Founded in 1944,[1] it restores, preserves, and displays a wide variety of vehicles spanning 15 decades of American history: cars, boats, aircraft, and in particular, locomotives and railroad equipment from around the United States.

After the museum acquired SLPS #1743 from the San Francisco Municipal Railway, a group of volunteers installed approximately 1,000 feet of overhead wire above a section of the former Union Pacific mainline near the Abbott Building, allowing restored historical trolleys to operate[3].

In 1998, PTC #2740 was fully restored by Museum of Transportation Trolley Volunteers(MTTV) and added to the operating fleet, while #1743 was placed in storage.[4].

Although the project was initially intended to be cosmetic, the group decided to undertake a full operational rebuild due to the trolley’s relatively good condition despite decades of inactivity.[6].

Around the same time, a high-level platform was built in front of the Roberts Pavilion to accommodate the newly acquired CTA rapid transit car #44 for passenger loading and unloading.

Among its railroad items are:[16] The Earl C. Lindburg Automotive Center contains 25 vehicles,[18] including: On display are a Missouri River towboat and two airplanes: a C-47 Skytrain at the main gate and a T-33 Shooting Star.