Illinois Railway Museum

The Illinois Railway Museum, as you see it today, is the result of decades of effort by a dynamic group of dedicated volunteers. All of the buildings, track, locomotives and cars were assembled here at Union on what was once farmland. Our main line trackage was laid on the vacant right-of-way of the Elgin & Belvidere Electric railway. Why would rational adults freely contribute so much of their time and treasure to creating this repository of railroad history? The Illinois Railway Museum is probably the ultimate railroad historian special interest group. Originally formed to preserve one important piece of rolling stock, it has evolved into an educational and historic preservation organization recreating possibly the largest operating demonstration railroad showcase on the North American continent.

Spread out upon numerous acres of former farmland, adjacent to an ex-Chicago & Northwestern mainline, the Illinois Railway Museum maintains a massive collection of operating and static railroad, interurban, and trolley equipment. Located northwest of Chicago in tiny Union, Illinois, the roots of the museum date back as far as World World II to the Illinois Electric Railway Museum. This page represents only a sampling of the museum collection, pieces of particular interest to HawkinsRails.net

Illinois Railway Museum property map / James Kolanowski drawing

Steam

Chicago Burlington & Quincy #3007

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Chicago Burlington & Quincy #3007

builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
arrangement:4-6-4 Hudson
built:1930
fuel:coal/water
notes:
78" drivers
ex Chicago Burlington & Quincy class S4
to city of Quincy, Illinois
to Wade's Purple Martin Train
to display at Atlantic, Ia
to Illinois Railway Museum

Graysonia, Nashville & Ashdown #26

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Graysonia, Nashville & Ashdown #26

builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
arrangement:2-6-0 Mogul
built:1926
fuel:coal/water
notes:
54" drivers
retired, Graysonia, Nash. & Ashdown, 1958
to Illinois Railway Museum, 1973
stored serviceable

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

RWH

Tuskegee Railroad #101

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Tuskegee Railroad #101

builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
arrangement:2-6-2 Prairie
built:1924, Baldwin #58057
fuel:coal/water
notes:
blt as Tuskegee Railroad #101, 1924
to T. R. Miller Mill Co
to Illinois Railway Musuem
restored as Tuskgee #101

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

See also our complete T. R. Miller Mill Company #101 collection

Diesel

Burlington Northern #BN-3

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Burlington Northern #BN-3

builder:Electro Motive Division
model:E-9AM
type:A1A-A1A passenger cab
built:Jan 1956, EMD #20541
series:100 produced 1954-64
engine:two EMD 12-645C (12 cyl)
notes:
ex Chicago, Burlington & Quincy #9989
ex Burlington Northern #9919

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Chicago & North Western #411

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Chicago & North Western #411

builder:Electro Motive Division
model:F7A
type:B-B passenger cab
built:Oct 1949, EMD #8569
series:2366 produced 1949-53
engine:EMD 567B (16 cyl, 1500 hp)
notes:
blt Chicago & North Western #411
ex Chicago Metra #305
to Illinois Railway Museum

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific #118C

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Milwaukee Road #118C

builder:Electro Motive Division
model:F7A
type:B-B passenger cab
built:Nov 1951, EMD #15220
series:2366 produced 1949-53
engine:EMD 567B (16 cyl, 1500 hp)
notes:
_________

Illinois Terminal #1605

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Illinois Terminal #1605

builder:Electro Motive Division
model:GP7
type:B-B road switcher
built:Aug 1953, EMD #18707
series:2729 produced 1949-54
engine:EMD 567B (16 cyl. 1500 hp)
notes:
_________

Chicago & Northwestern #6847

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Chicago & Northwestern #6847

builder:Electro Motive Division
model:SD40-2
type:C-C special duty
built:Mar 1974, EMD #74609
series:3957 produced 1974-86
engine:EMD 645E3 (16 cyl. 3000 hp)
notes:
blt Chicago & Northwestern #6847
to Union Pacific 3028
to Illinois Railway Museum

Wisconsin Central #7525

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Wisconsin Central #7525

builder:Electro Motive Division
model:SD45 MQ-3
type:C-C special duty
built:Aug 1971, EMD #37147
series:1260 produced 1965-71
engine:EMD 645E3 (20 cyl. 3600 hp)
notes:
blt Burlington Northern #6539
to Wisconsin Central #7525
to Illinois Railway Museum

United States Army #8537

General Electric 45 ton (1944) / Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Joy Manufacturing Company #2

Whitcomb 12DM38 (1951) / Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Columbus & Greenville #606

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Columbus & Greenville #606

builder:Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton
model:AS-416
type:A1A-A1A road switcher
built:Sep 1951, Baldwin #75273
series:21 produced 1950-54
engine:Baldwin 608A (8 cyls. 1600 hp)
notes:
six axles, four traction motors
blt Columbus & Greenville #606
to Illinois Railway Museum

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

See also our complete Columbus & Greenville Railway Baldwin collection

Electric

Illinois Terminal #415

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Illinois Terminal #415

builder:St. Louis Car Company
type:Lightweight suburban
built:1924
series:_________
motors:4 General Electric 265D
capacity:48 seats
notes:
double end / double truck / arch roof

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Chicago Transit Authority #4391

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Chicago Transit Authority #4391

builder:St. Louis Car Company
type:double-truck PCC
built:1948
series:5000 produced 1936-52
motors:4 General Electric 1223
capacity:57 seats
notes:
single end / double truck / arch roof
two man operation

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee #160

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee #160

builder:J. G. Brill Company
type:steel interurban coach
built:1915
series:_________
motors:4 Westinghouse 557A5
capacity:58 seats
notes:
double end / double truck / arch roof

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee #714

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee #714

builder:Cincinnati Car Company
type:steel interurban coach
built:1926
series:_________
motors:4 Westinghouse 557R5
capacity:56 seats
notes:
double end / double truck / arch roof

Union, Il / Sep 2009 / RWH

Electric Trolley Coach

The largest collection of trolley coaches in America exists right here at the Illinois Railway Museum - eleven units. This is the only museum in this part of the world with a complete overhead system, providing demonstration rides for our visitors on a regular basis. While the electric trolley coach looks much like a motor bus, it is a very close relative of the electric streetcar. In fact in some cities they were known as "trackless trolleys". The propulsion systems share much of the same technology and both are powered by 600 volts DC. Good performance and quiet dependability were hallmarks of trolley coaches. Transit managements appreciated their low maintenance costs. Trolley coach operations have declined in the United States, but their usage in the rest of the world is increasing with about 350 cities currently under double wire. However with the recent concern about vehicular pollution, a renaissance may yet occur here in America.

Illinois Railway Museum