Wabash Frisco & Pacific Railroad in Glencoe (Wildwood), Missouri

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Glencoe (Wildwood), Missouri · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Heritage railroad with a museumTrain ridesSundays only, May to October, 10 am to 4 pm

The Wabash Frisco & Pacific is a 12-inch gauge live steam railroad, organized by volunteers in 1939, that carries families on a two-mile round trip along the Meramec River in Glencoe every summer Sunday.

  • Volunteer run since 1939
  • 12-inch gauge live steam
  • In Glencoe since 1961
  • $6 rides, under 4 free on a lap
  • Pets welcome aboard
  • Roundhouse built in 1992

Wabash Frisco & Pacific Railroad at a glance

Hours
Sundays 10 am to 4 pm, May to October; closed November to April
Admission
$6 per person; children 3 and under free on an adult's lap
Train rides
40-minute, two-mile live steam train rides every open Sunday
Plan for
About 1 hour
Best for
Families with young kids and steam fans
Best ages
Ages 1 to 10

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Wabash Frisco & Pacific Railroad? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Glencoe (Wildwood).

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

Eighty-plus years of steam, all of it volunteer powered

The Wabash Frisco & Pacific began in 1939, when a group of railroad enthusiasts got hold of a 12-inch gauge steam locomotive, Engine #171, and the use of a 30-acre estate at the southeast corner of Brown Road and Natural Bridge in north St. Louis County. They organized as a nonprofit and built a railroad that ran like a full-size one: half a mile of track, four steam locomotives, a telegraph, telephones between stations and an electric-pneumatic signal system, with trains governed by timetables and train orders.

Rising land values near Lambert Airport forced the railroad out. Its last run at Brown Road was on July 19, 1959, and the equipment sat in storage for two years while the association hunted for a new home. In 1961 it found one in Glencoe, now part of Wildwood, where volunteers rebuilt the railroad on and beside the recently abandoned Missouri Pacific right-of-way.

Since then the crews have laid more than a mile of new track and put up buildings including a car barn in 1976 and a roundhouse in 1992. They are always rebuilding something, whether locomotives, cars or track. Today the association is raising money to restore that first engine, #171, and to build a Back Shop for major equipment overhauls. Every dollar goes to the locomotives and infrastructure, because no one on the railroad is paid.

Two miles of steam along the Meramec

You check in at the station ticket booth in Glencoe, wait for your named train to be called, and climb aboard small open cars behind a live steam or diesel locomotive. The round trip covers about two miles through the woods and along the Meramec River and takes roughly 40 minutes. The train names, which honor famous passenger trains that once served St. Louis, only mark departure times; every train runs the same route.

The roster is bigger than most visitors expect: more than 14 locomotives, 10 of them steam, and 48 pieces of rolling stock. In-service steam engines include #928, a 4-8-2 Mountain built in 2006, the Hudsons #534 and #535 from the 1950s, Pacific #403 and the 4-4-0 American #180. Diesels include the GP-9 #13 and the ALCO FA-1 #5205, built in the WF&P shop in 1991 by John Delaney. Which engine pulls your train depends on the day.

Don’t miss

  1. Engine #171The 1907 4-4-0 that started the railroad in 1939. It is out of service now, and the association is raising money to restore it.
  2. #928 "Mountain"A 4-8-2 built in 2006, the newest steam locomotive on the roster and one of the engines in regular service.
  3. The Hudsons, #534 and #535A pair of 4-6-4 locomotives from 1955 and 1959, one burning oil and one burning coal.
  4. ALCO FA-1 #5205A diesel built right in the WF&P shop in 1991 by volunteer John Delaney.
  5. Speeder #41A 1945 maintenance of way speeder built at the old Brown Road shops and still in service.

A Sunday morning ride sized for little passengers

This is a classic first steam train ride. The cars are small, the engines puff real steam, and the 40-minute trip through the woods is about right for preschoolers. Children 3 and younger ride free on an adult's lap, and families have been coming for generations, first with their kids and then with grandkids.

Restrooms are in the white building at 101 Grand Ave across from the ticket booth. Well-behaved pets are welcome too, though a pet that takes its own seat needs a ticket. The conductor tells riders when it is safe to get on and off, so keep little ones seated until then.

Plan your visit: tips for Wabash Frisco & Pacific Railroad

  • Tickets go on sale around April 1 and often sell out; the 2026 season sold out.
  • Walk-up tickets are offered each Sunday, first come, first served, to fill cancellations and no-shows.
  • Arrive by the time on your ticket; that is when check-in and boarding begin.
  • Refund or reschedule requests must come at least 48 hours before departure.
  • The phone line is staffed only on operating Sundays; email admin@wfprr.org otherwise.

Crew, shop and ticket booth: all volunteers

The Wabash, Frisco, and Pacific Railroad Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and volunteers have done every job since 1939, from the mechanical shop and train operations to the ticket booth and gift shop. You can join the crew, become an association member, or make a tax-deductible donation toward restoring Engine #171 and building the new Back Shop.

Pair it with these St. Louis rail stops

The National Museum of Transportation is only about 9 miles away and makes a great second stop for Big Boy and the full-size engines. Downtown, the St. Louis Mercantile Library railroad collection is about 20 miles off, and the Union Station historic exhibits about 23. Find more on our list of Missouri train museums.

Every train museum in Missouri

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of a conductor in a blue suit shaking Rally's paw on the train
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

On this little railroad, the conductor is the one who tells riders when it is safe to climb on and off, and every one of them is a volunteer. That makes me think of Mr. Conductor in our book, reaching out a hand to Rally in his blue uniform. Rally needs all the help he can get with those short legs. Families here have ridden for thirty years, kids and then grandkids, which is exactly the kind of story my mom loved.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Work or volunteer at Wabash Frisco & Pacific Railroad?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Wabash Frisco & Pacific: 20 questions families ask

What is the Wabash Frisco & Pacific Railroad?

