Illinois Railway Museum

The Illinois Railway Museum (IRM, reporting mark IRMX) is the largest railroad museum in the United States. It is located in the Chicago metropolitan area at 7000 Olson Road in Union, Illinois, northwest of downtown Chicago.

Overview

History

The museum was founded in 1953 by ten people who joined to purchase Indiana Railroad interurban car 65. Originally called the Illinois Electric Railway Museum, the museum was located on the grounds of the Chicago Hardware Foundry in North Chicago. In 1961, it was renamed to the Illinois Railway Museum to reflect its expanding scope. In 1964, the museum moved to Union, Illinois along the former right-of-way of the Elgin and Belvidere Electric Company. In 1968 the first steam locomotive was operated at the museum. The first storage barn was erected in 1972. In 1981, a streetcar loop was constructed. The right-of-way the museum was constructed next to still had back taxes into the 1980s. To gain full use of the track, the museum paid the back taxes, and gained the 4.6 miles (7.4 km) of railroad track to add to their property portfolio. In 2016, the IRM purchased a 130-foot turntable from Union Pacific's former Denver & Rio Grande Western Burnham Shops complex in Denver for $10,000. The turntable is large enough for any locomotive in their collection, and will be used to store their steam locomotives, along with a planned roundhouse. There are over 500 pieces of equipment, and over 100 acres of land owned by the museum.

Operations

The museum's operations are primarily concentrated around its main campus just east of Union. Train rides are offered on the main line as well as the streetcar loop. Electric trains are operated from April through October and diesel and steam trains from the beginning of May through the end of September. Trolleybus operation occurs on the Saturdays of the Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day weekends, as well as on "Bus Day"; the last Saturday in September or the first Saturday in October. IRM is one of only two railway museums in the country that operates both electric and diesel trains, and the only one to offer trolleybus rides on a regular basis.

Equipment and structures

Museum site and structures

The Illinois Railway Museum property covers more than , the most extensive physical plant of any rail museum in North America. In 2009, the museum bought another of adjacent land as a buffer against development. The main campus is located at . In addition to the museum's revenue trackage, the main campus in Union includes:

• 11 equipment storage barns with a total of of track under cover
• Two additional garages housing trolleybuses and motor buses
• A dedicated steam restoration shop
• A former Chicago and North Western railway depot from Marengo, Illinois, built in 1851
• A complete Chicago Rapid Transit Company ground-level station (50th Avenue station, closed by CTA in 1978)
• Five streetcar stations of varying design
• Several restored and functional neon signs and concrete entablatures on display
• An indoor dining facility built in 2003 (open seasonally)
• The Multi-purpose Building completed in 2021 housing the Model Railroad Display, the Revolving Exhibit Gallery, the Pullman Archive, and the Milwaukee Road Historic Association.
• A turntable from the Union Pacific Railroad's Burnham Shops
• Seven railroad crossings, with five wigwags. Two of the five wigwags are upper-quadrant wigwags from the Magnetic Signal Company, one from the Union Switch & Signal, and the other two are lower quadrant wigwag from the Western Railroad Supply Company. The other two crossings are from the Griswold Signal Company.

IRM also owns one off-site library; the Strahorn Research Library in downtown Marengo. The Pullman Archive, formerly located in downtown Union, IL moved on campus to the Multi-purpose Building in 2021.

