CSX Transportation Historical Society

St. Louis MO - Sunday, 08-29-2021

I spent most of this Sunday in St. Louis observing Union Pacific’s “Big Boy” 4-8-8-4 4014 while it was on display to the public. Being in the location of the old St. Louis Union Station there was quite a bit of rail activity to observe.

1. Parked just behind 4014 was Illinois Dept. of Transportation (IDTX) Siemens SC-44 Charger 4622. Gateway Station which serves Amtrak is a short distance to the east, so this is evidently a regular parking spot for these engines used in Chicago-St. Louis Lincoln Service.

2. Former Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis (TRRA) Perry Tower looking west. This huge interlocking plant controlled the wye entrance to the union station which is to the right. St Louis MO.

3. A sad sight. Probably in a list to be demolished. TRRA Perry Tower. View 2. St Louis MO.

4. A topside view of IDTX Siemens Charger 4622 SC-44. St Louis.

5. UP 8643-7802 comes slowly westbound. He will work in the yard. St Louis MO.

6. I don’t know whose yard or tracks these formerly were. I don’t have recent UP employee timetable of this area post the mergers with MP, SSW, C&NW, MKT etc. TRRA owns the main on the far right, so maybe they owned the yard also. UP 8643-7802 St Louis MO.

7. UP 8643-7802 backs through the yard. St Louis MO.

8. Amtrak Lincoln Service No. 301 arrives at Gateway Station at 12:30 PM. St Louis MO.

9. I think No. 301 turned on the wye just to the east and is now backing into the station for a later departure. St Louis MO.

10. UP 7802-8643 mosey through the yard heading east. St Louis MO.

11. Entrance into St. Louis Union Station. It has been reconfigured to hold a number of venues and is well patronized. “Meet me in St. Louis!”

12. One holdover from the past is this signal bridge. St Louis Union Sta.

13. St Louis Union Station.

14. RPCX Former WT SW1 738 on display. I’m not sure who operates this collection. St Louis MO.

15. Part of the iconic signal bridge that crossed in front of the huge train shed. Note the charging spots for electric vehicles. St Louis Union Station.

16. I ate lunch in the complex. On another day I would like to visit the aquarium. St Louis Union Station.

17. East end of the signal bridges. St Louis Union Station.

18. Postcard. St Louis Union Station. Ca. 1909.

19. Postcard. St Louis Union Station. Ca. 1906.

20. Postcard. Note the location of the tower. St Louis Union Station. Ca. 1908.

21. Postcard. St Louis Union Station. Ca. 1909.

22. St Louis Union Station Ca. 1957 This was the place to watch passenger trains in the gateway to the west! MP.

23. St Louis Union Station Ca 1970. Street side of the terminal on the right.

24. UP 1475-1157 with a transfer (??) move slowly eastbound through the yard. St Louis MO.

25. No. 1475 is ex-SP, exx-CSX nee C&O GP40 4085. It is a 1971 GP40 that UP upgraded to a “GP40-2”. UP 1475-1157. St Louis MO.

26. Amtrak No. 303 arrives at 2:43 PM. St Louis MO.

27. Amtrak IDTX 4623 #303 St Louis MO. Busch Stadium in the background.

28. BNSF 9114-9106 slowly move east on TRRA with empty gons. St Louis MO.

29. BNSF 9114-9106 St Louis 70ACe. Both engines are model SD70ACe.

30. BNSF 9114 stops while Amtrak No. 304 departs. St. Louis MO.

31. UP 1157-1475 BNSF 9114 come back west. St Louis MO.

32. UP 1157 is an ex-SSW (Cotton Belt) GP60. UP 1475 GP40-2. St. Louis MO.

33. UP 1157 St Louis GP60 ex-SSW. Those dynamic brake fans were unique in appearance.

34. Amtrak IDTX 4602 arrives. I’m not sure which train this is. TRRA’s MacArthur Bridge is in the background on the right.

35. BNSF gets a clear on the TRRA dwarf. Amtrak IDTX 4602.

36. Lastly an e/b UP coal train rolls by behind UP 8435-6550. These were all UP and CTRN aluminum cars. St Louis MO.

37. TRRA Route map. Click here for a much larger image.

The “Big Boy” event was closing up for the day, thunder storms were in the area, and I decided it was time to head east on I-64 and find a motel.