I meant to ask this a month ago, then time slipped by, and here I am visiting St. Louis for the week, anyone recommend any clubs to visit here? I am a memeber of a large HO club(The Columbia Gorge Model Railroad Club) in Portland, OR. While the club that I am a member of is HO, I also model 3-rail O-Gauge at home, and would also be interested in seeing N, or any other scales, they are all FUN. We are staying in Fairview Heights in Illinois, and anything within roughly an hour or so’s drive would be open.
I do also plan on seeing the Transportation Museum while we are here, any other rail attractions, both model and full size suggestions would be Welcome.
Thank You,
Doug
For visitors to St. Louis, my grandson and I highly recommend K-10’s Model Trains in Maryville, IL, also very close to Fairview Heights. Huge layout, compact but “packed” hobby shop, and prototypical operations per schedule posted on website http://www.k-10smodeltrains.com. Should have info about local clubs in area. Although I live in Ohio, my grandson lives in Troy, near Maryville, and we visit K-10’s frequently.
Doug,
from Fairview Heights you are just a few miles south of Maryville, IL. In Maryville you will find K-10 model trains. http://www.k-10smodeltrains.com/ It is well worth a visit as it has a 4000 sq ft layout. Check the Ops Schedule page as this will indicate when the hobby shop is running. The layout is always open for viewing when the store is open. If you do stop by, tell Ken that Simon suggested you visit. The hobby shop has really good prices as well. Generally 20% off Walthers list.
On July 19th there is a Summer Train O Rama at the American Legion Post over in Maplewood MO. (3212 Sutton Blvd) It runs from 9-3 I don’t have any other details
Have a fun trip.
Simon
Hey Dave, looks like we are on the same wavelength! I happen to live in Troy as well!
Hi Guys,
I can’t get the K-10 link to work, but I will look them up, and check them out. I am also really looking forward to the Transportation Museum, I’m a 42 year old Union Pacific Fan, and I have never seen a Big Boy in person, they also have a DDA40X Centennial Diesel, which I have seen the 3936 from a distance, seeing one up close will be a real treat too. I hear that they have a very nice collection all the way around. I’m from Portland, OR and the Zoo-Liner at our Zoo is a 30" gauge replica of the AeroTrain, so that is another piece that I am anxious to see.
Thanks Again for the Info,
Doug
Doug the link was working when I cut and paste it for you so there must be a server problem right now. I am sure it will be back up at some point. The museum of transportation is really very well maintained and run. We try and visit every few months or so. If you are with any younger kids on this trip (Thomas the Tank wooden train age) then when you are over on the west side of St. Louis at the museum head to Valley Park to visit the Whittle Short Line RR
http://www.woodentrain.com/contactus.aspx the kids will love it.
Hi Dave and Simon,
I made it to K-10s Trains Today, I am going back tomorrow as it is an operating night[tup], but there very well may be an MTH F-3 A/A Santa Fe War Bonnet set (O 3-Rail) getting shipped home from there[:-^]. The place could be VERY DANGEROUS to my budget/credit card balance, resist, self control, resist, self control, resist, self control or is it going to be RESIST SELF CONTROL?[swg]
The Transportation Museum was Great, FINALLY got to see a Big Boy in person(one OTHER than the one in the MIRROR) I didn’t know that any NYC Mohawks survived, much less that the Museum had one. It is being restored right now, and not open to the public yet, but talking to one of the staff there, he realised that I am a CERTIFIABLE TRAIN NUT, and he took me back to see it. We stayed at the Museum as long as I thought that she could tolerate, so I am going back tomorrow by myself, while she is at her convention. I have heard of Hobby Station in Kirkwood, so I will be checking it out tomorrow also.
We have had a Wonderful time in St Louis so far, it has been a very Beautiful and Friendly City to visit, our week will be over before we are ready for it to be. Your Zoo is Great, BTW, but we didn’t give ourselves enough time to see it.
Here are some pics from the Museum.
Doug, I am really glad that you are having a great time and that K10 and the Museum have met your expectations. We are really rather lucky to have a hobby shop like K10 so close by. For such a small retail outlet, Ken sure manages to pack a lot into the place. My youngest son has a baseball game tomorrow night otherwise I would pop over and say hello.
Enjoy the rest of your stay.