Equipment

Locomotives

Locomotive details

Number	Images	Type	Class	Builder	Built	Status	Previous owner
1630	File:1630 on the main line.jpg	Steam	2-10-0Template:Whyte suffix	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1918	Undergoing 1,472-day inspection and overhaul	Eagle-Picher Ore Mine
7		Steam	0-4-0Template:Whyte suffix	Vulcan Iron Works	1917	Display	American Creosote Works
945	File:AMTK 945.jpg	Electric	AEM-7	Electro-Motive Corporation	1982	Display	Amtrak
92	File:ATSF 92.jpg	Diesel	FP45	Electro-Motive Corporation	1967	Operational	Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
2903	File:2023-05-27 Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe 2903.jpg	Steam	4-8-4Template:Whyte suffix	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1943	Display	Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago)
1	File:BN F-Units (1).jpg	Diesel	F9A	Electro-Motive Corporation	1954	Operational	Burlington Northern
2		Diesel	F9B	Electro-Motive Corporation	1954	Operational	Burlington Northern
3	File:Burlington Northern 3.jpg	Diesel	E9A	Electro-Motive Corporation	1956	Operational	Burlington Northern
5383	File:GE U30C BN 5383.jpg	Diesel	U30C	GE Transportation	1974	Operational	Burlington Northern
2707	File:Chesapeake & Ohio No. 2707 at the Illinois Railway Museum August 2014.jpg	Steam	2-8-4Template:Whyte suffix	American Locomotive Company	1943	Display	City of Cincinnati, Ohio
114	File:2023-05-27 Illinois Railway Museum TTI No. 260.jpg	Diesel	U28B	GE Transportation	1967	Operational	Burlington Northern
504	File:Burlington504.JPG	Diesel	SD24	Electro-Motive Corporation	1959	Operational	Burlington Northern
637	File:Burlington & Missouri River Engine 637, Chicago Railroad Fair (NBY 2906).jpg	Steam	4-6-0Template:Whyte suffix	Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works	1892	Display	City of Aurora, Illinois
3007	File:CB&Q 3007 - May 2010.jpg	Steam	4-6-4Template:Whyte suffix	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1930	Display, awaiting restoration	City of Griggsville, Illinois
4963	File:CB&Q 4963 in storage at Galesburg, Illinois.jpg	Steam	2-8-2Template:Whyte suffix	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1923	Display	Chicago scrapyard
9255	File:20080621 34 Illinois Railway Museum.jpg	Diesel	SW7	Electro-Motive Corporation	1950	Operational	Burlington Northern
9911A (Silver Pilot)	File:EMD E5 at IRM.jpg	Diesel	E5	Electro-Motive Corporation	1940	Operational	Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
9976	File:North Shore 749 and BN 9908.jpg	Diesel	E9A	Electro-Motive Corporation	1953	Operational	Burlington Northern
411	File:Cnw411.jpg	Diesel	F7A	Electro-Motive Corporation	1949	Operational	Metra
515	File:2023-05-27 Chicago And North Western No. 515.jpg	Diesel	E8A	Electro-Motive Corporation	1953	Operational	Iowa Pacific Holdings
1518	File:Chicago & North Western CNW 1518 (EMD GP-7), 1948.jpg	Diesel	GP7	Electro-Motive Corporation	1949	Operational	Chicago and North Western Railway
1689	File:CNW 1619 (1).jpg	Diesel	RSD-5	American Locomotive Company	1954	Operational	Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
6847	File:CNW SD40-2 -6847 (2).jpg	Diesel	SD40-2	Electro-Motive Corporation	1976	Operational	Union Pacific Railroad
7009	File:CNW Chicago and North Western No. 7009 at the Illinois Railway Museum - September 2024.jpg	Diesel	SD50	Electro-Motive Corporation	1985	Operational	Chicago & North Western, National Railway
