Six Flags & Texas Railroad

The Red Train

The Six Flags Railroad is the only attraction still operating from the inaugural 1961 season of Six Flags Over Texas.Two railroad train engines transport guests on a one mile journey around the park, with stops at two stations located on opposite sides of the park. Both train engines were originally built at the turn of the century for a sugar cane plantation in Louisiana. Engine #1, known as the Green Train (due to its color scheme) or the Mary Ann, was built in 1901 by the American Locomotive Company. The smaller engine #2, known as the Red Train or Lydia, was created for the plantation in 1897 by the Porter Company.

The engines were later rebuilt for $50,000.The Mary Ann' was renamed the General Sam Houston and the Lydia was renamed the Mirabeau B. Lamar in honor of these Texan heroes.The rebuilding also involved several minor changes, including the conversion of the wood-burning steam engines to oil-burning steam engines. Photos of the original engines can be found at the train station in the 'Texas' section of the park. As of the park opening 2006 Six Flags closed one of the engines (prior to it breaking down) & named the last train to the Charles Jefferson Patton.

File:SFOT Green Train 4Wiki by Jim Murray 6049.jpg

The Green Train

The railroad continues to run at the park daily, operating much the same as it did almost 50 years ago when the attraction first opened. Six Flags maintains the trains as close as possible to their original specifications. In fact, despite a popular movement to transform theme park railroad engines from steam-powered to the newer diesel-powered trains for lower maintenance and operating costs, Six Flags Over Texas has resisted, to favor a more authentic experience.Retired railroad workers first ran the train at Six Flags Over Texas. They would often roast peanuts and fry bacon on the firebox door.