Carter-Kelley Lumber Co 2-6-0 Steam Locomotive No 3 | Texas Forestry Museum, Lufkin

 Photos and Story By Ken Hulsey

Yesterday, my travels took me through Lufkin, one of my favorite cities in East Texas. I've been wanting to check out the old railroading equipment at the Texas Forestry Museum, so I made sure to set aside time on this trip to visit.

Admission to the museum is surprisingly free, so I was able to stroll right up to their wonderful displays without any issues. I was struck by the number of families taking advantage of the warm spring day to enjoy the museum's outdoor attractions, with some even having picnics on the lawn.

The museum's showpiece is a well-preserved logging train, featuring an old Carter-Kelley Lumber Company 2-6-0 steam locomotive. According to the historical marker, this steam locomotive and tender (No. 3) were purchased in 1908 by Carter-Kelley for use in building a sawmill, as well as railroad construction, logging, and passenger and freight operations.

The 1906 wood-burning steam loader on display was also used by Carter-Kelley, first in building the Manning Mill and later on their portable logging railroads. Its cables could skid logs from distances of 300 to 500 feet.

I highly recommend stopping by the Texas Forestry Museum to check out this fantastic collection of vintage logging railroad history.