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Missouri Train Rides and Excursion Trains

Even though the state features very nice scenery, as its home to the Ozark Mountains, Missouri train rides are hard to find as there are just a few currently in operation; the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad, Belton, Grandview & Kansas City Railroad, and Branson Scenic Railway. The latter is certainly Missouri's most popular, hosted by a shortline railroad and operating through the aforementioned Ozarks. The other two tourist lines are smaller operations although the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern is the only one in the state where visitors can catch a ride behind an operable steam locomotive. Despite there being just a few Missouri train rides the state is home to several railroad museums. To learn more about these please click here.

Missouri has a fascinating history with railroads, which is why its a bit surprising, coupled with the state's beautiful topography, that more excursion trains are not located there. As mentioned above, the Branson Scenic Railway has the most to offer visitors. They not only feature trips that cover several hours and around 40 miles but also offer elegant accommodations in climate-controlled, streamlined passenger cars. More information about the railroad can be found below but I would certainly recommend it as the first one to visit if you are wanting to ride one of state's tourist lines. To learn more about Missouri train rides please read over the information below, which highlights each in a little more detail.

Missouri Train Rides and Excursion Trains

Belton, Grandview & Kansas City Railroad

The Belton, Grandview & Kansas City Railroad based in Belton, Missouri offers a 5-mile excursion ride on former St. Louis-San Francisco (Frisco) trackage. The railroad operates several seasonal specials throughout the year and also offers cab rides. For for information about riding the train please click here.

Branson Scenic Railway

The Branson Scenic Railway is a tourist line operated in conjunction with the shortline Missouri & Northern Arkansas Railroad between Galena and Self, Missouri (train departures are from Branson). Depending on which line the railroad takes roundtrips are usually 40 miles in length and last nearly two hours, and while you might not think so, because the railroad operates through Missouri's Ozark mountains the line passes through and over several tunnels and bridges. Overall the railroad is quite scenic and well worth the trip through a region sometimes forgotten for its beauty and ruggedness due to its location in the Midwest. For for information about riding the train please click here.

St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad

The St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad based in Jackson offers a ten-mile excursion through the rolling, open countryside of southeastern Missouri. The railroad normally uses an ex-PRR E8 for power but also has a 2-4-2 steam locomotive on hand which is currently being overhauled. For for information about riding the train please click here.

Please Click Here To Return To The Main Tourist Railroads Section

To learn more about the history of Missouri's railroads please click here. Also, for more information about Missouri train rides you might want to consider the book Tourist Trains Guidebook, which is put together by the editors of Kalmbach Publishing's Trains magazine. The guide below is the latest, released in just April, 2011 that now includes more than 470 museums and tourist trains (it also lists all of Alabama's rail museums). In any event, if you're interested in perhaps purchasing this book please visit the link below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.

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