803	File:Little Joe locomotive at IRM.jpg	Electric	Little Joe	GE Transportation	1949	Operational	Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad
5	File:ComEd5 1 - 15309601647.jpg	Steam	0-6-0Template:Whyte suffix	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1922	Display	Chicago scrapyard
15	File:Ex-Commonwealth Edison SW1 locomotive 15 at IRM (2010).jpg	Diesel	SW1	Electro-Motive Corporation	1950	Operational	Midwest Generation LLC
4601	File:Conrail 4601, April 22nd 2024.jpg	Electric	E33	GE Transportation	1956	Display	Railroad Museum of New England
9	File:IRM CoronetPhosphate PorterSteam aug2014 05 - 22042205039.jpg	Steam	2-6-2Template:Whyte suffix	H.K. Porter, Inc.	1925	Display	Private owner
16	File:Detroit, Toledo & Ironton No. 16 at the Illinois Railway Museum, August 2012.jpg	Steam	4-4-0Template:Whyte suffix	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1915	Display	The Henry Ford Museum
6323	File:2023-05-27 Grand Trunk Western 6323.jpg	Steam	4-8-4Template:Whyte suffix	American Locomotive Company	1942	Display	Private owner in Detroit, Michigan
8380	File:Grand Trunk Western No. 8380 at the Illinois Railway Museum - August 2014 - 06.jpg	Steam	0-8-0Template:Whyte suffix	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1929	Display	Northwestern Steel and Wire Company
26	File:Graysonia Nashville and Ashdown No. 26 at the Illinois Railway Museum - September 2024.jpg	Steam	2-6-0Template:Whyte suffix	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1926	Display	Private owner
2407	File:GBW 2407 at IRM.jpg	Diesel	RSD-15	American Locomotive Company	1960	Operational	Green Bay and Western Railroad
201	File:IC 201 20050716 IL Union.jpg	Steam	2-4-4Template:Whyte suffix	Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works	1880	Display	Private owner
3719	File:Illinois Central Railroad -3719, 2-6-0 "Mogul", Brooks, 1900.jpg	Steam	2-6-0Template:Whyte suffix	American Locomotive Company	1900	Display	Steamtown, U.S.A.
1605	File:Illinois Terminal 1605, July 16, 2005, Illinois Railway Museum.jpg	Diesel	GP7	Electro-Motive Corporation	1953	Operational	Norfolk and Western Railroad
5	File:Shay -5 9-4-23.jpg	Steam	Shay	Lima Locomotive Works	1929	Operational	J. Neils Lumber Co.
35	File:Lake Superior & Ishpeming No. 35 at the Illinois Railway Museum - May 2023.jpg	Steam	2-8-0Template:Whyte suffix	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1916	Display	Marquette and Huron Mountain Railroad
207		Steam	0-6-0Template:Whyte suffix	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1936	Display	Private owner in Detroit, Michigan
99	File:Louisiana and Arkansas Railway No. 99 August 2014.jpg	Steam	2-8-0Template:Whyte suffix	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1919	Display	South Shore Railroad
902	File:MBTA 902.jpg	Diesel	GP9	Electro-Motive Corporation	1957	Display	MBTA
308	File:Metra EMD F7 No. 308.jpg	Diesel	F7A	Electro-Motive	1949	Operational	Metra
614	File:Metra 614.jpg	Diesel	F40C	Electro-Motive	1974	Inoperable, awaiting restoration	Metra
9400		Diesel	SD70MAC	Electro-Motive	1994	Off property, awaiting transit to Museum	BNSF Railway
30	File:Chicago Milwaukee St. Paul & Pacific No. 30 Inspection Car at the Illinois Railway Museum - August 2018.jpg	Inspection car	Sedan	Dodge	1947	Display	Mid-Continent Railway Museum
