There are lots of trains in St. Louis if you have a train fanatic!
1.)Wabash Frisco and Pacific Railroad- They are only open on Sunday. It's $5 per person and kids under 3 are free. This is a 12" gauge steam train that you ride for a 15-minute scenic ride through the woods along the river. Then everyone disembarks, they turn it around, and you ride back. There's a great playground near here also.
2.)St. Louis Live Steamers- FREE- This organization builds large-scale model railroads and gives free rides once a month in Union. It used to be in Eureka but that park flooded them out one too many times so they have found a new location in Union. They have 3 or 4 engines, sometimes it takes a little while to get them all up and running but usually, the wait isn't too bad.
3.)Transportation Museum- Their train is exactly like the zoo train. You must pay general admission and then buy a wristband for $7 per person and that entitles you to unlimited rides for the rest of the day, plus the handcars and trolley. (the trolley is just a tram that takes you to the upper part of the museum grounds. There are lots of large old trains here and you can go in some of them.)
4.)Zooline Railroad- Admission to the zoo is free, but the train costs $8.95 per person and includes all-day on-off privileges. Tickets expire at the end of the day. Children under two are free. Purchase tickets at any of the four stations for a tour of the Zoo. Save with a Safari Pass The Emerson Zooline Railroad offers a 20-minute narrated tour weaving through tunnels and past favorite animal exhibits on a 1½-mile round trip. The railroad operates year-round, weather permitting.
5.)Six Flags Train- We have season passes now that the kids are older and they love this train. It's much bigger than the zoo train. You can sit in the caboose which my kids love. There is also a kiddie train ride in the kiddie area of the park.
6.)Amtrak day trip- We love the Kirkwood Station which has a nice train table in the waiting room as well as crayons and coloring books. My son and hubs took the train to Hermann on the River Runner. They had lunch and came back and my son couldn't stop talking about how he rode on a real train! It wasn't expensive either, it was about $50 for the round-trip tickets. It took an hour and a half each way.
7.)Frisco Train Store- Technically you can't ride any trains here but every little kid I know loves this place. It's full of train tables and is totally free. Please make a donation or buy something to keep this wonderful place in business! They sell loads of trains, train toys, games, and clothing. There are real train tracks running in front of the store and the trains pass by several times a day. They always blow the whistle for the kids, it's quite a treat!
8.)Route 66 Pacific Railfan Center- This is a model train museum. It's small and has limited hours. It's run by a couple of volunteers who live down the street. They aren't there all the time so you should probably call before you make the trek out there.
9.)K-10's Model Trains- This is a hobby shop located in Maryville, IL but once a month kids can operate the model trains (if they're over 48")
10.)Dan's Emerald Forest- This man is a model train enthusiast that built a track that goes in and out of his house. It draws quite a crowd during the holidays. He gives out candy canes and hot chocolate sometimes too! He works during the day so he only runs it at night, check his site for specific dates and times.
11.)Model train shows- There are several that come through St. Louis on a regular basis. The Mississippi Valley N Scalers put on a great show at the Kirkwood Community Center the second weekend in October every year. They fill the whole place up with model train layouts in one gym and vendors selling things in the other gym.
13.)The St. Louis Lionel Railroad Club- This club is located in the city and has several permanent layouts and also some traveling ones. Many train aficionados consider Lionel the best of the best, and this is a museum of sorts to all things Lionel.
The public is welcome to visit when they operate which is:
Mondays, 7-8:30 p.m. Wednesday mornings after 9:00 am until about 11:30 a.m. and Sundays, 1-4 p.m.
14.) Iron Spike Model Train Museum (Washington MO) The hours vary seasonally so check their website for dates and times. This is one of the few interactive model train museums in the country. Admission is $8 per adult and $6 per child. They also have a couple of little train tables that kids can play with.
15.)St. Charles Model Railroad Club- This place is located in Fort Zumwalt Park in O'Fallon, MO and they are only open on the weekends. Their purpose is to "enjoy the hobby of Model Railroading in a group setting and by doing so promote the hobby to the general public."
