Fox River Trolley Museum in South Elgin, Illinois
Trolley and streetcar museumTrain ridesTrolley rides on Sundays from Mother's Day to early November
The Fox River Trolley Museum runs antique electric trolleys and interurban cars over a 1.9 mile riverside line in South Elgin, track that has stayed in service since the Aurora, Elgin & Fox River Electric built it in 1896.
- Incorporated in 1961 as RELIC
- Line in service since 1896
- Run entirely by volunteers
- Rides into a forest preserve
- About 30 historic cars
- Car 20 built in 1902
Fox River Trolley Museum at a glance
- Hours
- Sundays 11 am to 5 pm, Mother's Day to the first Sunday in November; Saturdays too in July and August
- Admission
- Check foxtrolley.org for current fares
- Train rides
- Trolley and interurban rides on the 1.9 mile line to Blackhawk station in the Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve
- Plan for
- About 1 to 2 hours
- Best for
- Young kids and electric railway fans
- Best ages
- Toddlers to age 10
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Fox River Trolley Museum? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to South Elgin.
Rally Takes the Train
Eight pages from the book
Turn the page
That's 8 of 25 pages
See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.
Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
Saving the last stretch of the Fox River Line
The track you ride here was laid in 1896 for the Aurora, Elgin & Fox River Electric, an interurban that carried passengers up and down the river valley until 1935. When passenger service ended, nearly all of the line was pulled up. About 3.5 miles in South Elgin survived for one job: hauling coal to the Elgin State Mental Hospital. The Illinois Central dropped hoppers at Coleman Siding, and the little line carried them up to the hospital, first under trolley wire and, from 1946, behind a 45-ton General Electric diesel switcher, AE&FRE No. 5, which is now in the museum's collection.
In 1961 a group of rail fans incorporated as the Railway Equipment Leasing and Investment Company, or RELIC, on a small plot beside the tracks lent by the railroad's owner, Bob DeYoung. They opened to the public in 1966 as the RELIC Trolley Museum. When freight service ended in 1973, DeYoung sold the remaining line to the museum, and in 1984 the group took the name Fox River Trolley Museum.
The volunteers kept building. In 2003 they extended the line about 0.2 miles into what is now the Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve, making this one of the few railroads in the country that runs inside a forest preserve. In 2018, after two boys broke into the car barn and did close to $150,000 in damage to eight historic cars, more than 400 people donated over $50,000 and glass companies donated windows to help with repairs. In late 2024 the museum announced a 50-foot extension of its 1984 car barn to shelter three more cars.
From Castlemuir to Blackhawk along the river
Your visit starts at Castlemuir, the museum's northern terminal in South Elgin, with two platforms, a train yard, the maintenance shop and the car barn. From there the cars roll south along the Fox River, past the Woodcliff flagstop and the old Coleman Siding where coal once changed hands, to Blackhawk station in the middle of the Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve. The Fox River Trail runs alongside much of the way.
The collection numbers about 30 electric trolleys, railroad cars and locomotives, built between 1887 and 1973, and most of them come from Chicago area lines: interurbans of the Chicago Aurora & Elgin, the North Shore Line and the South Shore, plus streetcars and 'L' cars from Chicago Surface Lines, Chicago Rapid Transit and the CTA. There are a few visitors from farther away too, including a San Francisco Municipal Railway car.
Don’t miss
- Chicago Aurora & Elgin car 20Built in 1902 and bought straight from the CA&E when it ended passenger service, it is described as the oldest electric interurban car operating in the United States.
- Aurora, Elgin & Fox River Electric 304Built for this very line in 1923, it spent decades in Cleveland and Ohio before making its first run back home on August 21, 2010.
- AE&FRE No. 5The 45-ton GE diesel switcher that hauled hospital coal on this track from 1946 until the last freight ran in 1973.
- Blackhawk stationThe southern end of the line, set in the heart of the Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve.
- Chicago Surface Lines 6Built in 1891, one of the oldest cars in the collection and among those repaired after the 2018 break-in.
Trolley rides through the woods
The ride is the attraction for kids: a rumbling old electric car, open windows on the river side, and a turnaround at a station deep in the forest preserve. It is short enough for small children, and the riverside setting along the Fox River Trail makes it easy to pair with a walk.
