All the News That's Fit to E-mail

Remember, you can get these updates sent directly to your e-mail inbox - just go to www.irm.org and enter your e-mail address in the box at the very bottom of the page.

Santa Fe 92 runs at IRM! Our FP45 type locomotive is running! Details are below - and there's a lot more happening at the museum too. Our biggest event of the year, Day Out With Thomas™, is coming up on July 14-15 and 21-22. Trips are selling out fast so get your tickets today at irm.org. Featured in this e-newsletter: Day Out With Thomas tickets for July 14-15 and 21-22 are going fast Santa Fe FP45 92 runs under its own power for the first time at IRM! Steam Department Benefit Concert is almost here Railway Post Office Days are this weekend Looking for a unique display for your back yard? How about a railroad car? Chicago Day is coming up on June 16th Traction Weekend equipment plans for 2018 announced See IRM from the air via a drone video Happy Holiday Railway tickets to go on sale in July Museum Entrance Building planning and fundraising 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 14-15 and 21-22! Ride with Thomas and Percy, meet Sir Topham Hatt, see magic shows and story readings, and create unforgettable memories. Tickets are available online or by calling the IRM office at 815-923-4391 ext 452. Get your tickets now - many trips are already sold out! Click here for tickets and more information Santa Fe 92 is Back! Last fall IRM's "Warbonnet" FP45 diesel locomotive, Santa Fe 92, departed for Silvis, Illinois, to undergo a major overhaul. It arrived back home on June 2nd with a new prime mover and new trucks. The next day it made its first test runs at IRM under power! Look for the 92 to run for some of our upcoming events including Diesel Days in August. In the meantime, fundraising is now underway to repaint the engine and we need your help! Click here for details. 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 later this month on June 24th. This is a great opportunity to hear the mighty Wurlitzer organ in concert and tour this unique collection of historic artifacts that is not normally open to the public. Click here for tickets and information Railway Post Office Days Saturday and Sunday, June 9th & 10th are Railway Post Office (RPO) Days at IRM. See how mail was picked up and dropped off in the old days as the steam train makes "catches" and "drops" at speed right in front of the depot. It's a great opportunity for photos and to experience a side of railroading not often seen. Click here for details. 1908 railroad car for sale IRM is offering one of the baggage cars that until recently was located next to the depot for sale to a good home. The car is C&NW 1236, a wooden baggage car built in 1908 by Pullman. It won't fit in your basement and may not even fit in your driveway. Now is your chance to own a real - and really big - piece of Chicago's railroad history! Click here for more information Chicago Day is June 16th If you're not old enough to remember the old red CSL cars and "Green Hornets" that once ran all over Chicago then your parents probably are! Chicago Day commemorates the 60th anniversary of the end of streetcar service in Chicago back in 1958. See and ride Chicago streetcars, 'L' cars, interurban trains, and more during this special event. Click here for event details Traction Weekend Lineup The plans for Traction Weekend on June 30-July 1, which replaces the old Trolley Parade, have been announced. This year the focus is on cars 100+ years old. Rarely-seen cars like Northwestern Elevated 24, Illinois Terminal 277 and 234, and Sand Springs 68 will be in service. There will also be caboose trains and trolley freight demonstrations. Don't miss it! Click for equipment lists and more info IRM from the Air Drone photographer Paul Sweigert sent us a terrific video of the museum as seen from the air on Sunday, May 27th. Take a look - and see how many trains you can identify! Click for the video on YouTube Mark Your Calendar Now Christmas is a long way off, but tickets to Happy Holiday Railway are going on sale in early July! Mark your calendar now - and watch your inbox for information on how you can save nearly 20%  by purchasing ahead of time on our website! 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. Visit us online for schedules, blog updates, and more