Last Update: Wed, 16 May 2007

Terminal Railroad Association
of St. Louis
Historical and Technical Society, Inc.

Formed in 1889, The Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis quickly became the largest freight and passenger terminal operation in the world. With St. Louis Union Station as its crown jewel, the TRRA also owned the Merchants and Eads rail bridges and, since 1990, has also owned the MacArthur Bridge.
Our organization focuses on St. Louis' rail history, the Terminal Railroad and St. Louis Union Station. Past issues of our slick paper magazine have detailed the history of WR Tower, cabooses on the TRRA, the Baldwin diesel fleet, and the Alton rail bridge, as well as the private rail car Adolphus and the visit of Queen Marie of Romania to St. Louis. Regular features and columns in the magazine include "St. Louis Union Station News", "Yard Report", and "Notes from a TRRA Time Card".
In addition to the magazine, an annual or bi-annual membership meeting is held, usually in St. Louis Union Station.

St. Louis Union Station, opened September 15, 1894.

Membership

Each membership includes a calendar, four magazines and an invitation to the annual or bi-annual membership meeting (there is normally an extra charge to attend the meeting, to cover the cost of the hall rental and refreshments). All memberships are from January 1 to December 31 of each year. Membership rates are $25 Regular, $45 Sustaining/Foreign, $100 Contributing, $350 Life, and $1000 Corporate. Your membership guarantees you the best of St. Louis railroading!
To join, fill in this form, print it out and mail it to us with your membership payment.

One of the more challenging aspects of the Terminal Railroad was the UD Bridge which spanned the site of the old Union Depot. In this April 28, 1940 view, the Pennsylvania Railroad's NO. 33, the St. Louisan, descends the approach. MetroLink trains now travel upon this right of way. (Print from the William A. Rain Collection)

Society Officers

      President: Randy Zbaren
                 18691 Maries Road 542
                 Rolla, MO  65401

      Vice-President: Robert Bretch
                      101 Fine Way2 Alameda Place
                      Alma, AR  72921

      Vice-President Legal Services: Vince York
                                     1124 St. Croix Court
                                     Kirkwood, MO  63122

      Secretary/Treasurer: Larry Thomas
                           P.O. Box 1688
                           St. Louis, MO  63188-1688

      Editor: Larry Thomas
              TRRA H&TS
              4482 Lindell Boulevard #302
              St. Louis, MO  63108-2444

      Copy Editor: J.A. Chenault, Jr.

Alton RR Ann Rutledge on elevated tracks

The summer of 1946 and Alton Railroad No. 18, the Ann Rutledge for Chicago, heads north on the elevated tracks of the Terminal Railroad's Merchants Division. The next stop is Washington Avenue at 4:38pm. This segment of the elevated is long gone as is the auto traffic on the Municipal Bridge. Even though the Alton/GM&O merger is almost a year away the GM&O, for all practical purposes, was in charge of Alton operatons. (Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad publicity photo, from Steve Parsons Collection)