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Sunday, March 27. 2011
Another successful IRM Snowflake Special today! Thinking back two short years ago, we couldn’t fill a four car train, this year we sold out a SIX car train a week before the trip! Thanks to everyone who bought a ticket and helped support the museum. It is GREATLY appreciated!!!!
Today’s trip started at the Forest Park station at the west end of the Congress line. We started westbound – yes westbound (into the yards). Then back east, transferring over to the Douglass line, going to and through 54th St (again into the yards). Back eastbound, then over to the Midway line. After going through those yards it was downtown to drop everyone off for lunch. After lunch we went out to 63rd and Ashland and of course into the tail track. Back downtown and out to Kimball. You guessed it, into those yards too. Back downtown, but not before our second annual Brown Line/Red Line race from Belmont to Fullerton. Again this year it was too close to call. Finally back west down the Congress line, making our last photo stop at the abandoned California station (the last of many nice photo opportunities), we headed back to our origin station at Forest Park to wrap up another fantastic trip.
A huge thanks to David Harrison, without whom none of this would be possible. Dave did his usual great job narrating the trip including many interesting tidbits about the system and the city. Also thanks to Bob Heinlein and Richard Schauer who again coordinated the logistics of the trip. Our CTA crew was top notch as usual. Thanks to all the car captains who kept order in the cars, trading their cameras for orange vests. And most importantly, thanks to everyone who showed their support for the museum by accompanying us on the 2011 edition of the Snowflake Special.
Friday, August 27. 2010
Celebrate the end of summer by joining us for three days of fun! Pack a picnic, ride the trains, and enjoy! "Music at the Museum"--the West End Jazz Band will entertain on Monday. updated: 8-31-2010 Saturday, September 4th, 2010 - Chicago Rapid Transit 1268, Chicago Transit Authority 4290 and 4410
- Chicago Transit Authority 41 and 22
- Chicago, Aurora and Elgin 308 and 309
- Chicago Transit Authority 3142
- Chicago Transit Authority 4391
- Wisconsin Central 7525 and Coach Train
- Southern Pacific 1518 and Caboose Train
- Caboose Train Consist:
- Coach Train Consist:
- BLE 25 Combine
- Lack 567 Coach
- DMIR 84 Coach
- Pullman Inglehome Observation
Sunday, September 5th, 2010
- Chicago Rapid Transit 1268, Chicago Transit Authority 4290 and 4410
- North Shore Line 749 and 714
- Chicago Transit Authority 3142
- Chicago Transit Authority 4391
- Burlington Northern 5383 and Coach Train
- Chicago Burlington & Quincy 504 and Caboose Train
- Chicago Burlington & Quincy 9911A and Nebraska Zephyr
- Caboose Train Consist:
- Coach Train Consist:
- BLE 25 Combine
- Lack 567 Coach
- DMIR 84 Coach
- Pullman Inglehome Observation
Monday, September 6th, 2010
- Chicago Transit Authority 41 and 22
- Chicago, Aurora and Elgin 308 and 309
- Chicago Transit Authority 3142
- Chicago Transit Authority 4391
- Burlington Northern 9908 and Coach Train
- Burlington Northern 5383 and Caboose Train
- Chicago Burlington & Quincy 9911A and Nebraska Zephyr
- Caboose Train Consist:
- Coach Train Consist:
- BLE 25 Combine
- Lack 567 Coach
- DMIR 84 Coach
- Pullman Inglehome Observation
All schedules and equipment subject to change without notice.
Monday, May 10. 2010
The Anzio Express & The North Platte Canteen Now boarding for a ride through history...
WWII Reenactment Days -- May 29th, 30th & 31st, 2010
It is near the end of WWII, and the Allies have captured Rome. Mussolini has disappeared and may be traveling by train. The Allies are chasing him. German and Italian troops are everywhere. You are on the train! Are your papers in order?
 On May 29 through May 31, 2010, from 9am to 5pm, the Illinois Railway Museum in cooperation with over 200 local World War Two Reenactors will recreate how trains played their part in the events of the Second World War. Over 100 military and civilian living historians will set up field camps and home front displays to bring to life the years of the Greatest Generation and how railroads helped win the war. There will be military and civilian camps, displays of artifacts, and vehicles of the period on site. To assist in bringing the 1940’s to life, railway rolling stock including restored period passenger cars and street trolleys will be featured. This event will be held on the grounds of the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois. All scenarios will utilize working trains, trolleys, and streetcars.
