On the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination, we visit his limousine in the Henry Ford Museum

Today is the 50th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy.  Of course, we talk about cars here, not controversy and politics, but there was obviously a car at the center of this incident: that infamous blue 1961 Lincoln SS-100-X limousine convertible.  You may or may not be aware that that car still exists.  It is one of the cornerstone displays at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich.  I’ve been to that museum on a number of occasions, and Kennedy’s limousine shares space with some other very amazing automotive artifacts from throughout history.

Whoo whoo! Talking over the trains at the Parkville Car Cruise

I like the Parkville Car Cruise. Not just because it is close to home, but because it has a nice vibe, and lots of cars show up. The latest edition of this monthly event was Saturday night, and as expected, the nice weather drew in nice cars like a moth to a porch light.

One thing that is not particularly peaceful about this event is the train traffic. The Farmer’s Market parking lot at English Landing Park is right next to a railroad crossing, and a Burlington Northern locomotive seemed to be blasting through there every five minutes. I’m not sure if it’s all that annoying. Maybe it just adds to the charm. But at any rate, the constant rail activity is part of the downtown Parkville experience, whether you like it or not.

Planes, trains, boats, and automobiles. The St. Louis Transportation Museum is rich with fascinating history

Here's a switch. I recently attended a place with a cool car museum, and yet, even I will admit, the best displays at the St. Louis Museum of Transportation weren't necessarily the cars.  As a car-nut, it pains me to say this, but the vintage train collection is one of the most impressive things you'll ever see.  Still, no matter whether your interests include planes, trains, boats, or automobiles, there was something for everyone in this comprehensive gathering of transportation history.

Union Pacific Living Legend 844 steam locomotive stopped at Union Station during Great Excursion Adventure

And now for something completely different.

While it is true that we typically only discuss road-going vehicles here, there is another mode of transportation that touches the Hover household in a big way. My wife’s dad Joe is a retired signal supervisor for the Union Pacific Railroad, and he has every bit as much passion for the railroad as I could ever have for cars. So when we heard that the “Living Legend” 1944 steam locomotive would be passing through our area, we gave him a call and went on an adventure.