J. Neils Lumber Company Shay #5 passed its 1472 day Federal inspection on Sunday, October 28, 2018. It then made a short test run on the main line pulling three coaches. This is the first run by the steam engine at IRM since September of 1999. In additional to being

On Saturday, September 15th, the Illinois Railway Museum will be celebrating the 100th birthday of its most famous steam engine, Frisco 1630. This “Russian Decapod” was constructed by Baldwin in 1918 for export to Imperial Russia but was kept in the United States following the Bolshevik Revolution. It ended up

Join raconteur and photo journalist Jeanne Roppolo at the Illinois Railway Museum for the launch of her new book, The Trans-Siberian Railway Journey: A Road Scholar Adventure. Learn what life is really like aboard the world’s longest railway line as she travels 5,000 miles through China, Mongolia, Siberia, and Russia. The author will

August 5th is the date for the 28th annual Vintage Transport Extravaganza at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, McHenry County, Illinois. The event brings together the “other” popular modes of transportation – cars, trucks, and buses – on the campus of the nation’s largest operating railway museum. It is

The Chicago Rock Island & Pacific, commonly known as the Rock Island (RI), was one of many railroads that linked Chicago the west. Now one of only a few diesel locomotives from the railroad in preservation has been completely restored by the volunteers at the Illinois Railway Museum (IRM). RI

One of the most famous trains in America was the renowned Super Chief of the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad (AT&SF) which ran between Chicago and Los Angeles. One of the last locomotives built for that train, AT&SF 92, has now been returned to operation by the Illinois Railway

The Illinois Railway Museum’s most famous steam locomotive, Frisco 1630, has entered regular service at the museum for the 2018 season. The locomotive, built by Baldwin in 1918 for export to Russia but never shipped overseas due to an embargo following the Bolshevik revolution, is celebrating its 100th birthday this

You may know someone whose basement is full of trains, or at least someone who has a few items of train paraphernalia around the house. But the ultimate prize for any train lover is an actual train. This spring the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, McHenry County, Illinois is making

The former site of four railroad cars containing the IRM gift shop and bookstore, just to the east of the museum’s East Union Depot, has been substantially cleared. The work was done by the museum’s Buildings & Grounds and Track Departments and involved removal of the railroad cars via a

The Illinois Railway Museum is proud to announce that it is the owner of Morristown & Erie C424 18, former Toledo Peoria & Western 800. This is the museum’s first Alco-built Century locomotive, filling a big gap in the museum’s unrivaled collection of historic diesels. On Friday April 27th, Chuck