Umetnikova ljubezen je železnica, zlasti pa upodabljanje nekdaj tako mogočnih in fascinantnih strojev - parnih lokomotiv. Stane Kumar je združil svoje življenje z železnico že v rosni mladosti, ko je še kot droben deček občudoval in tudi že poskušal upodobiti živahno dogajanje v železniški kurilnici Sv. Andreja v Trstu, kjer je takrat bivala njegova družina. Od takrat se umetnik kljub svojemu razgibanemu življenju nikoli več ni ločil od železniške tematike, marveč jo je, nasprotno, vedno pojmoval kot enega najpomembnejših segmentov, organski del svoje ne samo umetniške, marveč tudi širše življenjske poti.

Bil je nosilec zamisli o slovenskem železniškem muzeju in je v šestdesetih letih vodil zbiranje najvažnejših historičnih vozil za njegovo zbirko. Železniški muzej Slovenskih železnic gradi na njegovi zapuščini.

The small art gallery is dedicated to the painter Stane Kumar (1910-1997). A graduate of the Zagreb Academy of Fine Arts, he has without doubt been one of the most innovative contributors to the art scene. His work is distinctive, not just for its style, but, even more, for its subject matter, which is unusual for painting and for the wider world of art in general.

Stane Kumar’s love was railways, and especially the depiction of steam locomotives, machines formerly so mighty and fascinating. The great artist’s involvement with railways began early, when, as but a small boy, he was captivated by, and promptly began to sketch, the busy life of the locomotive depot at St Andrea in his home town of Trieste. In all that followed, he never departed from his focus on the railway. On the contrary, it was for him, not merely one of the most significant roots of his artistic activity, but the organic centre of his life itself.

His was the idea that gave birth to the Railway Museum. He it was in the 1960s who promoted the collection for it of the most important historic railway vehicles. It is on his legacy that the Railway Museum builds.