The highlight of the day will be a period troop train which will make a stop at the legendary North Platte Canteen, made famous in the book, “Once Upon a Town”, by Chicago Author Bob Greene. The train will whisk you back to a time of railroad troop transports winding their way through the United States to ports of embarkation for our soldiers, and illustrate the hospitality shown to lonely service men and women for over five years.
Activities will also include the re-creation of an Italian Rail System train from Anzio, Italy to Rome to show what it was like to live and travel in Italy under German occupation. Soldiers and civilians will mingle with the public on the train, to bring to life situations which may have been encountered during travel in 1943 Italy. On the trolley routes, you will pass into occupied Italy and witness historical events as they unfold.
See realistic WWII environments created by established WWII Reenactment groups. Visit American, British, German & Italian camps; see the vehicles & talk to the soldiers and civilians. Ride along with soldiers, civilians, & partisans and experience the past up close and personal.
Hosted by 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment, Official Midwest Chapter, 10th Mountain Division Living History Display Group, Inc & TSG.
PLANNED SCENARIOS AND BATTLES: - Afternoon Battle in an Italian Rail Yard.
- Smaller Skirmishes along the Main Rail Line.
- Recreation of the North Platte Canteen in North Platte, Nebraska.
- Several Small Unit battle actions in the MTO reenacted along the Museums Trolley line.
- Downed Airman Picked up by German Troop Train.
- Resistance Sabotage of Train Tracks and Bridges.
- Germans Capture of Resistance Fighters and related skirmishes.
- Allied Troops encounter German Patrol.
- German Troop Train and Patrol of Passengers.
- And much more!
Additional information can be viewed at the following external website: http://www.anzioexpress.org/
Sunday, March 28. 2010
The Snowflake Special was today and it was great! The equipment used was a 6 car train made up entirely of 2200s, the oldest in the fleet. We traversed parts of every line, traveled in every subway and visited some rarely seen yard trackage. We started at Rosemont northbound for our first photo stop at O’Hare, then headed back south. We pulled into Foster middle track (former Jefferson Park yard) for photo run-bys at Jefferson Park and Addison. Then into the loop and out to 63rd St. lower yard. A rare opportunity for a passenger train. At that point we headed back to the loop for our lunch stop. After lunch we went on the Orange line for a photo opportunity at 35th/Archer. Afterward we headed down into the State St. subway and up to Howard, then to Skokie Shops. The CTA was kind enough to park a pair of 5000s for us to see as we entered the yard. After some switching, we headed down the Skokie test track. The CTA guys thought that this was the first passenger train to ever go down the test track. Don’t know if that is true (there have been a LOT of fantrips dating way back), but it sure was a highlight for us. We headed back to Howard for a restroom break and to do a few loops around Howard yard, then up to Linden to loop that yard also. Then it was back down toward the loop, then over parts of the green, pink, and finally blue line for the trip back to Rosemont. Of course the afternoon was littered with photo stops including a thrilling one where our train paced a revenue train southbound into Belmont. Thanks to our CTA crew it came off without a hitch and the collection of photographers at the south end of the Belmont platform was incredible. What a great way to spend a day as I’m sure the approx. 280 passengers will attest to. David Harrison did a great job getting the ball rolling and working with Bob Heinlein and the CTA came up with a great routing plan. The trip was a fundraiser to get the 2000s inside the next barn. The good news is we are about half way there! The challenge is that they still need donations. Please consider donating to the “2000s Fund” as they are the only Chicago Rapid Transit equipment in the museum’s collection that is still stored outside. Great job David, Bob, Richard Schauer coordinating ticket sales, today’s IRM volunteer car captains, our fantastic CTA crew who made sure the day went smoothly, and most of all those of you who supported this trip with such enthusiasm that we had to put an additional 2 cars on the train to accommodate everyone who wanted to ride. The museum and the 2000s THANK YOU!!!!!
Saturday, February 20. 2010
Join the members of the Illinois Railway Museum as they tour the Chicago Transit Authority's "L" lines on Sunday, March 28th, 2010.
The four car train will consist of Chicago's oldest cars in revenue
service, the 2200-series cars built by Budd in 1969-1970 and scheduled
for replacement by the 5000-series cars now being built. Beginning at
Rosemont station (River Road) on the Blue Line, the trip will travel on
almost every line, plus lots of non-revenue and yard trackage. Purchase your tickets online now.
This snowflake special excursion, using CTA's 2200 series cars, is a
fundraiser to secure indoor storage space for IRM's 2000 series cars,
sister cars to those shown here in their original green and white paint
scheme on the Lake Street line.
Departure: 9:00am from Rosemont (Blue Line) station, at 5801 N.
