Train Museums in Illinois: Every Railroad Museum by Town
- 17 museums
- 14 towns
- 6 with train rides
- 1 free
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When the Illinois Central finished its Charter Line from Cairo to East Dubuque in 1855, it was the longest railroad in the world, and the 1876 division headquarters it built in Amboy still stands as a museum. This page gathers 17 Illinois museums, rail parks and collections across 13 towns, from Chicago to Centralia, and it is one stop in our state by state guide to train museums for families. Type your town into the finder to see what is closest.
Illinois covers a lot of rail ground. You can ride as many trains as you like at the Illinois Railway Museum, take a century-old trolley into a forest preserve in South Elgin, watch up to 80 freight trains a day cross at Rochelle, or push the buttons on a giant model railroad in Chicago.
Many of the smaller depot museums are open only on weekends or by appointment, and several close for winter, so check the hours on each card before you load the car.
Look inside the book
Big engines, little legs. 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 an Illinois train museum.
Rally Takes the Train
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Quick picks: where to start in Illinois
Biggest collection and the most rides
Union
One ticket covers unlimited rides on electric, steam or diesel trains and streetcars, plus five display barns of equipment on 100 acres.
Best first visit with a toddler
South Elgin
The trolley ride along the Fox River to Blackhawk station in a forest preserve is short enough for little riders and runs on Sundays all summer.
Rainy day pick
Griffin Museum of Science and Industry
Chicago
The Great Train Story runs more than 20 HO trains indoors, and the layout switches to nighttime mode twice an hour.
Free and open every day
Rochelle
No admission fee is listed, the park is open 7 am to 10 pm year-round, and real freight trains cross the diamond all day.
Pay what you wish
Amboy
Admission is by donation for 19 restored rooms, a 1929 steam switcher, a caboose and a one-room schoolhouse.
Best real train ride outside Chicagoland
Monticello
A one-hour, seven-mile round trip runs on weekends from May to early October, with the 1907 steam engine Southern 401 on select dates.
Ring a steam engine bell
Mendota
Kids can climb into the cab of a CB&Q Mikado and ring its bell, then watch for Amtrak trains at the still-working depot.
Every train museum in Illinois, town by town
17 museums in 14 towns, A to Z by town. Tap any museum for its own page: the full story, what to see, what kids can do, hours, tickets, contact details and 20 answers to the questions families ask.
Amboy
Depot museum
Amboy Depot Museum
A grand 1876 Illinois Central depot and division headquarters, saved by local citizens and restored inside and out. See 19 rooms of artifacts, a 1929 steam switcher, a caboose, a freight house and a one-room school. Admission is by donation.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsCentral Illinois
Rail preservation group
Illinois Terminal Railroad historic collections
Not a museum building but a body of history: the Illinois Traction Society and archive collections that preserve the story of the Illinois Terminal, the electric interurban that tied central Illinois to St. Louis. No public hours are posted.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsCentralia
Depot museum
Historic Illinois Central Depot Museum
A depot museum listing in Centralia, Illinois, focused on Illinois Central railroad history. It does not post hours, prices or contact details online, so confirm locally before you drive out, and plan a St. Louis rail museum as a backup.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsChicago: 4 train museums
Chicago has four rail listings within a few miles of each other: the Great Train Story at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, the Chicago History Museum, the CTA Heritage Fleet and Pullman National Historical Park on the South Side. Pair one indoor museum with Pullman for a full city rail day.
