Take us home
TSR gift shop prices cut 30%
BY LELAND ACKER
In an effort to keep visitors visiting the state railroad, and to keep staff busy, the Texas State Railroad gift shop is marking down prices 30 percent, said Janet Roach, manager of the gift shop.

These teddy bears are among the items Texas State Railroad visitors can purchase at a discount. Gift shop manager Janet Roach said the sale is to encourage visitors to come to the gift shop and interact with TSR staff. Prices are marked down 30 percent.

"We still have staff here," Mrs. Roach said. "We want to give them something to do. We miss our customers."

The gift shop was having a great year leading into the flooding that washed out more than 60 feet of track and forced the trains to stop running. Mrs. Roach said the gift shop had sold $389,429.42 as of the end of June, but since has sold close to $16,000.

"Normally, we would have sold $70,000 (in the month of July)," she said.

Mrs. Roach said the gift shop still has a lot of merchandise. Items the gift shop sells include coffee mugs, shirts, Thomas the Tank engine toys, souvenirs, books and jewelry.

Thomas the Tank posters and jacks-in-the-box are a few of the items which are marked down 30 percent at the Texas State Railroad gift shop. The TSR will transfer to American Heritage Railway on Sept. 1.

The gift shop is closed Tuesday and Wednesday, but is open Friday through Monday. Mrs. Roach said visitors to the state railroad are able to take shop tours.

"I attended one with my grandson," she said. "The kids put on hard hats."

She said John Garbutt gave the tours under the persona of "Sir Topham Hatt."

"John's knowledge is so thorough," she said.

"He told them details about the locomotives I haven't heard, and I've been here for 29 years. I enjoyed it, I'm proud of Sir Topham Hatt."

Mrs. Roach said the gift shop sale is motivated by a desire for customer interaction.

"These are sad times for us. We miss our customers and want them to spend time with us."

For more information, call the TSR at (903) 683-2561 and ask for the gift shop.