Illinois Railway Museum Discount Codes Apr 2025 - 20% OFF

The Illinois Railway Museum (IRM) is a railroad museum located in Union, Illinois. It is the largest railway museum in the United States and houses a collection of over 450 pieces of rolling stock, including steam locomotives, diesel locomotives, passenger cars, freight cars, and trolley cars.The museum was established in 1953 and is operated by volunteers. Its mission is to preserve and interpret the history of railroading through its collection of historic trains and artifacts. The museum covers an area of about 100 acres and features several miles of railroad tracks for operating trains.Visitors to the Illinois Railway Museum can take guided tours of the exhibits, ride on vintage trains, participate in special events such as train rides with Santa Claus during Christmas time, and even volunteer to help maintain and restore the collection. There are also educational programs for school groups that focus on topics such as railroad history, engineering principles, and transportation technology.One of the highlights of the museum is its operating fleet of historic trains. These include famous locomotives such as Union Pacific Big Boy #4012 (the world's largest operational steam locomotive) and Norfolk & Western #611 (a famous Class J steam locomotive). The museum also operates several interurban electric trolley lines.In addition to preserving historic trains, the Illinois Railway Museum also maintains an extensive archive library containing books, photographs, maps, documents, and other materials related to railroading history. Researchers are welcome to make appointments to use this resource for their studies.Overall, the Illinois Railway Museum provides a unique opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in the history of rail transportation in America. It offers an educational experience for all ages while preserving a vital part of our industrial heritage.

The Illinois Railway Museum's main products are historic railway equipment, restoration services, and educational experiences.