Ticket prices and age rules are posted by the museum, so check foxtrolley.org or call before you go, especially for special event trains, which can sell out.
Plan your visit: tips for Fox River Trolley Museum
- Event and ticket questions go to foxtrolley.org or (847) 380-6121.
- Metra's Milwaukee District West Line stops at Elgin and National Street, about three miles north.
- Pair the ride with a walk on the Fox River Trail, which runs beside the line.
- Confirm the season schedule before driving out, since rides run on set days only.
Run by volunteers since 1961
The museum is operated by the Fox River Trolley Association, an educational, member-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and it is run entirely by volunteers who staff the cars, maintain the track and restore the collection. The flood of support after the 2018 vandalism showed how much the community values them. Membership, volunteering and donations all help; reach the museum at info@foxtrolley.org.
Other rail stops near South Elgin
The Illinois Railway Museum in Union is about 20 miles away and has its own streetcar loop and Chicago 'L' cars. In the city, about 35 miles east, the Museum of Science and Industry makes a good rainy-day rail stop, and Pullman National Historical Park is about 41 miles away. See all of Illinois's train museums for more.
- Illinois Railway MuseumUnion, IL · about 20 mi
- Chicago Transit Authority historic fleet / heritage exhibitsChicago, IL · about 34 mi
- Chicago History Museum railway/transit exhibitsChicago, IL · about 35 mi
- Museum of Science and Industry railroad exhibitsChicago, IL · about 35 mi
- Rochelle Railroad ParkRochelle, IL · about 40 mi
- Pullman National Historical ParkChicago, IL · about 41 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
The Fox River trolleys roll along the riverbank, and I can picture a dog with his nose at the open window the whole way to the woods. In our book, Rally looks out an arched train window at the ocean and says hello to a white bird. My mom imagined that moment years ago, and I still think of her whenever a kid presses close to the glass to watch water slide by.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
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- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Illinois
- Halloween train rides in Illinois
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Fox River Trolley Museum?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Sources
- Fox River Trolley Museum official website(opens in a new tab)
- Fox River Trolley Museum on Wikipedia(opens in a new tab)
Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.
Fox River Trolley Museum: 20 questions riders ask
Where is the Fox River Trolley Museum?
The Fox River Trolley Museum is at 365 South La Fox Street (Illinois Route 31) in South Elgin, Illinois 60177, about two blocks south of LaFox and State Streets. Its mailing address is P.O. Box 315, South Elgin, IL 60177. By train, Metra's Milwaukee District West Line stops at Elgin and National Street, about three miles north.
What are the Fox River Trolley Museum hours?
Published information says trolley excursions run every Sunday from Mother's Day through the first Sunday in November, 11 am to 5 pm, and on both Saturdays and Sundays in July and August. Schedules can change, so check foxtrolley.org or call (847) 697-4676 before you go.
How much are Fox River Trolley Museum tickets?
The museum posts ticket information on its website rather than through outside listings, so check foxtrolley.org for current prices before your visit. For questions about tickets or special events, the museum lists a separate contact: foxtrolleytickets@foxtrolley.org or (847) 380-6121. General questions go to info@foxtrolley.org or (847) 697-4676.
How do I buy Fox River Trolley Museum tickets?
Start with the museum's website, foxtrolley.org, which lists ticket information for regular rides and events. If you have questions about a booking, email foxtrolleytickets@foxtrolley.org or call the ticket line at (847) 380-6121. For special event trains, buying ahead is the safest plan.
Does the Fox River Trolley Museum do a Polar Express or holiday train?
The Fox River Trolley Museum does not advertise a Polar Express or holiday train, and the regular ride season ends in early November. Check the events listing at foxtrolley.org or ask at foxtrolleytickets@foxtrolley.org whether any winter or holiday trolley events are planned this year.
What upcoming events are at the Fox River Trolley Museum?
The museum posts its events on its website rather than a fixed annual list, so check foxtrolley.org for upcoming special runs. Event and ticket questions go to foxtrolleytickets@foxtrolley.org or (847) 380-6121. Regular trolley rides run Sundays from Mother's Day into early November, with Saturdays added in July and August.
What is the ride like at the Fox River Trolley Museum?
