Museum news

The latest IRM e-newsletter is out. Remember, you can have these delivered to your very own inbox by signing up at the bottom of the museum home page.

Showcase Weekend is This Saturday & Sunday The museum is progressing into autumn with some of our biggest events of the year! This weekend, September 14-15, is Museum Showcase Weekend. It's one of the best times of the year to see a wide variety of trains in action! In October we will be running our Pumpkin Train event. Join us for some fall family fun and pick up your pumpkin by train. Then in November and December, Happy Holiday Railway returns. Join Santa and his elves for an unforgettable holiday train trip! Tickets are now on sale. There's more happening at the museum too. Featured in this e-newsletter: Museum Showcase Weekend is September 14-15 Happy Holiday Railway tickets are now available Go off the rails - Bus Day is September 28 Pumpkin Train returns on October 26-27 New U28B diesel locomotive dedicated during Diesel Days Chicago Elevated car restoration makes major strides Weekday train operations end for the year on September 13 The Steam Shop is getting a new inspection pit We need volunteers and you can help! Planned giving - another way you can support IRM

Visit us online for schedules, blog updates, and more

Museum Showcase Weekend One of our most popular events is Museum Showcase Weekend, this September 14-15, when we run a variety of seldom-seen trains and honor the volunteers who keep the wheels turning. Frisco 1630, Shay 5, the Nebraska Zephyr, and others will be running - and there's always a surprise or two out on the rails! Click here for event information

Happy Holiday Railway Tickets for our popular Happy Holiday Railway event in November and December are on sale now! Additional dates have been added for 2019, with trains running starting November 23rd. Last year ALL of our trains for this event sold out so don't delay! Reserve your ticket for a ride with Santa Claus today. Click here for info and tickets

Bus Day is September 28th The rubber hits the road at the Illinois Railway Museum on September 28th when we hold our annual Bus Day event. Ride trolley buses and motor buses as we hearken back to the post-streetcar mass transit era. Click for more info

Pumpkin Train The Pumpkin Train returns for 2019! Join us October 26th & 27th for a day of fun for the whole family. Pick up your pumpkin by train - and kids, don't forget to wear your Halloween costume for a special treat! Click for more event information

New U28B Diesel Acquired IRM's newest acquisition, General Electric U28B locomotive 260, was officially dedicated on August 10th when CSX Director of Network Planning and Strategy Eric Hendrickson smashed a ceremonial bottle over the coupler. The engine went into revenue service for the first time at IRM the next day. IRM thanks CSX for the donation of this historic locomotive. Click for more info on this acquisition

Chicago 'L' Car Restoration One of the most active restoration projects currently underway at IRM is Chicago Elevated 1754, a wooden 'L' car built in 1906. Electric Car Department volunteers have rebuilt the entire exterior of the car and work is progressing quickly on restoring the interior to its 1920s appearance. The car will be on public display this weekend during Museum Showcase Weekend. You can help - click here to donate

Weekday Train Operation IRM is still open seven days a week - but weekday train operation only extends through this Friday, September 13th. Through the remainder of September, the museum grounds will be open during the week but trains will only operate on the weekends. If you enjoy visiting when the crowds are light and pace is relaxed, join us this week! Click here for our online calendar

Steam Shop Progress The museum's Steam Shop is getting a major upgrade in the form of an inspection pit. Earlier this summer the track was removed from the north end of the shop and since that time the pit has been dug and part of the concrete pouring has been completed. Before long the pit will be in service, helping our volunteers keep our steam engines inspected and maintained. Click to help with steam restoration

Volunteers Needed! Do you love trains? Do you have some free time, whether it's weekly or just a few times a year? Are you an IRM member? If you answered "yes" then you are an ideal candidate to be an IRM volunteer! We need people to help restore and maintain the trains. It's a fun, interesting, and rewarding way to spend your time. No experience is necessary - we will "train" you! Contact us to ask about volunteering

Planned Giving and IRM IRM has been around for more than 60 years due to the consistent support of people like you. You can help keep IRM a museum in motion for the next generation through planned giving, either by including the museum in a bequest or as a retirement account beneficiary. Click here for more information

Visit us online for schedules, blog updates, and more