Because of a mechanical issue discovered this spring while preparing Frisco steam locomotive 1630 for 2025 operations, the Museum has made the difficult decision to remove the locomotive from service immediately. The Museum will now begin a federally mandated 1472-day inspection so 1630 can be repaired and returned to service.

The Strahorn Library of the Illinois Railway Museum is pleased to announce a new podcast series titled “How Vast the American Railways.” The first episode was made available on April 30, 2025, and new episodes are expected to be made available on a regular schedule. The podcast will take deep

The Illinois Railway Museum has added to its collection Illinois Central Gulf 767253, a covered hopper car built in 1980 by Pullman-Standard (P-S). The Museum thanks Canadian National Railway (CNR) for their generous donation of this historic piece of railway equipment. Car 767253 arrived at the IRM site in Union,

The Illinois Railway Museum would like to express its gratitude to Metra for the donation of F40C locomotive 614, which is expected to arrive at the IRM site in Union soon. This unique and distinctive six-axle passenger diesel served for decades in Chicago commuter service, operating over the Milwaukee Road

The Illinois Railway Museum is making available a number of surplus items in an online auction, including an ex-Chicago & North Western steam locomotive tender, a pickup truck, tools, light fixtures, pieces of furniture, historic railroad items, and artwork. These items were acquired by IRM via purchase or donation and

A collaborative venture between the Illinois Railway Museum, IRM’s Strahorn Library, and the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University has resulted in the “Don’s Depot Rail Photos” website being restored. The original Don’s Depot website was created by the late Don Ross and hosted thousands of railroad, train, and transit

At the 2024 fall conference of the Heritage Rail Alliance (HRA), held in Springdale, Arkansas, the Illinois Railway Museum received two HRA Achievement Awards. The first award, in the Significant Achievement-Archives category, was presented jointly to IRM and to the Chicago & North Western Historical Society (C&NWHS) for the construction

An exhibition of renowned photographer David Plowden’s photographs has opened at the Illinois Railway Museum (IRM). Requiem for Steam: The Railroad Photographs of David Plowden was produced by the Center for Railroad Photography & Art (CRP&A) working with Plowden. More than 50 photographs trace the waning days of the steam

The Illinois Railway Museum is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a grant of $25,000 by the John H. Emery Rail Heritage Trust. The grant will fund restoration work on Milwaukee Road lightweight coach 649, including electrical and air brake work necessary to make the car operational. Milwaukee

The Illinois Railway Museum is running a “Snowflake Special” excursion on the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) on Saturday, April 6, 2024. Join IRM in a tradition of museum-sponsored excursions dating back to 1958! Beginning at Forest Park Station on the Blue Line, our excursion train will travel to the south,