Any O-Gauge(or S Scale + Large Scale) to see in St. Louis, MO.?

Classic Toy Trains Forum
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Hi I am visiting St. Louis for the week, and while I meant to ask this a month ago, time does have a way of slipping by, and it did. We are visiting St. Louis for the week, Staying in Fairview Heights, IL. I would like to see any Model RR clubs or Layouts in the area, or any other rail related attractions regardless of scale Z to 1:1 scale. Anything within an hour or so’s drive would be open.

I am all ready planning a trip(or2) to the Transportation Museum, are there any other attractions that I should try to work into the schedule, which at this point has quite a bit of free time, especially Wed-Saturday.

Thank You,

Doug

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Hey Doug, so you are already going to the museum - that’s a nice one! I know that there is an o-gauge club up in South St. Louis, I think - but I’ve never visited it.

There are a couple of stores you might like (well, I do!):

http://www.electrictrainoutlet.com/

or the Hobby Station in Kirkwood, MO:

Hobby Station

301 S Kirkwood Rd
Kirkwood, MO 63122
Phone: (314) 822-1927

This is very near the Kirkwood train station and you can do some railfanning there.

And, you can visit http://www.stlouisunionstation.com/ which is very close to a big train yard. there is a bridge over the yard on 18th street and it has a pedestrian walk on one side only. You can also walk under the via duct on the other side of the VA Regional Office and DEA buildings, down by the AMTRAK station, and check out the yard on that side as well.

Hope you have a great trip!

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Hi Jim,

We are having a GREAT time so far, You live in a BEAUTIFUL city, and there have been so many Friendly people. With all the Greenery, and the river right through the city, it does remind us of Home.

We went to the Transportation Museum on Monday, I didn’t make her endure too much there(by MY definition, if not HER’S[:-^]) but I am going back probably tomorrow to see it better. I didn’t realise that a NYC Mohawk had survived, but they have one there under restoration, which was Great to see/hear, one of the staff figured out what a certifiable Train Nut I am, and took me back to see the Mohawk, it is not open to the public yet. This was my first chance to see a Big Boy in person, and I am glad that I made the trip.

Your Zoo, is Beautiful, we didn’t give ourselves enough time yesterday to see it all, and of course we didn’t miss the Arch. She HAD to go see the Casino Queen, I put $2 in a slot machine (Nickle) and got a 15 free spin, which ended up paying $11, so I quit, it was the FIRST time in my LIFE, that I ever walked out of a Casino AHEAD, maybe not by MUCH, but I left with more than I went in with. We also saw Union Station, and almost went for a swim when our paddle boat started to sink (I guess I better start taking the diet a little more seriously)

I made it to K-10s Trains today, it was just about 10 miles straight up 159, which is just 1/2 mile from our hotel, They had an MTH Santa Fe F-3 A/A set that I will probably be shipping home. I am going back to the transportation Museum tomorrow, I think that I saw the Kirkwood exit out that way Monday, so I will hit Hobby Station on that trip.

[IMG]http://i269.photobucket.com/alb

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Thanks for the great pics, Doug. Looks like the weather was really cooperating…no floods.

Jack

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Hi Jack, (DON’T say that real loud in an airport[swg])

OK, I’m SORRY, I’m sure that you have heard that many times, the weather has been hot and Humid, but everything else has been so great that we barely notice. It has been good for photography, it sure beats RAINING and HUMID, we can get that at Home in Portland any time.

I am planning another trip to the Museum tomorrow, solo this time. I will try to get & post more pics then. For anyone who hasn’'t been to the Transportation Museum in St. Louis, it has an excellent collection. I didn’t get to the automobile building Monday, so no comment or pics on that yet. But, their Railroad collection is IMPRESSIVE to say the least. They also have a Towboat (a Tugboat that is designed to push barges rather than tow on a line behind) and a C-47 airplane. They also have the original Mack Truck that Kris Kristofferson drove in the movie “Convoy”.

K-10’s Trains in Maryville, Il is having an operating session on their Large HO layout tomorrow night so I am going to try to get there to see it, and hopefully will have pics of it as well.

More pics coming soon,

Doug

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Doug, it sure has been HOT, but glad you are having a good time! I’m in training, teaching a class, or I would offer to meet you somewhere tomorrow and go to the museum with you! They do have some cool cars there too, and I also like the airplane and the turntable “bridge” piece out near the boat.

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Doug,

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Hi Jim,

She has convention part of the day Saturday, if you aren’t busy, I went to the museum again today (more pics below) I enjoy it very much. I do seem to attract the staff, though, another Gentleman showed me even more behind the scenes stuff today, their collection really is impressive. It was a great day again, until I tripped walking up the grassy knoll (where’s JFK) to get pics of the C-47, landed hard on my camera, on the grass and now it wont focus, big bummer, so most of these pics are from the still pic mode on my camcorder. I did get out to Hobby Station today, they really do have a good selection in 3-Rail. I bought a couple of prints there, and did go back to see K-10’s layout operate, and did pick-up that MTH Santa Fe War Bonnet A/A set.

Jack,

it sounds like you better either start being VERY NICE to the Wifey, OR avoid going to the airport with her.[(-D]

Click pics to enlarge

Doug

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Some more pics from the Transportation Museum, in St. Louis, MO.

Look Ma, No Cavities!!

Click pics to enlarge

Hope everyone Enjoys these, I had a LOT of Fun getting them,

Doug

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Sorry Doug, just read today - great pics! Mother-in-law is visiting today and I had to work OT this morning from 6 to 2, so sorry it didn’t work out. Sounds like you had a great trip!

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Hi Jim,

It would have been Great to have met a fellow modeler/forum member, but Everbody has obligations, I do appreciate the tip on the Hobby Station. I did make it out there, and I shipped home some prints to frame from them, one of them a real nice one of a Big Boy on the turntable at Ogden, with the Roundhouse, Mountains and an E unit in the background. I also got out to Maplewood today, for the swap meet at the American Legion post. I bought a Like NEW Lionel NYC RS-3 in the Lightning Stripe scheme, that will/should be a gift for my Nephew(it looks so nice that I might keep it for myself)

It was a Great trip, but all good things come to an end, we will be taking off at 6:45am (a bit uncivilized way to end a vacation) Hoping to be back next year, she should find out tonight. Chat with You again soon on the forum,

Doug