River Road in Rosemont. Parking is available in the Rosemont "Park
& Ride" lot for $5. Riders may also board at Rosemont southbound at
approximately 9:20am, Jefferson Park station (4917 N. Milwaukee Ave.)
at approximately 9:35am, or Clark/Lake station (124 W. Lake Street) at
approximately 10:05am; to board train at these alternate Blue Line
stations, hold up ticket in plain view of motorman and excursion crew.
Fare: $42.00 per person. Orders received after March 20 will be held for pickup at Rosemont. No refunds after March 20, 2010. Purchasing tickets online is preferred.
Lunch: Lunch stops will be provided in the Loop.
Note: Because we are covering so many lines, the trip will
conclude at Rosemont about 6:00 pm. We will make earlier stops upon
request. The train is NOT wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, December 17. 2009
The Illinois Railway Museum is recruiting new volunteers at this time. The museum is growing and continues to strive to be the largest railway museum in the country. We are seeking an unlimited amount of people at this time. We are seeking interested individuals for all our departments and museum support positions. Experience is not necessary in order to volunteer at the museum. The museum will train you to the best of our abilities in the area of interest. Individuals with railroad and or skilled trades experience are strongly encouraged in becoming a new volunteer. Individuals without any experience are equally beneficial to the museum as those with experience. There is no set time requirement for volunteers. Current volunteer time ranges from one day a year to multiple days a week. Please don't hesitate in signing up thinking you don't have enough time to put into volunteering. ANY time is beneficial to the museum and will contribute to the growth of the museum. Interested individuals can contact me at: volunteer@irm.org I will respond to you as quickly as possible to get you started. Please note, in order to volunteer, you MUST be in good standing with your museum membership. All volunteers are required to be current members of any level. The Illinois Railway Museum thanks you in advance for your interest in volunteering. We look forward to working with you soon. Pete Pedersen Volunteer Coordinator Illinois Railway Museum
Friday, November 20. 2009
DONE Those were the words that were telegraphed across the country when the golden spike was hammered in at Promontory Point signaling the completion of the transcontinental railroad and that would be an appropriate word to use today Friday November 20th at 3:50 p.m. Why? Because that's the time that the closing was completed on IRM's latest land acquisition, the 89 acre Siegel farm located directly east and adjacent to Museum owned land. The Museum has been trying to purchase this acreage for over two years now and thanks to your donations to the LAND ACQUISITION FUND we were in a strong position to take advantage of the recession in land prices and purchase this parcel at a VERY favorable price. Mortgage rates are down now and as a result of being able to put more than 40% of the purchase price down we were able to secure favorable terms from our local bank. Our plans are to continue to rent this out for farming and hold on to it as a buffer against future development encroaching on the Museum. The full story with pictures will be in the next Rail and Wire, but in the meantime if you are considering your end of year donation PLEASE consider the LAND ACQUISITION FUND so that we may replenish that fund and be ready for the next opportunity that may arise. Thank You.
Nick Kallas
Executive Director
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Comments
Sun, 05-19-2013 22:13
Hello again. I had an idea that was (somewhat rudely, mid-sentence) dismissed in talking to a museum volunteer a few years back, but here it goes [...]
Thu, 05-16-2013 21:52
Looking good Bob! I hope to come out soon once I'm done with school.
Wed, 05-15-2013 21:28
I was not around at the time. General discussion suggests that it was "pretty marginal" in a number of areas. Nigel
Mon, 05-13-2013 11:08
"THUMBS UP!"
Fri, 05-10-2013 02:15
No, it will not be necessary to hold any of the work waiting for the plow to be turned, end for end. Weather will be the major factor, but there will [...]
Thu, 05-09-2013 19:54
The CGW X-38 plow is really coming to life. Bob Kutella and Vic and crew need to be very proud of your collective efforts. I am very appreciative of [...]
Thu, 05-09-2013 15:20
The snowplow looks great! Are you going to apply the door and upper windows befor it is turned to continue work?
Thu, 05-09-2013 09:09
Max, Is there any progress to report yet, in regards to the installation of the poles and overhead wires? Have a good day, sir.
Wed, 05-08-2013 18:40
Thanks for the update! I still don't understand why Commonwealth #5 was removed from service. Do you know why?
Tue, 05-07-2013 09:28
Mr. Kolanowski.....I was just wondering if the Spaulding webcam will be up and running soon for us stay-at-homes. Thanks!2FP
Mon, 05-06-2013 23:04
Max, Has work begun yet on the construction phase of erecting the poles and putting up the wire? Wish I could be there to watch it happen.
Mon, 05-06-2013 23:02
Keep up the good work, Bob. Wish I could be there to help!!!!!!!