Cars leave from Castlemuir, the museum's South Elgin terminal, and travel about 1.9 miles south along the Fox River to Blackhawk station, inside the Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve. The line passes the Woodcliff flagstop and Coleman Siding. It is one of the few railroads in the country that runs within a forest preserve.
How old is the Fox River Trolley Museum line?
The track dates to 1896, when the Aurora, Elgin & Fox River Electric built it as an interurban. Passenger service ended in 1935, but a South Elgin segment kept hauling coal to the Elgin State Mental Hospital until freight ended in 1973. The museum bought the line that year and extended it into the forest preserve in 2003.
When was the Fox River Trolley Museum founded?
It was incorporated in 1961 as R.E.L.I.C., the Railway Equipment Leasing and Investment Company, on land beside the tracks lent by railroad owner Bob DeYoung. It opened to the public in 1966 as the RELIC Trolley Museum and took the name Fox River Trolley Museum in 1984.
What is on the Fox River Trolley Museum roster?
The collection has about 30 antique electric trolleys, railroad cars and locomotives built between 1887 and 1973, mostly from Chicago area lines. It includes Chicago Aurora & Elgin cars, AE&FRE 304 and No. 5, CTA 'L' cars 4451 and 4288, Chicago Surface Lines 6, plus North Shore, South Shore, Soo Line, Illinois Central and San Francisco Municipal Railway equipment.
What is special about Chicago Aurora & Elgin car 20?
Car 20 is a wooden interurban built in 1902 that the museum bought directly from the Chicago Aurora & Elgin after that railroad stopped carrying passengers. It is described as the oldest electric interurban car operating in the United States. Its rare CA&E headlight was badly damaged in 2018 and was part of the repair effort.
What happened in the Fox River Trolley Museum vandalism?
On July 8, 2018, two boys aged 11 and 13 broke into the car barn and caused nearly $150,000 in damage to eight historic cars, smashing windows and the headlight on car 20. A walker on the Fox River Trail alerted police. Afterward, more than 400 people donated over $50,000, and glass companies donated replacement windows.
Is the Fox River Trolley Museum good for toddlers?
A trolley ride along a river to a forest stop is a good fit for little kids, and the trip is short compared with a full-day museum. Child fares, stroller rules and seating details are best confirmed directly, so ask at info@foxtrolley.org or (847) 697-4676 before you go.
Is the Fox River Trolley Museum wheelchair accessible?
The museum does not describe accessibility for its cars in the listings available online. Boarding vintage trolley and interurban cars can involve steps, so contact the museum at info@foxtrolley.org or (847) 697-4676 before your visit to ask about platform access and how volunteers can help riders with mobility needs.
Can I park at the Fox River Trolley Museum?
The museum sits right on Illinois Route 31 (South La Fox Street) in South Elgin, and its website gives driving directions from the north and south. For parking details, check the visit page at foxtrolley.org before you go. Metra riders can use the Elgin or National Street stations, about three miles north.
Who runs the Fox River Trolley Museum?
The museum is operated by the Fox River Trolley Association, an educational, member-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Illinois. It is run completely by volunteers, who operate the cars, maintain the track and car barn, and restore the collection. Membership and volunteer information is available through foxtrolley.org.
How can I volunteer at or donate to the Fox River Trolley Museum?
Because the museum is entirely volunteer run, new helpers are central to keeping trolleys moving. Contact info@foxtrolley.org or call (847) 697-4676 to ask about volunteering, membership in the Fox River Trolley Association, or donations, which are tax deductible through the 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Is the Fox River Trolley Museum on Facebook?
No official social media account is linked here for the museum. The most reliable place for schedules and news is the museum's own website, foxtrolley.org. You can also email info@foxtrolley.org or call (847) 697-4676 with questions.
What is the car barn extension at the Fox River Trolley Museum?
In November 2024 the museum announced a plan to extend its car barn, first built in 1984, by an additional 50 feet. The addition is meant to protect three more trolley cars from the weather, with completion targeted for September 2025. Check the museum's website for an update on the project.
What train museums are near the Fox River Trolley Museum?
The Illinois Railway Museum in Union is about 20 miles away. Chicago is about 34 to 35 miles east, with the Chicago History Museum, the Museum of Science and Industry and Chicago Transit Authority heritage equipment, and Pullman National Historical Park is about 41 miles away. Rochelle Railroad Park is about 40 miles west.
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