118C	File:Milwaukee Road 118c.jpg	Diesel	F7A	Electro-Motive	1951	Operational	Milwaukee Road
265	File:Big-engine-face Milwaukee Road 265.jpg	Steam	4-8-4Template:Whyte suffix	American Locomotive Company	1944	Display	City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
760	File:Milw 760 at IRM.jpg	Diesel	H-10-44	Fairbanks-Morse	1944	Operational	Milwaukee Road
21	File:Minneapolis Northfield & Southern 21 (Baldwin DT6-6-2000), 1948.jpg	Diesel	DT-6-6-2000	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1948	Operational	Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern Railway
200	File:Minnesota Transfer Railway -200 (Alco RS-3), 1951 - 10570909323.jpg	Diesel	RS-3	American Locomotive Company	1951	Operational	Minnesota Transfer Railway
14	File:NEKP 14.jpg	Diesel	S-1	American Locomotive Company	1947	Operational	Nekoosa Paper, Inc.
2050	File:Norfolk & Western 2050.jpg	Steam	2-8-8-2Template:Whyte suffix	American Locomotive Company	1923	Display	AK Steel Holding
4927	File:Restored GG1 PRR 4927 at IRM.jpg	Electric	GG1	GE Transportation	1942	Display	Amtrak
7	File:2023-05-27 Public Service Co. No. 7.jpg	Steam	0-6-0Template:Whyte suffix	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1926	Display	Central Illinois Public Service Company
938	File:Rock Island No. 938 at the Illinois Railway Museum - September 2024.jpg	Steam	4-6-2Template:Whyte suffix	American Locomotive Company	1910	Display	Fort Worth and Western Railroad
4506	File:Rock Island 4506 (1).jpg	Diesel	GP9R	Electro-Motive Corporation	1955	Operational	Rock Island
975	File:SP 975.jpg	Steam	2-10-2Template:Whyte suffix	American Locomotive Company	1918	Display	City of Beaumont, Texas
1518	File:SP 1518 20050716 Illinois Railway Museum.JPG	Diesel	SD7	Electro-Motive Corporation	1951	Operational	Southern Pacific
400	File:TPW 400 20050716 Illinois Railway Museum.JPG	Diesel	RS-11	American Locomotive Company	1958	Display
800		Diesel	C424	American Locomotive Company	1964	Operational	Morristown and Erie Railway
101		Steam	2-6-2Template:Whyte suffix	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1924	Awaiting restoration	T. R. Miller
4	File:Union Electric Co. No. 4 at the Illinois Railway Museum - December 2008.jpg	Fireless	0-4-0Template:Whyte suffix	H.K. Porter, Inc.	1946	Display	Transport Museum Association
18	File:Union Pacific 18.jpg	Gas turbine	GTEL	GE Transportation	1960	Display	Union Pacific
428	File:20080621 39 Illinois Railway Museum Union Pacific 428 boiler work.jpg	Steam	2-8-0Template:Whyte suffix	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1900	Under restoration	Union Pacific Railroad
1848	File:Up 1848 (1).jpg	Diesel	Dash 8-40B	GE Transportation	1988	Operational	Union Pacific Railroad
6930	File:UP 6930 20050716 Illinois Railway Museum.JPG	Diesel	DDA40X	Electro-Motive Corporation	1970	Display	Union Pacific Railroad
8537	File:2023-05-27 Illinois Railway Museum United States Army 8537.jpg	Diesel	45-ton switcher	GE Transportation	1944	Operational	United States Army Transportation Corps
967B		Diesel	E9B	Electro-Motive Corporation	1955	Operational	Wisconsin and Southern Railroad
7525	File:Wisconsin Central 7525.jpg	Diesel	SD45	Electro-Motive Corporation	1971	Operational	Wisconsin Central
30	File:Atlantic and Western No. 30 at the Illinois Railway Museum - September 2024.jpg	Diesel	RS1325	Electro-Motive Corporation	1960	Operational	Genesee & Wyoming

