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The museum of Transport acquired its twentieth steam locomotive yesterday, giving it what is believed to be the largest single collection of retired railroad locomotives in the world, and a spokesman reported plans to develop a diesel engine exhibit to add to the impressive array of busses, cable cars, trolley cars and other transportation equipment already on display.
Arthur K. Atkinson, president of Wabash Railroad and chairman of the board of the museum, said yesterday's acquisition of a Hudson-type engine from the Nickel Plate Road almost completes the line of steam locomotives.
The museum, on Barrett Station road in St. Louis county, will try to obtain three or four more steam engines to give it an exhibit representative of all the main types of steam locomotives since 1873, he explained.
Efforts are now being made to get the first diesel locomotive the country, owned by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, Atkinson said. "By the time we complete the line of diesels, it might be time to start acquiring the first of the atom-powered engines," he remarked.
The museum's most recent acquisition, a 268-ton engine with six driver wheels and an extra large firebox, was built in 1927. It has traveled about 2,000,000 miles and was forced into retirement last August by sleek and silent diesels.
Museum directors are planning an ambitious five-year expansion program at the 54-acre site to keep facilities in pace with acquisitions.
Included in the plans is a proposal to put the locomotives in buildings where they will withstand better the ravages of time and weather. The engines are now outdoors and require repainting about every two years. The 1200 feet of track in use is quickly becoming inadequate and five new tracks, each 300 feet long, are planned. About 70,000 persons visit the museum annually.