One of the museum’s most popular events, Happy Holiday Railway, is being expanded and improved for 2019. The boarding area has been moved from alongside Barn 9 to the historic 1851 East Union Depot, the oldest railway station in use west of Pittsburgh, following building improvements made since the beginning of the year. In addition the museum will be providing streetcar rides on its one-mile trolley loop at no additional cost to Happy Holiday Railway ticket holders. The event is also expanding to include dates before Thanksgiving and on weekdays before Christmas. In 2019 Happy Holiday Railway will run on November 23rd, 24th, 29th, and 30th and on December 1st, 7th, 8th, 14th, 15th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, and 23rd.

Happy Holiday Railway will continue to include the features that have made it so popular in past years including a 40-minute train ride through the winter countryside with Santa Claus and his elves, cookies and hot chocolate on the train, gifts for kids of all ages who are on Santa’s “good list,” caroling at the museum, and a holiday lights display at the boarding area.

Seating on the train must be reserved in advance, as most trips sell out well in advance. Trains depart from and return to the East Union Depot at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois (click here for directions). Tickets, trip times, and more information can be found by clicking here.