Hello Doug, I’m from a town about 45min drive west of St Louis, so I go to the Hobby Station from time to time. There HO selection is OK,but there Lionel and American Flyer selection is quite good.They also have a nice selection of paints,adhesives,scratchbuilding stuff etc,etc. In fact, I was there today. If you had the time to drive a little farther west, there is a large scale(like ride on it) railroad called the Frisco and Wabash. It is quite amazing with a roundhouse,watertower,turntable etc. Also, there is Mark Twain Hobby in St Charles. Enjoy you stay.
I havn’t made it over to the museum in a couple of years, but do they still the cabs of the
DDA40X, Big Boy and ATSF Texas open to climb into and explore.
seeing the world out the front window from the engineers seat of the big boy is a whole new experience.
I think you would really like the Train Haus out in Warrenton also, Huge trains only shop, but it’s a little too far from the East side (about an hours drive), with todays daily gas price muggings.
The cab of the Big Boy had steps up to it, and all kinds of signs in the cab explaining the different controls. The DDA40X did not have any steps, one of the access ladders wasn’t barricaded, but on the far side there was a sign saying it was to be restored soon, so I assume that it was not meant to be open to the public, but rather accessible for restoration work. The Santa Fe Steamer I believe was open, but it was not one that I went through as my girlfriend was being very understanding, but reaching her limit, and I had planned on a day to myself at the Museum while she was at her convention.
Doug
Hi Simon,
Yes K-10’s is a Nice shop, but Ken was resting when I was there, so I haven’t met him Yet, Hopefully Tomorrow, That MTH War Bonnet set is still calling to Me, and I would really enjoy seeing their layout operating, so I am planning on going back. It would be Fun to meet another forum member so far from home, but I understand about your son’s game, I Hope his team WINS, but I’m not sure which team we will be cheering for at Friday Nights Cardinals/Padres game. Our home town minor league team The Portland Beavers is the Padre’s farm team, and my girlfriend’s son works for the Beavers and even knows 14 of the Padres personally. I Hope that the People of St. Louis are still as Friendly to Us AFTER the game as they have been so far[(-D].
Hopefully her convention will be back here again next year, as there is still so much that I would like to see and do yet, St. Louis is a town that I would like to visit again in the future,
Doug
Doug, nothing to worry about at the ball park. The Cardinals crowd is great. You are almost certain to find folks just chatting with you and being genuinely interested in what brings you to town. Too bad the Padres let Jimmy Edmonds go as you would have got to see him get a standing O when he came to the plate. The Cards fans even gave him one last week when he came to the plate in a dreaded Cubs uniform!
Hi Simon and Dave,
I met Ken, out at K-1o’s this evening, He is a very Nice person, and has even visited our club in Portland several years ago. I also met Ben, and some others whose names I didn’t get. I got to see some action on their layout, but it was a light turnout. That was not too surprising though, during the summer we get a lot less turnout at our own club also. That Santa Fe F-3 War Bonnet A/A set will be getting a new home in Portland, OR. I resisted self control.
Here are some more pics to share from the Transportation Museum,
Click pics to enlarge
Doug
Some more pics from the Transportation Museum in St. Louis, MO.
Look Mom, No Cavities!!!
Click pics to enlarge
I Hope that everyone enjoys these, as much as I enjoyed getting them,
Doug
Great photos Doug. My particular favorite exhibit is the Silver Charger.
Hi Simon,
My Favorite display would be the Big Boy, with the AeroTrain being a close second. Did You know that the C-47 was FLOWN into the Museum?
Doug
Doug, did you have a nice time at the ball park? It does not look like the Cards have been terribly welcoming to the Padres!
Hi Simon,
Well aside from the scoreboard malfunctioning[(-D], we had a great time at the game. My Girlfriend’s son works for the Portland Beavers, which is the Padre’s farm team, Kyle knows 14 of the Padre’s personally, and Nick Hundley arranged for two tickets to be waiting for us at the box office, section 158, row 7, right off third base behind the visitor’s dugout, they were awsome seats, just that scoreboard malfunction kept the game from being perfect.
I was afraid that if we cheered too loud for the Padre’s some one might help us out of Busch Stadium OVER the wall, rather than through the gates, but many just smiled and said, as long as it’s not the CUB"S that you are cheering for, we will forgive you.
The whole trip has been wonderful, we are Hoping to be back next year, we still have a lot to see and do. St. Louis is a Classy Town, maybe we will meet You next Year,
Doug