In the News

Day Out With Thomas™ tickets now on sale

Union, IL – All Aboard! Tickets are now available to see Thomas the Tank EngineTM at the Illinois Railway Museum (IRM) this July. The museum’s most popular event, Day Out With ThomasTM, will return to northern Illinois for the first time in two years on July 10-11 and 17-18, 2021.

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C&NW Archives Research Center to be located at IRM

Union, IL – The Illinois Railway Museum (IRM) is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement with the Chicago & North Western Historical Society (C&NWHS) to locate a new building housing the Society’s historic archives on the IRM campus in Union, Illinois. The building will be located on

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Day Out With Thomas™ Confirmed for 2021

Illinois Railway Museum in McHenry County announces its full event schedule for 2021 The Illinois Railway Museum (IRM) in McHenry County has confirmed that its most popular event, Day Out With Thomas™ featuring a full-size Thomas the Tank Engine™, will be held for the first time in two years on

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Restored 1911 Pullman Car Donated to IRM

The Illinois Railway Museum (IRM) has accepted the donation of a fully restored 1911 Pullman heavyweight passenger car named Villa Real. The car was used on multiple railroads, including the Pennsylvania Railroad, the Wabash, and National Railways of Mexico, during a 46-year career as a sleeping car. In 1957 it

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Opening Day set for April 11th

The Illinois Railway Museum is opening for its 2021 season starting Sunday, April 11th. During the remainder of April the Museum will be open on Sundays only. Electric trains will be in operation on these days and all exhibit buildings will be open. The Museum will also be open for

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Museum acquires 25-ton diesel

The Illinois Railway Museum has acquired a 25-ton diesel-electric locomotive built in 1942 by General Electric. The engine was built for Lone Star Cement and worked in cement plant service for its entire 78-year service life, most recently at a facility in Elkhart, Indiana. It was donated to the museum

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Holiday event modified for 2020

The Illinois Railway Museum has further modified the Museum’s popular Holiday event: “Happy Holiday Railway: The Holiday Light Experience.” Instead of streetcar rides and strolling the display barns and grounds, visitors will take a drive-through journey through the Museum campus, safely and comfortably in their personal vehicles. The route through the

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Happy Holiday Railway

Holiday Light Experience Event Announced

Christmas 2020 will certainly be very different for all of us, but at Illinois Railway Museum, the “Museum In Motion” will keep on rolling with a modified Holiday event: Happy Holiday Railway: The Holiday Light Experience Join us for a ride on a heated streetcar around the grounds, which will

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IRM acquires low-floor bus from Janesville

The Illinois Railway Museum is pleased to announce that it has acquired Janesville (Wisconsin) Transit System 433, a diesel bus built in December 2001. The bus is a model D35LF constructed by New Flyer of America in St. Cloud, Minnesota as part of an order of seven buses. These replaced

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Pumpkin Train event cancelled for 2020

The Illinois Railway Museum has made the decision to cancel its annual Pumpkin Train event for 2020. Given the social distancing and other health safety measures currently in place, the museum feels that it would not be able to safely offer a full “pumpkin patch” experience as it has done

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