Electric locomotives

Electric Interurban Cars and Streetcars details

Number	Image	Type	Builder	Built	Status	Previous Owner(s)
431	File:Chicago, Aurora & Elgin Interurban -431, 1927.jpg	Interurban Coach	Cincinnati Car Company	1927	Operational	Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad
409	File:She's real fine, my 409.jpg	Interurban Coach	Pullman Car Company	1923	Operational	Trolleyville USA, Chicago Aurora & Elgin
460	File:CA&E 460 IRM.png	Interurban Coach	St. Louis Car Company	1945	Operational	Trolleyville USA, Chicago Aurora & Elgin
451	File:Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad logo.png	Interurban Coach	St. Louis Car Company	1945	Under restoration	Trolleyville USA, Chicago Aurora & Elgin
453	File:Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad logo.png	Interurban Coach	St. Louis Car Company	1945	Under restoration	Trolleyville USA, Electric City Trolley Museum, Chicago Aurora & Elgin
36	File:CA&E Class 30 36 at the Illinois Railway Museum - July 2017.jpg	Interurban Coach	Stephenson Car Company	1902	Operational	Trolleyville USA, Chicago Aurora & Elgin
308	File:Chicago Aurora and Elgin 308 01.jpg	Interurban Coach	Niles Car Company	1906	Operational	Indiana Museum of Transportation and Communication, Chicago Aurora & Elgin
309	File:20040911 37 CA&E 309 at Illinois Railway Museum (8522157869).jpg	Interurban Coach	Hicks Car Works	1907	Operational	Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad
319	File:CAE Memorial Day at IRM.jpg	Interurban Coach	Jewett Car Company	1914	Operational	Trolleyville USA, Chicago Aurora & Elgin
321	File:Illinoisrailwaymuseum308.jpg	Interurban Car	Jewett Car Company	1914	Inoperable	Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad
306		Interurban Coach	St. Louis Car Company	1924	Under restoration	Shaker Heights Rapid Transit,Trolleyville USA, Aurora Elgin & Fox River Electric
160	File:Union 2007 09 02 56.jpg	Interurban Coach	Brill Car Company	1915	Operational	Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad
172	File:Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee logo.png	Interurban Coach	Cincinnati Car Company	1920	Inoperable	Indiana Railway Museum, Anderson Railroad Club, Indiana Museum of Transportation and Communication, Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee
251	File:Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee logo.png	Interurban Combine	Jewett Car Company	1917	Operational	Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee
253	File:Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee logo.png	Interurban Combine	Jewett Car Company	1917	Inoperable	Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad
714	File:North Shore 714 02.jpg	Interurban Coach	Cincinnati Car Company	1926	Operational	Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad
749	File:North Shore 749.jpg	Interurban Coach	Pullman Car Company	1928	Operational	Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad
757	File:20040911 29 CNS&M 757 @ Illinois Railway Museum (8523273268).jpg	Interurban Coach	Standard Steel Car Company	1930	Operational	Wisconsin Electric Railway Historical Society, Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad
763	File:Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee logo.png	Interurban Coach	Standard Steel Car Company	1930	Inoperable	Wisconsin Electric Railway Historical Society, Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad
801-802 (Electroliner)	File:Electroliner.jpg	Interurban Four-Section Articulated Streamliner	St. Louis Car Company	1941	Under restoration	Philadelphia Suburban Transportation, Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad
19		Interurban Coach	Pullman Car Company	1928	Inoperable	National Park Service, Chicago South Shore & South Bend
28		Interurban Coach	Standard Steel Car Company	1929	Inoperable	Wisconsin Electric Railway Historical Society, Chicago South Shore & South Bend
34	File:SS 34 arrive Mich City Aug80x (31119954651).jpg	Interurban Coach	Standard Steel Car Company	1929	Operational	Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad
40		Interurban Coach	Standard Steel Car Company	1929	Operational	National Park Service, Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad
8		Interurban Coach	Pullman Car Company	1926	Inoperable	Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad
101	File:Illinois Terminal 101.jpg	Interurban Center-Entrance Coach	American Car Company	1917	Operational	Illinois Terminal
233		Interurban Office Car	St. Louis Car Company	1906	Inoperable	Illini Railroad Club, Illinois Terminal
234	File:19680922 33 Illinois Terminal RR cars Illinois Railway Museum (6352224026).jpg	Interurban Observation Car	Danville Car Company	1910	Operational	Illini Railroad Club, Illinois Terminal
277	File:19680922 32 Illinois Terminal RR cars Illinois Railway Museum.jpg	Interurban Combine	St. Louis Car Company	1913	Operational	Illinois Terminal
415	File:Illinois Terminal.jpg	Interurban Coach/Streetcar	St. Louis Car Company	1924	Operational	Illinois Terminal
504	File:19680922 32 Illinois Terminal RR cars Illinois Railway Museum.jpg	Interurban Sleeper	American Car & Foundry Company	1910	Inoperable	Illinois Terminal
518		Interurban Trailer	St. Louis Car Company	1911	Operational	Illini Railroad Club, Illinois Terminal
65	File:Indiana Railroad 65 01.jpg	Light Interurban Coach	Pullman Car Company	1931	Operational	Indiana Railroad, Cedar Rapids & Iowa City
1754		Rapid Transit Car	Jewett Car Company	1906	Operational	Chicago Elevated Railway, Chicago Transit Authority
1268		Rapid Transit Trailer	American Car & Foundry Company	1907	Operational	Chicago Rapid Transit Company, Chicago Transit Authority

Other equipment

Source:

• Toronto Transit Commission CLRV #4034, the newest in the museum's streetcar collection. The streetcar is being regauged (truck exchange or Wheelset exchange) from TTC gauge () to operate on IRM's trackage.
• Nebraska Zephyr: Streamlined Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad passenger trainset.
• Two New York City Transit Authority IRT Division R28 Series subway cars from 1960 (numbers 7926–7927): Built by ACF in the Berwick, Pennsylvania Plant.
• The museum's depot: Built in 1851 for the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad, the oldest train station west of the Appalachian Mountains in regular use.
• 23 electric trolleybuses from Chicago, Dayton, Ohio, Cleveland, Des Moines, Iowa, Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, Milwaukee, San Francisco, Indianapolis, Boston and Seattle.
• 13 motor buses: from CTA, Janesville, WI, RTA, CMC, CSL, NSL, StL Public Service, Connecticut Co, Bee Line, and Montebello.
• 87 passenger cars: from Budd, ACF, CB&Q, CC&F, MILW, PSC, WC, PC, and SLCC.
• 106 freight cars: from AT&SF, KRLX, AMOX, AC&F, IRCX, B&O, CB&Q, UP, MILW, NYC, CSDX, EVEX, CRIX, SHPX, GN, CPVX, MD&W, TCAX, IT, MD&W, CGW, CN&W, DODX, Bethlehem Steel, NP, BFIX, EJ&E, Amtrak, URTX, GTW, URTX, GPEX, NOKL, St. Louis Car Company, FGEX, PFE, Greenville Steel Car, International Car, CRDX, PC&F, FMC, TTX, AC&F, Standard Steel, PC, PFE, A&W, MDT, FMC, Pressed Steel, EVEX, SRLX, NOKL, KRLX, and H&B.

Formerly owned locomotives

Locomotive details

Number	Images	Type	Class	Builder	Built	Status	Owner
154	File:Damptog på Henry Ford Museumet i Detroit.jpg	Steam	2-8-0Template:Whyte suffix	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1909	Display	The Henry Ford Museum
102	File:End-O-Line Railroad Park.JPG	Steam	4-6-0Template:Whyte suffix	American Locomotive Company	1923	Display	End-O-Line Railroad Park and Museum
34	File:Cumberland Railroad Station, train (21600505165).jpg	Steam	2-8-0Template:Whyte suffix	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1916	Stored	Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
475	File:N&W 475 at Leaman Place Junction - August 16, 2020.jpg	Steam	4-8-0Template:Whyte suffix	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1906	Operational	Strasburg Rail Road
2	File:Tillamook Air Museum in Tillamook, Oregon 34.jpg	Steam	2-8-2Template:Whyte suffix	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1912	Operational	Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad, Oregon Rail Heritage Center

Organization

The Illinois Railway Museum is an IRS Chapter 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation owned and managed by its membership. Museum management includes a board of directors, elected by the regular membership of about 160 active volunteers. A board president is elected by the directors. The board oversees the general manager, a volunteer who in turn has oversight over an array of department heads. Major departments include Steam, Diesel, Electric Car, Passenger Car, Freight Car, Track & Signal, Buildings & Grounds, Trolley Bus, Motor Bus, and Operations. Other departments oversee the museum's libraries, electrical infrastructure, and display and education functions. Most department heads are volunteers. All workers at the museum fall under the direct authority of one of the department heads. The vast majority of workers are volunteers. Anyone who is interested in trains or other collections/aspects of the museum is actively encouraged to volunteer, with required training done by the museum.

Appearances in media

IRM has been used in several films, due to its proximity to Chicago and its extensive collection of historic railroad equipment. In the 1992 film A League of Their Own, starring Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, and Madonna, the museum's depot was used for several small-town depot scenes; other scenes featured with the Nebraska Zephyr and only surviving EMD E5. The 1993 movie Groundhog Day featured the museum's EMD SD24 diesel locomotive. The museum's grounds and some of the passenger cars were used in the movie The Babe, starring John Goodman. In late 2005, the Burlington 9911A and several coaches operated to Chicago for filming in Flags of Our Fathers, a Clint Eastwood film. Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014) made IRM the host of several scenes.

Many television shows' railroad sequences have been shot at the IRM. Scenes depicting steam era operations in the late 1920s were shot for the 1993 television series The Untouchables. The show Chicago Fire features the IRM onsite in the season 2 episode "No Regrets".

Special events

• Day Out with Thomas

See also

• List of common carrier freight railroads in the United States
• List of Illinois railroads
• List of heritage railroads in the United States
• List of railway museums