Museum with a major rail exhibit
Chicago History Museum
Chicago's city history museum, with collections and programs that cover the railroads and the 'L', trolley tours on its events calendar, and a store full of CTA gear. Rail exhibits change, so check what is on view before you go.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsRail preservation group
CTA Heritage Fleet
Not a museum building but a working collection: the CTA keeps vintage 'L' cars and buses in service for special public rides and private charters. Watch CTA announcements for events, and support it through the CTA gift shop.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsMuseum with a major rail exhibit
Griffin Museum of Science and Industry
One of the largest science museums in the world, with a huge HO scale model railroad, The Great Train Story, at the heart of its Transportation Gallery, plus the Pioneer Zephyr and the famous 999 locomotive. Plan around general admission tickets.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsHistoric rail site
Pullman National Historical Park
Chicago's first national park unit, set in the planned company town where Pullman railcars were built. Start at the National Park Service visitor center, then explore the Exhibit Hall, Hotel Florence grounds and the Pullman Porter Museum. Call ahead for hours.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsChillicothe
Depot museum
Rock Island Railroad Museum
Chillicothe's old Rock Island depot, saved by the local historical society and opened as a railroad museum in 1987. Expect a depot full of photos and memorabilia plus a caboose. Hours are not posted online, so contact the society first.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsDunlap
Museum with a major rail exhibit
Wheels O' Time Museum
A hands-on transportation and machine museum north of Peoria with six exhibit buildings, outdoor displays and blacksmithing demonstrations. Open May 1 to October 31; adults $12 and kids $5 as of 2026.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsFreeport
Heritage railroad with a museum
Silver Creek & Stephenson Railroad & Museum
A small branch line south of Freeport where club volunteers run a 1912 Heisler steam engine and Illinois's oldest operating caboose on a 3.4-mile round trip. Rides run on a handful of holiday weekends, and fares are cash or local check only.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsGalesburg
Railroad museum
Galesburg Railroad Museum
A volunteer-built museum on Seminary Street with the CB&Q steam locomotive 3006, a 1945 Railway Post Office car, a Pullman car and a building full of Burlington artifacts. Open Fridays and Saturdays, April through September, and by appointment.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsKankakee
Depot museum
Kankakee Railroad Museum
Model trains in three scales, a miniature 1950s Kankakee, a 1947 Pullman car, a Union Pacific caboose and a trolley, all at the restored 1898 Illinois Central depot downtown. Hours are not posted online, so confirm before you go.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsMendota
Depot museum
Union Depot Railroad Museum
A restored section of Mendota's 1888 depot, still an Amtrak stop, with an HO layout of 1930s and 1940s Mendota, a CB&Q steam locomotive whose bell kids can ring, and speeder rides when conditions allow. Open weekends 12 pm to 4 pm.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsMonticello
Heritage railroad with a museum
Monticello Railway Museum
All-volunteer heritage railroad off I-72 with one-hour vintage train rides on weekends from May to early October, a 1907 steam locomotive on select dates, walk-through exhibit cars, and the Polar Express from the Wabash Depot in November and December.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsRochelle
Outdoor rail park
Rochelle Railroad Park
A free-feeling, open-air front row seat at the Rochelle diamond, where Union Pacific and BNSF mainlines cross and up to 80 trains pass in a day. The park is open daily from 7 am to 10 pm, with a gift shop and restrooms.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsSouth Elgin
Trolley and streetcar museum
Fox River Trolley Museum
An all-volunteer trolley museum where you ride century-old electric cars along the Fox River to a stop inside a forest preserve. Rides run on Sundays from Mother's Day to early November, with Saturdays added in July and August.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsUnion
Heritage railroad with a museum
Illinois Railway Museum
Billed as the largest railway museum in the country, IRM in Union runs electric, steam and diesel trains on open days from April to October. One ticket covers unlimited rides and all five display barns, and parking is always free.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsCompare every Illinois train museum side by side
Type, train rides, admission, hours and who each one suits, in one table. Tap a column to sort it, or a museum to open its page.
| Hours | Best for | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amboy Depot MuseumAmboy | Depot museum | No | Donations only; no fixed fee | Friday and Saturday 10 am to 4 pm, Sunday 1 to 4 pm; closed Monday to Thursday, holidays, and November 1 to March 31 | History lovers and families on a northern Illinois road trip |
| Illinois Terminal Railroad historic collectionsCentral Illinois | Preservation group | No | Not posted | No public hours posted; contact the Illinois Traction Society or the McLean County Museum of History | Researchers, interurban fans and older students |
