Narrow-Gauge Trains Offer Rides on Weekends

Area residents have two choices for small-gauge train operations, thanks to a small army of dedicated train enthusiasts. The Wabash, Frisco and Pacific Railroad is located at 109 Grand Ave. in Wildwood. This charming setting is situated in the old village of Glencoe, which is located just off Old State Road in southern Wildwood.

The W F & P organization was originally formed in 1939, and was first located in St. Louis. In 1961, they moved to Wildwood. The train is open for operation every Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., from May through October, rain or shine. Trains leave approximately every 20 minutes. Tickets are $4, and money raised by ticket sales helps to maintain the track, rolling stock and buildings at the site.

The 12-inch gauge track covers a 2-mile loop that takes about 30 minutes to complete, traveling along the scenic Meramec River next to the Al Foster Trail. In some sections the track is situated on the old Missouri Pacific railroad bed, so it is fitting that the small gauge train now uses the same land. The tracks were removed in the 1970s and the area was developed into the Al Foster Trail. This is a memorable trip, because it runs through woodlands and alongside the towering limestone palisades, or bluffs, along the river.

The Dunman family of Eureka made their first visit to the W F & P recently. Brandon Dunman is a local volunteer for Operation Home Front, an organization that helps wounded veterans.

"This railroad is one of our partners," said Dunman. "They give free rides to veterans with a military ID."

Kimberly Dunman noted that the family was celebrating their son's birthday. "Alistair's favorite movie is 'The Little Train That Could' and he loves trains, so we decided to make this a train weekend in honor of his birthday. We went to the Museum of Transportation yesterday, and we're finishing up the weekend with a ride on the W F & P." 

Eureka resident Mike Lorrance volunteers at the W F & P regularly. "I used to live on Old State Road, and I could hear this railroad every weekend. I got interested and decided to help out," he said. "Of course one of the main reasons we do this is for the little ones. It's so much fun to see how much they enjoy it."

The St. Louis Live Steamers is another fine option for train rides. Currently, there are 54 members of this group, coming from all over the St. Louis area. Unlike the W F & P, Steamers own their own equipment and bring the railroad locomotives and cars on the six operating days they have each year.

The Steamers formerly were located at the Museum of Transportation in Des Peres, but they were offered a site at by Eureka's parks and recreation department. In August of 2005 they begin their track construction, doing all the work themselves. Every Saturday, the crews continue to upgrade the property, which had been a trailer park until it was flooded in 1983. They have brought in over 600 tons of gravel to the level of the track.

Members of the group have built an ingenious series of lifts and a transfer system that can handle locomotives up to 14 feet in length. This allows the crews to unload heavy equipment, including locomotives weighing up to 1500 pounds from vans, trucks and trailers onto the track.

The next operating day is on Sept. 10, during the annual Eureka Days celebration. They will be giving free rides on their steam and diesel trains from 11 a.m until 4:00 p.m.

If one misses the Sept. 10 event, they also will be operating for the last time of the season on Oct. 1. Rides are always free, but they happily accept free-will donations.

The St. Louis Steamers can be found in Kircher Park, located just south of Interstate 44 at the Williams Road exit.

Editor's Note:  For more information about the W F & P, visit their website at www.wfprr.com or call 636-587-3538.

To learn more about the St. Louis Live Steamers, visit their website at stlouislivesteamers.org