ST. LOUIS — The National Museum of Transportation was vandalized early Friday morning, Jan. 10, 2025, causing an estimated $20,000 in damage to two historic trolley artifacts. The incident occurred at approximately 6 a.m. on Jan. 10, and involved graffiti being painted on the trolleys, which are integral to the museum's operations during its operating season.

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The National Museum Of Transportation is located at 2933 Barrett Station Road, St. Louis.

National Museum Of Transportation Executive Director Terri McEachern expressed her dismay over the incident, stating, "We are heartbroken by this careless, selfish, and senseless act. Our volunteers work extremely hard to restore these priceless artifacts and return them to operating conditions for our guests to enjoy."

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The trolleys affected are the 1914 St. Louis Waterworks Railway #10 and the 1947 Southern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority #2740. The museum, a non-profit organization, relies on community support for its preservation efforts as it does not receive government funding.

Dr. Darryl Ross, President of the Museum's Board of Directors, emphasized the seriousness of the act, noting, "We take vandalism to our artifacts seriously and will prosecute those who damage our collection to the fullest extent of the law." He also reported that the vandals targeted security cameras on the premises, but indicated that the museum had already captured necessary footage before the damage.

The museum is collaborating with St. Louis County Police, providing them with photographs of individuals entering the property from the Union Pacific mainline and images of the damage inflicted on the artifacts. The museum expressed gratitude for the police's efforts in investigating the incident.

Anyone with information about the vandalism is encouraged to contact St. Louis County Detective Calvin McClain at 314-615-0716. The museum is also seeking donations to aid in the restoration of the damaged artifacts, with contributions accepted through their website.

The National Museum of Transportation is known for its extensive collection of transportation vehicles, which dates back to the mid-1800s. It has recently been nominated as a Best Open Air Museum by USA Today 10 Best Readers' Choice for 2025.

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