Train Stuff!

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 $4 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- TEMP CLOSED WHILE THEY BUILD THEIR NEW TRACKS  FREE- This organization builds large-scale model railroads and gives free rides once a month in Kircher park in Eureka. Well, 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 said it will take about a year to get it all set up and running.   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 $6 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 $7.95 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. 

12.)Big Bend Railway Club- On the first Tues of every month from 7 to 8:30 you can go and watch the model train here. The club is located in an old train station in Webster, and they have a unique 2 rail O scale layout.

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."

Museum of Transportation, Kirkwood

Location: 3015 Barrett Station Road, Kirkwood, MO 63122

Amenities: creation station play room, miniature train, handcars, antique train cars and engines, antique boat, planes, cars, gift shop, and cafe.

Website: http://transportmuseumassociation.org/

The Museum of Transportation has something for all age groups. Toddlers and preschoolers will love the Creation Station Learn and Play room. It has wooden train tables to play with, a kitchen area, puppets, blocks, dress up, crafts, puzzles and tons of transportation themed toys. You get an hour of play and it is VERY popular so get there early! They will not sell tickets to anyone who isn't physically there and I've been turned away many times because they were full.

The miniature train and Handcar Village are sure to be favorites for everyone in the family. The train makes 2 loops passed old trains waiting for renovation, over a bridge, and by a pond and airplane. Be sure to count the dog bones you see! The engineer will explain who Owney is and his significance to the American mail system. Handcar Village opened in 2015. Kids can go 2 at a time and anyone under 53" can ride.

When you first enter there is a model train in the lobby and various antique vehicles that change periodically.

 Also in this building is Creation Station, the cafe, and the gift shop.

Barrett's Landing Cafe:
They do not allow outside food in the cafe, but they sell a nice variety of snacks and drinks and if you bring your own food you can eat it outside. They also have a train table here and some old airplane seats.

 If you need any kind of transportation themed gift or toy this is a great place to shop. They have this wall in the cafe in addition to the gift shop.

Creation Station:

Dress up area

They have a craft at every session. This time it was making an ice cream truck

When you exit this building you'll come upon the train and the handcar area, or you can venture up the hill to the antique train and car area. The building that houses the antique cars is air conditioned which is refreshing after the uphill walk on a hot summer day.

Miniature Train Ride:

Don't forget to look for the dog bones when you ride! 

Handcars:

Antique Trains:

Preschoolers and school-aged children will enjoy seeing the antique train cars and engines up close, and even going inside some of them - like a tanker car and sleeping cars (my favorite is the snow plow engine!). You can push a stroller thru the park, but you can't go inside the trains with a stroller, and in many places you must walk out of your way to get to ramps. I pushed an umbrella stroller which kept getting stuck when going over the train tracks, so if you do decide to push a stroller, pick a more substantial one to make getting around easier.

You can now ride this Amtrak looking car. They are working on expanding the track also. They've made significant progress since last year. It's not air conditioned but my kids always enjoy the ride. Volunteers talk about the history of the car and the museum while you ride.

 Inside the car

Ringing the bell!

If you have a little train lover check out these other train activities!