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Happy Holiday Railway Now Running Start a new family tradition this year and take a magical train ride with Santa at the Illinois Railway Museum! Tickets are now on sale and trips are selling out quickly, so make sure to reserve your seat today. There's a lot more news in East Union as well: Tickets for Happy Holiday Railway are now on sale on our website Rock Island GP7R 4506 painting project nearly completed Historic "wagontop" boxcar restoration completed by the Freight Car Department  Do you buy on Amazon? If so, you can support IRM with just the click of a button  The museum has a new entrance for the first time in half a century Memberships for 2018 are now on sale Restoration work on Union Pacific 2-8-0 428 moves ahead 2017 attendance numbers rise Visit us online for schedules, blog updates, and more Happy Holiday Railway tickets Bring the whole family for an unforgettable holiday experience! This event features a magical train ride with Santa, cookies and hot chocolate, gifts, carols, plus train displays and holiday lights. Trains run weekends through December 17th and advance purchase is strongly recommended. Walk-up sales are subject to availability. Click here for tickets and information Rock Island 4506 Repainted Major exterior repainting work on Rock Island GP7R 4506 is completed, with only some touching up and installation of fittings still remaining. The locomotive, which is operational, should make its public debut in the spring as the only preserved locomotive in 1970s "The Rock" blue and white.. For more information visit the Diesel Shop Facebook page. "Wagontop" Boxcar Restored The museum's Freight Car Department has turned out another completed restoration project. This one is a rare "wagontop" boxcar from the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Extensive welding and exterior work has resulted in a truly stunning showpiece. To find out how you can help with freight car restoration work, click here. Your Purchases Help IRM If you shop on Amazon, your purchases can help support IRM's restoration activities. IRM participates in the Amazon Smile program, through which a portion of all your purchases is donated to the museum. There's no cost to you; just select IRM from smile.amazon.com or for a direct link click here. And thank you! IRM's Entrance Changes The public entrance to the museum has changed for the first time in some 50 years. Starting in late November, the main public entrance has moved to the southeast corner of the parking lot, at the historic Schroeder Mercantile Store. This building from Union has been restored and improved to serve as the museum's entrance and store building. More information is here. 2018 Memberships Now On Sale One of the best ways you can support IRM and its preservation activities is by becoming a member. You'll get free admission all year, gift shop and bookstore discounts, access to special events for members, and our quarterly news magazine "Rail & Wire." An IRM membership also makes a great gift! Sign up online to be a part of IRM Union Pacific 428 Progress With the onset of winter, work is again advancing on UP 2-8-0 "Consolidation" 428. This long-term restoration project in the Steam Shop is making steady progress, with the cab steel work done, running gear work progressing, and turning the drivers on our Putnam lathe soon to come. With your help this locomotive will be in steam at IRM sooner rather than later. Attendance Up During 2017 During the 2017 operating season we saw a marked increase in public attendance at the museum. In fact our general admissions numbers - exclusive of special-fare events like Day Out With Thomas™ and Happy Holiday Railway - were up some 30% over the previous year! If you visited IRM this year, we thank you on behalf of all of the museum's volunteers. The museum's mission is not just to preserve the historic equipment under our care but to educate our visitors about our shared history. Without your support this isn't possible. Thank you to all of our visitors for joining us in Union and keeping us a Museum in Motion! Visit us online for schedules, blog updates, and more Copyright © 2017 Illinois Railway Museum, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you have purchased a ticket in the past. The Illinois Railway Museum is located at 7000 Olson Road, Union, IL 60180 Our contact information: PO Box 427, Union, IL 60180 - Phone 815-923-4391  Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.