Photo by Nate Beal, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
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About National Museum of Transport
At the National Museum of Transportation in Kirkwood, Missouri, a historic trolley glides along a 1,000‑foot overhead‑wired loop that circles the parking area, linking the Roberts Pavilion to the Lindburg Automobile Center. The museum’s active rail spur connects to Union Pacific’s main line, allowing massive pieces such as the Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4006—the largest steam locomotive in the collection—to be displayed alongside dozens of locomotives, cars and aircraft.
History
The National Museum of Transportation opens in 1944 as a private, 42‑acre museum in Kirkwood, Missouri, dedicated to preserving vehicles from the late 1800s onward. Its property incorporates West Barretts Tunnel, constructed in 1853 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, making it one of the first tunnels west of the Mississippi River. The museum’s rail connection originates from a spur that once served the Missouri Pacific Railroad and, after the 1990s transition of that line to Union Pacific Railroad, enables the acquisition of large railroad artifacts. A demonstration trolley line begins operation in the 1990s after the museum acquires San Francisco Municipal Railway car SLPS #1743, and a loop is added in 2003 to improve service. The trolley line is renamed the Neil F. Norkaitis Demonstration Trolley Line in 2024, marking the most recent milestone in the museum’s ongoing development.
The Trains
The museum’s rail collection includes Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4006, the largest steam locomotive in the holdings; Norfolk & Western Y6a 2‑8‑8‑2 No. 2156, the second‑largest steam engine; Union Pacific Centennial No. 6944; Southern Pacific “War Baby” GS‑6 No. 4460; the sole surviving Milwaukee Road EP‑2 Bi‑Polar Electric; EMD FT No. 103, the first F‑unit built; and the PRR GG‑1 electric No. 4918, among dozens of other locomotives, trolleys and rolling stock such as the 1908 Galloway Express truck, a C‑47 Skytrain, a T‑33 Shooting Star and the first‑production F/A‑18 Super Hornet E1. A dedicated railway spur links the museum’s yard to the active Union Pacific main line that formerly belonged to the Missouri Pacific Railroad, allowing the museum to receive large and unusual pieces; a miniature railroad runs a loop of track near the parking lot, and the Neil F. Norkaitis Demonstration Trolley Line operates on about 1,000 feet of overhead‑wired track that runs from the Roberts Pavilion to the former Union Pacific mainline.
Nearby
Missouri's National Museum of Transport sits about 14 mi from St. Louis Union Station, an easy two-stop rail day.
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