive director, she will lead a series of projects designed to capitalize on a number of grants awarded to the museum for the preservation and education of railroading in Fort Bend County. Much-needed repairs and im­provements to the MoPac Caboose have been completed at breakneck speed. Docent Glenn Fair has conducted historical research so that the renovations are as accurate as possible. The renovated caboose will have new decals, window repairs and paint, and eventually will include a newly curated exhibit.

Funding for this and other projects has largely come from a City of Rosenberg grant. The museum worked with the city to make funds from the hotel occupancy tax available to local tourist destinations. Last year, Rosenberg awarded the museum $25,000 for repairs and maintenance; this year, the grant was expanded to $75,000. The museum has made the most of this amount by encouraging partnerships with local volunteer organizations. Along with the MoPac Caboose, the museum will repaint Quebec and will update the model train tracks, which are currently housed in a temporary exhibit room. There are plans to move the models to a permanent air-conditioned display room, made possible by continued expansions to the tracks from donations.

Another new museum staff member is Educator and Curator, April Scheuer. Scheuer, who has a M.A. in military history and a B.A. in history with a minor in museum studies, began as a volunteer before joining the museum’s small staff. Together, Hobdy and Scheuer are cataloguing and revamping the museum’s archives for inspiration and material for planned exhibit spaces.

One possible exhibit topic the two are considering is on the Harvey House chain of restaurants. Visitors may be familiar with Harvey House in the museum’s play area, which has a mini toy kitchen and dining area with replica menus. Harvey House was a chain of restaurants along southern rail lines where passengers could get good, quick meals. Prior to their introduction, trackside restaurants had questionable reputations. Passengers had as little as 20 minutes during rest stops and food would often be ready after the train departed. Harvey House ran the first fast food restaurant. The company ran time studies to improve service times, and operators would often telegraph orders ahead so that the meals would be ready when passengers arrived. Harvey House girls, who were unmarried women of good character who lived in onsite dormitories, served passengers at the station quickly and cheaply. Rosenberg was home to a Harvey House from 1895 to 1913, when it burned down. Stories like Harvey House abound in the museum’s archives, waiting to be told. Future exhibits will have ties to the local community in keeping with the museum’s spirit as being an ambassador to the city and region.

Hobdy credits former museum director, Ratha Liladrie, for bringing momentum to the museum. The museum has in­creased its attendance 10-fold for its summer programs over the past 5 years, going from 200-250, to 2,600 students coming for various education groups. Some of the increased museum attendance has been fueled by preschool programs such as Wigwag, a Mommy and Me program, childcare and afterschool programs. The museum offers tailored programs for school groups, such as Homeschool Day. During this event, students receive Hobo task cards and visit participating businesses in downtown Rosenberg to complete various “chores” in exchange for items to add to their hobo’s bundle. The most recent Homeschool Day attracted 80 children.

The museum has also expanded its model railroad offerings. A Model Rail­roading camp will be offered June 12-15 for younger students (6-8 years old) and June 19-22 for older students (9-12 years old). Both weeklong camps will be taught by Master Modeler Russell Straw, to construct an N-scale diorama complete with structures, greenery and tracks. The students will have ample opportunities to examine the museum’s model railway exhibits, which have been donated over the years by railway enthusiasts, for inspiration. Another programs offered this summer is an Art Experience Camp, held July 12-20 for kids ages 6-8, and July 24-27 for those ages 9-12. Each day will feature a different subject and medium, and will be taught by local artist Sue Syvertson.

Hobdy hopes visitors will be encouraged to return frequently as renovations progress. A number of festivals are planned throughout 2018, including the Fall Fun Fest in September.

Visit rosenbergRRmuseum.org for more information on the museum, its events and camp information, including times and ages for each camp and registration details. Each camp session is $125 for nonmembers and $100 for family-level members.

Docents Glenn Fair and Ande Courtin in front of a working BNSF engine. (Photo courtesy of Rosenberg Railroad Museum.)

Tower 17, built in 1903, was in operation until 2004. (Photo courtesy of Rosenberg Railroad Museum.)

Preschool students on a field trip made railway tracks; (Photos courtesy of Rosenberg Railroad Museum.)

High school students learn about acids and bases by making a lemon-powered battery. *Photos courtesy of Rosenberg Railroad Museum.)