The IRM is a fantastic place. The Thomas The Train is a wonderful time of course, but you MUST visit and see all the amazing Steam, Diesel and Electric Streetcars on display, being restored and running. When you ride an electric streetcar, you have to wonder why they are not still used! With the same (or greater) capacity as a modern bus and with no vehicle emissions, they are just great. The Illinois Railway Museum is a Must See.
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What our visitors are saying about their experience
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So much fun for our little boys! They love riding the trains and they have so many old restored trains. Some of their restoration jobs are fantastic and really capture the feel of the height of rail travel. I don’t know of any other place quite like this. It’s a great educational experience even if you don’t love trains.
Andrew Ryan -
The largest railway museum in the USA – and they run demonstrations of many working trains. The trains vary from 1800s steam engines to the recently retired CTA Red Line trains. They have old Pullman cars which are nicely displayed.
Lenore Ettinger -
I loved coming here as a kid with my dad and grandpa and my kids seemed to have just as much fun as I did back in the day. We went for the Day Out with Thomas and had a great time. There were some major improvements since I was there as a kid and it looks like more are on their way. Can’t wait to go back.
Jake Glimco -
In The News
- 05 Mar
IRM Awarded John H. Emery Rail Heritage Trust Grant
Read moreThe 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.
Comments off - 17 Feb
Snowflake Special excursion will run on April 6, 2024
Read moreThe Illinois Railway Museum is running a “Snowflake Special” excursion on the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) on Saturday, April 6, 2024. Join IRM in a
Comments off - 03 Feb
Milwaukee Road “Buffeteria” Comes to IRM
Read moreRoughly five years after the start of fundraising, Milwaukee Road “Buffeteria” dining car 126 arrived at the Illinois Railway Museum on January 31, 2024. The
Comments off