Western & Atlantic Railroad #49 "Texas" is a 4-4-0 "American" type steam locomotive built in 1856 for the Western & Atlantic Railroad by Danforth, Cooke & Co., best known as the principal pursuit engine in the Great Locomotive Chase, chasing the General after the latter was stolen by Union saboteurs in an attempt to ruin the Confederate rail system during the American Civil War.

The Texas was built in October 1856 for the Western & Atlantic Railroad by locomotive manufacturer Danforth, Cooke and Company in Paterson, New Jersey, and subsequently shipped from Paterson to the Port of Savannah, thence delivered via the Georgia Rail Road & Banking Company and Macon & Western Railroad to the W&A headquarters in Atlanta.

At the onset of the Civil War, the locomotive primarily hauled local freight and cargo without any major incident.

The Texas's engineer, Peter Bracken, towed the abandoned General back to Adairsville, Georgia, and then picked up his 12 cars and steamed into Atlanta, well behind schedule, but with good reason.

The engine continued to serve the W&ARR during the Reconstruction era, though under several different stewards as the public railroad was steadily privatized.

[2] In 1870, the W&ARR was leased out, for a period of twenty years, to a group of Georgia investors led by former war-time governor Joseph E. Brown.

[3] By 1903, the engine had briefly returned to service on a branch line serving a corn mill in Emerson, Georgia.

In August 1907, an article in the Atlanta Constitution brought to attention the deteriorated state of the locomotive and its historical significance.

The following year, the engine was moved to Grant Park, though it remained exposed to the elements and funds for its restoration were still lacking.

[6][7][8] The Dalton was sold to the Western & Atlantic after the war, renamed William MacRae, and operated on the W&A until retired in 1890, with its tender salvaged for the Texas when the latter was briefly returned to service in 1900.

The engine's smokestack was replaced with one resembling the balloon design of the Civil War era, its horizontal strap-iron slat cowcatcher was restored, as were the nameplates on the sides of the boiler.

In 1972, the City of Atlanta developed plans to renovate the Cyclorama building, including a complete restoration of the painting as well as an enlarged display area for the Texas.

Around this time, the cities of Marietta, Kennesaw, as well as the Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth, Georgia expressed interest in acquiring the locomotive.

The old balloon stack, cowcatcher, and other removed elements from the 1936 restoration will remain in the history center's collection, and may be exhibited separately.