Monthly Newsletter

Day Out With Thomas™ tickets now on sale! Our biggest event of the year, Day Out With Thomas™, is coming up on July 14-15 and 21-22. Tickets have just gone on sale! Some trips sell out earlier than others so don't delay; go to our website and get your tickets today. Opening Day for our regular season is also this coming Sunday! Day Out With Thomas™ tickets for July 14-15 and 21-22 now on sale The museum is open and trains are running Sundays in April IRM acquires a 1982 Amtrak locomotive built in La Grange Steam Department Benefit Concert is June 24th New Event for 2018 - Illinois Day is May 5th Steam Team progress on Frisco 1630 and Shay 5 Gift idea: IRM memberships for 2018 are now on sale Museum Entrance Building planning and fundraising New museum entrance for 2018 Visit us online for schedules, blog updates, and more Day Out With Thomas™ in 2018 Thomas the Tank Engine and all of his friends are returning to IRM this July and they're hoping to see you there! Ride along with Thomas and Percy, meet Sir Topham Hatt, see magic shows and story readings, and create unforgettable memories. Event is July 14-15 and 21-22 only; tickets are available online or by calling the IRM office at 815-923-4391 ext 452. Click here for more information Click here to purchase tickets online Regular Operations Start April 8 Opening day of the museum's regular season is this Sunday, April 8th. Electric trains operate Sundays in April and the museum grounds will be open every weekend. Starting in May we will be running steam or diesel trains as well as electrics on weekends. Click here for a complete schedule for the year Amtrak Locomotive Acquired IRM is pleased to announce that it has acquired an historic Amtrak AEM-7 electric locomotive built in 1982 in La Grange, Illinois and retired in 2015. Amtrak 945 was designed for 125mph operation, making it the fastest locomotive in the museum's collection, and it is the most modern passenger locomotive owned by IRM. It is the first locomotive at IRM that was built for Amtrak and will be featured as a static display piece. Steam Dept Benefit is June 24 Our annual benefit concert to raise funds for the Steam Department will be held at the Sanfilippo Estate in Barrington on June 24th. This is a great opportunity to hear the mighty Wurlitzer organ in concert and tour this unique collection of artifacts. Click here for tickets and information. Illinois Day 2018 One of our new events for this year is Illinois Day. Saturday, May 5th, in honor of the state's bicentennial, Illinois residents are admitted for 50% off with valid state ID. If you're used to the crowds at some of our mid-summer events, try a visit during the spring when the pace is a little easier and the museum is a bit less busy! Progress in the Steam Shop Museum volunteers on the "Steam Team" are making rapid progress on readying Frisco 1630 for operation in May, with bearing and ashpan work completed over the winter. Shay 5 is also getting a lot of attention: the smokebox has been reassembled and the engine has its "face" back. Financial support is still needed to get this engine into steam in 2018! Click here for information on helping 2018 Memberships Available If you're looking for a gift idea, an IRM membership is a great option for any train fan! It includes free general admission all year, IRM's quarterly news magazine Rail & Wire,  discounts at the museum shop and bookstore, and more. Don't miss a minute of the action this year! Click here for more information Museum Entrance Building Fundraising has kicked off to build the new Museum Entrance Building. This exciting project will provide not only a permanent public entrance, but indoor exhibit areas, a theater, event space, and an entire block of historic building fronts on our Main Street Scene. Sponsorship opportunities are now available. Click here for more information. New main entrance When you visit IRM this April, the main entrance will be in a new location. The public entrance has long been at the northeast corner of the parking lot (location 2 on this map) near Spaulding Tower, and that will still be the main entrance on special event days between May 26 and September 16. However with the Schroeder Mercantile Store now open on Main Street, the museum entrance on weekdays and non-special-event weekends will be at the southeast corner of the parking lot (location 13 on this map) near the 50th Avenue 'L' station. This will also be the new location of the museum gift shop and bookstore, which were formerly located in the baggage cars adjacent to the East Union Depot. Visit us online for schedules, blog updates, and more Copyright © 2018 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.