The Wabash Frisco & Pacific, often called the WF&P, is a 12-inch gauge live steam railroad in Glencoe, part of Wildwood, Missouri. It is run by a volunteer nonprofit founded in 1939 and gives families a two-mile, 40-minute round trip along the Meramec River behind small steam and diesel locomotives.

Where is the Wabash Frisco & Pacific Railway in Wildwood, MO?

The railroad's address is 155 Grand Ave, Glencoe, MO 63038, in the Glencoe area of Wildwood. Restrooms are in the white building at 101 Grand Ave, across from the ticket booth, which is why some directories list that address. All trains leave from and return to the station in Glencoe.

How much are Wabash Frisco & Pacific tickets?

As of October 2026, tickets are $6 per person. Children 3 and younger sitting on an adult's lap do not need a ticket. Pets that need their own seat must have a ticket. Tickets are sold online by date and departure time at wfprr.org.

When do Wabash Frisco & Pacific tickets go on sale?

Tickets go on sale around April 1 each year for the season that runs May through October. They often sell out: the railroad's 2026 season was fully sold out by fall. If your date is gone, check back online, since canceled seats reappear, or try for a walk-up ticket.

Can I buy walk-up tickets at the Wabash Frisco & Pacific?

Yes. Each Sunday the railroad offers walk-up tickets on a first come, first served basis to fill open seats left by last-minute cancellations and no-shows. There is no guarantee of a seat, so arrive early in the day if you are hoping to ride without a reservation.

When is the Wabash Frisco & Pacific open?

As of October 2026, the railroad runs on Sundays only, May through October, from 10 am to 4 pm. It is closed November through April. Trains are scheduled throughout the day under different names, and each one returns in about 40 minutes.

How long is the Wabash Frisco & Pacific train ride?

The ride is a two-mile round trip that lasts about 40 minutes, running through the woods and along the Meramec River. Every train takes the same route. Plan around an hour in total so you have time to check in at the station before your departure.

What do the Wabash Frisco & Pacific train names mean?

The trains are named after historic passenger trains that once served the St. Louis area, plus a few creative spinoffs, as a nod to the days when every passenger train had a name. The only difference between them is departure time. All trains follow the same route.

Is the Wabash Frisco & Pacific a real steam train?

Yes. The locomotives are 12-inch gauge, so they are small, but many are true live steam engines burning coal or oil. The roster lists 10 steam locomotives, including the 4-8-2 #928 and the Hudsons #534 and #535, along with diesels such as the ALCO FA-1 #5205.

Can I bring my dog on the Wabash Frisco & Pacific?

Yes, the railroad is pet friendly, and well-behaved pets are welcome aboard. A pet that needs its own seat must have its own $6 ticket. Keep your pet close, since the cars are small and the trains run outdoors through the woods.

Is the Wabash Frisco & Pacific good for toddlers?

Yes. Children 3 and under ride free on a lap, the trip is a manageable 40 minutes, and families have brought young kids here for decades. Little ones should stay seated until the conductor says it is time to get on or off. Restrooms are near the ticket booth.

Can I cancel or reschedule Wabash Frisco & Pacific tickets?

Refund or reschedule requests must be submitted at least 48 hours before your train departs, and approval is at the railroad's discretion. For extenuating circumstances, email admin@wfprr.org as soon as possible, and a volunteer will help.

When was the Wabash Frisco & Pacific founded?

The railroad was founded in 1939, when enthusiasts acquired 12-inch gauge Engine #171 and began running trains on a 30-acre estate at Brown Road and Natural Bridge. Forced out by land values near Lambert Airport, it made its last run there on July 19, 1959, and reopened in Glencoe in 1961.

What is the history of the Wabash Frisco & Pacific in Glencoe?

After two years in storage, the railroad moved to Glencoe in 1961 and was rebuilt on and along the recently abandoned Missouri Pacific right-of-way. Volunteers have since laid more than a mile of track and added a car barn in 1976 and a roundhouse in 1992.

Are there restrooms at the Wabash Frisco & Pacific?

Yes, when the railroad is open on Sundays from May through October, public restrooms are available in the white building at 101 Grand Ave across from the ticket booth. At other times, the City of Wildwood Parks Department has a public restroom at the Al Foster Trail Head parking lot.

Where can I see Wabash Frisco & Pacific photos and reviews?

The railroad shares photos and videos on its Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages, and its website features rider comments. Families often mention bringing several generations over the years, and first-time riders mention the scenic stretch through the woods and along the river.

How do I join the Wabash Frisco & Pacific Railroad Association?

The association welcomes new members and volunteers. Volunteers work in the mechanical departments, train operations, the ticket booth and the gift shop. Use the Join Our Crew link at wfprr.org or email admin@wfprr.org to ask about getting started.

How can I donate to the Wabash Frisco & Pacific?

The railroad is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so donations are tax deductible, and because it is all-volunteer, every dollar goes to its mission. Current goals are restoring the original 1907 Engine #171 and building a Back Shop for major rebuilds. Donate through wfprr.org.

How do I contact the Wabash Frisco & Pacific?

Call (636) 587-3538, but note the line is only active on operating Sundays from May to October, 10 am to 4 pm. The rest of the time, email admin@wfprr.org or use the contact form at wfprr.org, and a volunteer will reply as soon as possible.

What train museums are near the Wabash Frisco & Pacific?

The National Museum of Transportation is about 9 miles away and has full-size locomotives including a Big Boy. The St. Louis Mercantile Library railroad collection is about 20 miles off, and the St. Louis Union Station historic exhibits are about 23 miles away.

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