When you step aboard a Metra train you’re actually taking part in a tradition that goes back all the way to 1830—when the first regularly scheduled rail passenger service began in the U.S. Honoring, celebrating, and showcasing the history of railroads is what the Illinois Railway Museum is all about.
Founded in 1953, the museum holds the largest collection of historic railway equipment in North America. Its collection includes roughly 450 pieces of equipment housed on 100 acres. Touring its large grounds, you’ll find Pullman sleeping cars, private cars, dining cars, interurban cars, restored L cars from the Chicago rapid transit system, steam engines, vintage buses, restored signs and signals, model trains, and more.
It truly is a museum in motion. You can ride a streetcar and hop aboard steam- and diesel-powered trains that run on the museum’s five-mile train line. You can experience the luxury and opulence of America’s railroad past. The museum even maintains historical documents, manufacturers’ drawings, and photographs at its two libraries.
Located in Union, IL, the museum is now accessible through public transportation. Metra riders can take MCRide, McHenry County’s Dial-A-Ride service, to the museum from the Woodstock or Crystal Lake stations on the UP-NW Line.
The museum is open weekends, May through October. Visit www.irm.org for hours, special events, and admission pricing.