Texas Railway Preservation Association

" Since childhood, I went on many field trips to Hermann Park with my Aunt, and I’ve had a deep passion for the SP 982 ever since. I joined the TRPA in 2013 with a unique vision: to create the best educational excursion experiences in the preservation and tourism industry. My board and I come from working-class families, and we continue to work toward making this venture our sole career and focus.

Fast forward to February 2025, when I was voted Executive Director—we began embarking on a new way to accomplish this larger-than-life mission. We are unconventionally creative and energetically committed.  We invest in people and their talents to provide our community with something they cannot get anywhere else outside of our Great State of Texas, and SP 982's home in Houston. 

With over 10 years of experience in transportation restoration labor and 6 years in project management for Fortune 200 companies, I know how much sacrifice this takes. We are ready to represent the true industrial power of Texas and the corporations that call our city home. We are even more prepared to be the ambassadors of Texas rail commerce and the future for rail preservation amongst the thousands of miles here. 

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What's next for TRPA in this construction phase? 

1. Building the Board: Recruiting specialists who appreciate the vision of a museum and operation this large. People who have their own expertise, combined, make up our board and drive the vision. 

2. Securing a Home: Establishing a "Historical Park" to house Texas industrial assets that explain how Texas became a leader in American production and transportation. TRPA isn't just about 982; it is about all of the things that gave the locomotive a job. 

3. Restoring the Houston Icon: Operating the SP 982 and other rolling stock to prove and demonstrate how rail travel can be engaging, educational, and affordable. Unlike other museums, we create spanning opportunities and partnerships that will allow the public to ride behind a unique piece of Southern Pacific heritage.  

4. Opening an online store: Taking the place of soliciting donations alone, because we believe asking for your hard-earned money for a project in progress without return goes against our core values. We want to give back and provide beautifully crafted pieces of merchandise that show our attention to detail, and appreciation for you day to day life. Offering items that you WANT to wear, not just promote our museum. Store opening before July 4th 2026.

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We aren't building "your grandpa's railroad museum." We are an edu-entertainment non-profit that happens to have access to unique rail equipment and strategies. Our future riders, local citizens, and tourists alike come first in our mission. We are building an educational ecosystem from the decades of hard work by men and women who built amazing machines like our premier exhibit, SP 982. " 

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- Micah Rogers, Executive Director & Co-Founder, Texas Railway Preservation Association.