National Museum of Transportation near Kirkwood in St. Louis County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Illinois Terminal #1595

— 1928 —

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 22, 2019

1. Illinois Terminal #1595 Marker

Inscription. The Illinois Terminal built 20 Class C elec tric interurban freight locomotives at their Decatur, IL shops, using trucks, traction motors and control equipment from retired passenger cars. These were needed as freight trains became heavier, and are a development of the older Class B locomotive, also on exhibit. It is 52' 5" long and weighs 160,000 lbs. The eight 75 HP traction motors used in its articulated four truck design could produce 1,500 HP for short periods of time. This design used two independent cast steel sub-frames that are each 20' 7" long and 9' 21/2" wide, and are ballasted with scrap steel and concrete. This gives it a (B-B)-(B-B) classification; two unconnected frames, each with twoswiveling trucks, and all axles powered. This design made it very flexible, able to make it very flexible, able to take 35' radius street trackage curves, and spread out all its weight, avoiding the need to replace light rail and existing bridges on the line. These locomotives could operate in multiple with each other as well as Class B locomotives. They ran on 600 volt DC power taken from an overhead wire via trolley poles.

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The columns with locomotive numbers on them at the ends are sandboxes. Sand could be dropped on the rails from them to improve traction. Donated in 1956 by the Illinois Terminal Road.

Erected by Museum of Transportation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1928.

Location. 38° 34.237′ N, 90° 27.793′ W. Marker is near Kirkwood, Missouri, in St. Louis County. It is in National Museum of Transportation. It can be reached from Barrett Station Road east of Old Dougherty Ferry Road, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3015 Barrett Station Road, Saint Louis MO 63122, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater St. Louis.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

in the Corn Belt,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the territory of the

#1595 Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 22, 2019

2. #1595 Marker

Mississippian Culture,

the Louisiana Purchase,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Chicago and Northwestern #274 (here, next to this marker); Amtrak #4916 (a few steps from this marker); MKT #1 (a few steps from this marker); The "Katy Flyer" (a few steps from this marker); Canadian National #5529 (within shouting distance of this marker); Spokane, Portland & Seattle #884 (within shouting distance of this marker); Brooklyn Rapid Transit #1365 (within shouting distance of this marker); U.S. Army Transportation Corps #1149 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kirkwood.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 28, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 215 times since then and 25 times this year. Last updated on June 26, 2026, by Garrett Koch of Saint Louis, Missouri. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 28, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.