Illinois Railway Museum Blog

At the November meeting, the Directors voted to acquire a new railroad, all assets and rolling stock and locomotives.  Henry Vincent has volunteered to be the Project Manager for this large new project.

Many members have long dreamed of adding a model railroad to our site, to provide an entertaining and new attraction for IRM.  Many of our peer preservation organizations have such a feature, and they have proved worthwhile and popular with visitors.  This a very large layout in HO scale in the Milwaukee area that was the life work of an exceptional modeler who recently passed away.  The estate offered it to us as a donation and it has been accepted.  This is the type of project many of us can only dream about, let alone have the resources and help to achieve that dream.

Industry

I will offer a short photo  tour of some of the areas, and these cannot begin to do justice to the scope and quality of the work.

Engine Facility

CNW Passenger Station

Industry

Skirting Removed

Building Flats

Grain Facility

As I said, this is truly a wonder to behold whether you are a diehard modeler or not.  But the real work lies ahead.  We are making plans and examining options and funding sources to create a public display in a new building.  Yes, it is a LARGE undertaking but we think achievable.  The first and most immediate task is to dismantle and inventory, document the layout, and move it to Union.  And the deadline is to do this before the end of 2011!

So if you would like to help please contact the Project Manager asap.  Help of any sort, many hands are needed.  And of course if you see value in this effort as many of us do, donations to the public model railroad display would be appreciated and welcomed,