| Historic Illinois Central Depot MuseumCentralia | Depot museum | No | Not posted online | Not posted online; confirm locally before visiting | Rail history fans passing through southern Illinois |
| Chicago History MuseumChicago | Rail gallery | No | General admission is ticketed; see chicagohistory.org. Groups of 10 or more adults get a discount when booked four weeks ahead | Check chicagohistory.org; the Museum Store is open Tuesday to Saturday 10 am to 4:15 pm and Sunday 12:30 to 4:45 pm | History lovers and older kids curious about Chicago's trains and 'L' |
| CTA Heritage FleetChicago | Preservation group | Yes | Varies by event; charters are priced by the CTA | No regular hours; vehicles appear at announced public events and private charters | Transit fans and kids who love the 'L' |
| Griffin Museum of Science and IndustryChicago | Rail gallery | No | General admission tickets sold online; some exhibits and Giant Dome Theater films cost extra | Posted daily on griffinmsi.org under Today's Hours | Families with train-loving kids of all ages |
| Pullman National Historical ParkChicago | Historic site | No | Check nps.gov/pull for fees; the Exhibit Hall film is free | Not posted here; check nps.gov/pull or call (773) 928-7257 | History lovers and families with school-age kids |
| Rock Island Railroad MuseumChillicothe | Depot museum | No | Not posted online | Not posted online; contact the Chillicothe Historical Society | Rail history fans and families passing through the Peoria area |
| Wheels O' Time MuseumDunlap | Rail gallery | No | Adults $12, seniors 65+ $10, veterans $10, ages 3 through 8th grade $5, under 3 free (2026) | May 1 to October 31: Wednesday to Friday and Sunday 12 pm to 5 pm, Saturday 10 am to 5 pm | Families with kids who like to touch and explore |
| Silver Creek & Stephenson Railroad & MuseumFreeport | Heritage railroad | Yes | Train: adults $10, under 12 $2; museum: adults $4, under 12 free; train plus museum $10 (as of the 2026 schedule) | Rides depart 11 am to 4 pm on scheduled days; museum and Corliss engine open 11 am to 4 pm the same days | Families with young kids and steam fans |
| Galesburg Railroad MuseumGalesburg | Railroad museum | No | Adults (16 and up) $6, ages 8 to 15 $3 with a paid adult, 7 and under free with a paid adult | April through September, Fridays and Saturdays noon to 4 pm (2025 posted schedule); by appointment other days | Railfans and families with school-age kids |
| Kankakee Railroad MuseumKankakee | Depot museum | No | Not posted online | Not posted online; confirm with the museum before visiting | Families with young kids and model railroad fans |
| Union Depot Railroad MuseumMendota | Depot museum | Yes | One museum: adults $5, high school $4, ages 7 to 13 $3, 6 and under free, family $12; two museums: adults $8, family $20 | Saturdays and Sundays, 12 pm to 4 pm; tours by appointment at (815) 539-3373 | Families with young kids, rail fans and Amtrak riders with time to spare |
| Monticello Railway MuseumMonticello | Heritage railroad | Yes | Fares are posted on the museum's Schedules and Fares page; event prices vary | Grounds and exhibits 10:30 am to 3:30 pm on weekends when trains run, May 2 to October 4 in 2026 | Families wanting a real train ride plus a small museum |
| Rochelle Railroad ParkRochelle | Rail park | No | No admission fee listed | Park open daily 7 am to 10 pm, year-round; gift shop Wednesday to Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm in summer and 11 am to 4 pm in winter | Toddlers, families and railfans with cameras |
| Fox River Trolley MuseumSouth Elgin | Trolley museum | Yes | Check foxtrolley.org for current fares | Sundays 11 am to 5 pm, Mother's Day to the first Sunday in November; Saturdays too in July and August | Young kids and electric railway fans |
| Illinois Railway MuseumUnion | Heritage railroad | Yes | 2026 weekends May to October: adults $20, seniors and youth $18, ages 2 to 12 $16. Weekdays and April weekends: $14, $12 and $11. Under 2 free | April: Sundays, 11 am to 3 pm. May to September: weekends 11 am to 4 pm, plus weekdays Memorial Day to Labor Day 11 am to 3 pm. October: weekends 11 am to 3 pm | Families with young kids and serious rail fans alike |
No museum on this page matches every filter you picked.
Map of every train museum in Illinois
Drive times from Chicago, Peoria and Rockford
These times are rough estimates without traffic, so add a cushion for Chicago rush hours and weekend construction.
| Museum | From Chicago | From Peoria | From Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pullman National Historical ParkChicago | 20 min | ||
| Fox River Trolley MuseumSouth Elgin | 50 min | ||
| Illinois Railway MuseumUnion | 1 hr 10 min | ||
| Kankakee Railroad MuseumKankakee | 1 hr 15 min | ||
| Union Depot Railroad MuseumMendota | 1 hr 50 min | ||
| Wheels O' Time MuseumDunlap | 15 min | ||
| Rock Island Railroad MuseumChillicothe | 40 min | ||
| Galesburg Railroad MuseumGalesburg | 1 hr | ||
| Monticello Railway MuseumMonticello | 1 hr 35 min | ||
| Rochelle Railroad ParkRochelle | 35 min | ||
| Silver Creek & Stephenson Railroad & MuseumFreeport | 40 min | ||
| Amboy Depot MuseumAmboy | 55 min |
Illinois rail day trips
Trip 1
Trains and trolleys west of Chicago
- Illinois Railway MuseumUnion
- Fox River Trolley MuseumSouth Elgin
The Illinois Railway Museum and the Fox River Trolley Museum are about 20 miles apart. On a summer Sunday, ride the trolley to the forest preserve in the morning, then head to Union for unlimited afternoon rides. Check that both are running, since the trolleys run Sundays (plus Saturdays in July and August) and IRM's schedule changes by month.
