National Museum of Transportation near Kirkwood in St. Louis County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Spokane, Portland & Seattle #884
| | 1954 | |
The Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway was jointly owned by the Northern Pacific and the Great Northern Railways. This caboose was built by the Northern Pacific Railway at its Brainerd, MN shops, and is equipped with an oil-fired heater and axle-driven electrical system.
Cabooses were the home away from home for the crew and also served as the office of the conductor, who is in charge of each freight train.
The cupola atop the car was the "watch tower" of the train. When it was in operation the conductor or brakeman sat in the cupola watching to see that the train was running satisfactorily. Cabooses are no longer used in modern train service, having been replaced by End of Train (EOT) devices. The conductor's office is now in the locomotive cab.
After the Burlington Northern merger #884 became #11436 and was donated in 1983 by the Burlington Northern Railroad.
Erected by National Museum of Transportation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1983.
Location. 38° 34.255′ N, 90° 27.802′ 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
this page online
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 Mississippian Culture, the Louisiana Purchase, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: U.S. Army Transportation Corps #1149 (here, next to this marker); Georgia Railroad #724 (a few steps from this marker); Missouri Pacific #13889 (a few steps from this marker); City of St. Louis Water Division #1 (a few steps from this marker); General American Pfaulder Corporation Milk Car #1057 (a few steps from this marker); What Does "Bi-Polar" Mean? (a few steps from this marker); MKT #1 (within shouting distance of this marker); Narrow Gauge (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kirkwood.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 1, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 28, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 241 times since then and 22 times this year. Last updated on June 30, 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.
