Near Kirkwood in St. Louis County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Monsanto Universal Training Car #3210
"Train of Thought"
| | Converted baggage car | |
Photographed by Garrett Koch, November 14, 2025
1. Monsanto Universal Training Car #3210 Marker
Before it was known as the Train of Thought, this car enjoyed a long and storied history. Built in 1920 by the Pullman Company, it was designed as a combination baggage and passenger car. It has been converted three times, first in 1951 when the Texas & Pacific Railroad redesigned the car for use as an instruction car. During this conversion, most of the original windows were removed. In 1962, the Monsanto Company purchased the car and had it remodeled by the St. Louis Car Company. For the next nine years, the #3210 traveled between Monsanto's chemical plant locations, where the car was a training space for plant instrument engineers and mechanics.
After it was donated to the Museum, the car was transformed once again. The #3210 has been converted into a classroom where students explore railroad and transportation history. The interior of the car is open for young learners attending field trips at the Museum.
Builder: Pullman Company
Year Built: 1920
Donated By: Monsanto Company (1971)
Erected by National Museum of Transportation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work
this page online
Location. 38° 34.316′ N, 90° 27.695′ W. Marker is near Kirkwood, Missouri, in St. Louis County. It can be reached from Barrett Station Road 0.2 miles east of Ozark Drive, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2933 Barrett Station Rd, 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 Mississippian Culture, the Louisiana Purchase, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: St. Louis Southwestern Maintenance of Way #95589 (a few steps from this marker); Erie-Lackawanna #3607 (within shouting distance of this marker); New York Central #2933 (within shouting distance of this marker); Union Pacific #6944 (within shouting distance of this marker); Union Pacific "Big Boy" #4006 (within shouting distance of this marker); Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe #5011 (within shouting distance of this marker); Boston & Providence "Daniel Nason" (within shouting distance of this marker); Delaware, Lackawanna & Western #952 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kirkwood.
More about this marker. Marker is located in the southeast section of the National Museum of Transportation grounds amidst many other train artifacts.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 15, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 2, 2026, by Garrett Koch of Saint Louis, Missouri. This page has been viewed 8 times since then. Photo 1. submitted on July 2, 2026, by Garrett Koch of Saint Louis, Missouri. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
