2012 MCoR Regional Convention Prototype Tours

Gateway to Model Railroading Fun
NMRA MCoR 2012 Convention
May 30 through June 3, 2012

Return to 2012 MCoR Convention Page

Union Pacific Railroad Car Shop DeSoto, Missouri

The present day Union Pacific Railroad Car Shop, located in DeSoto, Missouri, has a rich railroad history. The history of the town didn’t begin until the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway announced plans in 1851 to build a railroad from St. Louis to Iron County. In 1857 a station house was built for the railroad.

DeSoto’s livelihood would become further entwined with the railroad when it agreed to donate land to the railroad and exempt it from taxes on any improvements if the railroad would build and maintain on the land the principal machine shops of their Northern Division. A “car works” department built and repaired passenger and freight cars and the machine shop repaired cars and engines. In addition to the approximately 400 men employed in these works there were about 150 road engineers and firemen who made DeSoto their home. In 1917 the railroad became part of the Missouri Pacific Railroad and later part of the Union Pacific Railroad.

Today, the Union Pacific Car Shop is the town’s largest employer and is the company’s largest shop. The facilities are located on approximately 360 acres in the heart of downtown DeSoto. About 350 people work at the site now. Some 1,200 to 1,600 freight cars per year go through the Car Shop for anything from minor to major repairs, rebuilding, upgrading and repainting.

Multilevel enclosed auto/truck carrier freight cars and container well cars are the most frequent cars going through the Car Shop now. On the container well cars UP owns the rack while TTX owns the body. One line at the Car Shop gets two cars a day. Average time is three to four days for a single car to get through the Shop.

The Arlington Hotel and Restaurant, DeSoto, Missouri

It has taken more than one hundred and thirty years for the Arlington Hotel (first known as the De Soto House, when built circa 1860) to appear again in its magnificent Victorian style. It then was a three-story Hotel that catered to passengers of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern/Missouri Pacific Railroad running past its doors. Now known as the Arlington Bed & Breakfast Inn, this historic hotel is a DeSoto landmark.

Railroad Employees’ Memorial, DeSoto, Missouri

The histories of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern, the Missouri Pacific and the Union Pacific Railroads are incorporated into the memorial. The monument is dedicated to railroad employees—past, present and future. The site is impressive with its unique design, suggesting tracks (walkways) leading to a turntable (bridge walkway) and a roundhouse (small history/picture wall front). Also, a Missouri Pacific Railroad caboose adds a fitting backdrop to the memorial.

Gateway Rail Services Shops
Madison, Illinois

Gateway Rail Services occupies a portion of the former Chicago & North Western’s Madison yard – the southern terminus of the Litchfield and Madison Railway – the original St. Louis Gateway Route. Gateway Rail Services specializes in passenger car repair.

Gateway Rail Services is an active repair and storage facility. While at the shops, we will be allowed to see most of the railcars and any shop areas that are there.

Some areas in the shop have asphalt floors, while other storage tracks are not paved. Please be sure your mobility can accommodate the gravel ballast.

American Model Builders

American Model Builders is a manufacturer of fine HO, N and O scale model railroad laser-cut wood kits under the "LASERkit" brand name. AMB is looked upon as the hobby industry's leader and standard setter in manufacturing laser-cut kits. AMB also builds models and prototypes for architectural, engineering landscapes, topographical military, litigation, sales displays, training prototypes and exhibits. Limited to 20 visitors. Sold Out.