The IRM is a fantastic place. The Thomas The Train is a wonderful time of course, but you MUST visit and see all the amazing Steam, Diesel and Electric Streetcars on display, being restored and running. When you ride an electric streetcar, you have to wonder why they are not still used! With the same (or greater) capacity as a modern bus and with no vehicle emissions, they are just great. The Illinois Railway Museum is a Must See.
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What our visitors are saying about their experience
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So much fun for our little boys! They love riding the trains and they have so many old restored trains. Some of their restoration jobs are fantastic and really capture the feel of the height of rail travel. I don’t know of any other place quite like this. It’s a great educational experience even if you don’t love trains.
Andrew Ryan -
The largest railway museum in the USA – and they run demonstrations of many working trains. The trains vary from 1800s steam engines to the recently retired CTA Red Line trains. They have old Pullman cars which are nicely displayed.
Lenore Ettinger -
I loved coming here as a kid with my dad and grandpa and my kids seemed to have just as much fun as I did back in the day. We went for the Day Out with Thomas and had a great time. There were some major improvements since I was there as a kid and it looks like more are on their way. Can’t wait to go back.
Jake Glimco -
In The News
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19 Sep
Pullman “Palm Lane” Arrives at IRM
Read moreHistoric Pullman heavyweight sleeper-buffet-lounge-solarium car “Palm Lane” arrived at the Illinois Railway Museum’s railroad interchange track on its own wheels on September 15, 2023. This
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26 Aug
Unique Experiences for Museum Showcase Weekend Announced
Read moreIRM is pleased to announce a series of unique offerings and experiences during its annual Museum Showcase Weekend, September 16th and 17th, to commemorate the
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07 Jul
New Museum App Aims to Enhance Visitor Experience
Read moreThe Illinois Railway Museum has launched a smartphone app, IRM eCard, to enhance the experience of its visitors. The app is free to download, both
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