Trip 2
The Rochelle, Amboy and Mendota loop
- Rochelle Railroad ParkRochelle
- Amboy Depot MuseumAmboy
- Union Depot Railroad MuseumMendota
Rochelle is about 20 miles from Amboy, and Amboy is about 16 miles from Mendota. Watch freight trains at the diamond, walk the 1876 depot in Amboy, then ring the steam engine bell in Mendota. A Saturday works best, since all three are open that day in season.
Trip 3
Peoria area rail and machine day
- Wheels O' Time MuseumDunlap
- Rock Island Railroad MuseumChillicothe
- Galesburg Railroad MuseumGalesburg
Wheels O' Time in Dunlap and the Rock Island Railroad Museum in Chillicothe are about 17 miles apart, and Galesburg is about 40 miles farther west. Call the Chillicothe Historical Society ahead, since that depot does not post hours, and aim for a Friday or Saturday if you want Galesburg's Hudson 3006.
How the railroads built Illinois
Railroads made whole Illinois towns. Amboy grew up around the Illinois Central's division offices and shops. Galesburg came together where four early lines met to form the backbone of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, and by 1926 the Burlington had 3,300 people on its Galesburg payroll. Mendota once saw as many as 40 passenger trains a day from three railroads. Chicago, meanwhile, became a rail capital, with horse-drawn streetcars on State Street by the late 1850s and, later, cable cars, interurbans and the 'L'.
The state also built the cars people rode in. On Chicago's South Side, the Pullman Company raised a planned town for the workers who made its sleeping cars, and that neighborhood saw the Pullman strike of 1894. Central Illinois had its own electric railway giant, the Illinois Terminal, which grew from street railways into a major interurban serving the region and St. Louis from 1895 to 1981.
Each museum tells a piece of that story. Amboy Depot Museum covers the Illinois Central's first line, the Galesburg Railroad Museum and Mendota's Union Depot Railroad Museum hold Burlington steam, Pullman National Historical Park explains the car builders and porters, and the Fox River Trolley Museum still runs on interurban track laid in 1896.
Holiday trains and seasonal days at Illinois museums
Illinois has a full fall and holiday train calendar. The Illinois Railway Museum runs a Pumpkin Train, Day Out With Thomas and the Happy Holiday Railway, the Monticello Railway Museum runs The Polar Express from its downtown Wabash Depot in November and December along with Lunch with Santa on the Train, and Silver Creek & Stephenson near Freeport offers the Train of Terror on October evenings for older kids and Breakfast With Santa each December. In Chicago, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry hosts Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light. For dates and booking tips, see our Illinois Halloween and pumpkin train rides and our Illinois Christmas and Santa train rides guides.
Good to know before you go
- The Illinois Railway Museum's exhibit barns are not heated or air-conditioned, so dress for the weather; the model railroad building, store and diner are climate controlled.
- Silver Creek & Stephenson takes cash or a local check only, and it sells no advance tickets.
- Galesburg lets children 7 and under in free with a paying adult, and Mendota's depot is free for kids 6 and under.
- Amboy, Wheels O' Time, Galesburg and the big ride museums close for winter, so Chicago's Griffin Museum of Science and Industry and the Rochelle park are your year-round options.
- Kankakee, Chillicothe and Centralia do not post hours online, so call before you drive.
- Rochelle has been a quiet zone since 2016, so trains do not blow their horns at the crossings, which helps kids who dislike loud noises.
- The CTA Heritage Fleet has no museum building; its vintage 'L' cars come out only for announced events and charters.
Train museums just over the Illinois line
Northern Illinois families can cross into Wisconsin for the East Troy Railroad Museum and other Wisconsin rail stops, where all-day passes cover electric trolley rides on a 1907 line; it is about 1 hr 10 min from Rockford. From Chicago, Indiana's Hesston Steam Museum near La Porte, with three railroad routes to ride, is about 1 hr 10 min away; see our Indiana train museums page.
From Springfield, the National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis County, home of Big Boy #4006, is about 2 hr 10 min southwest. Find it and more on our Missouri train museums page.
A boost up the big stairs
In our book, there is a moment when Rally, our real corgi, reaches the big train stairs and they are just too tall. Dad gives him a boost, and up he goes. I think about that page whenever I picture a little one standing at the steps of an old coach car, deciding whether to be brave. My mom dreamed up Rally's story before she died in 2021, and you can read how it came to be on our story page. If your kids want a quiet activity for the drive home, our train coloring pages are free to print.
A train book for the drive
If you would rather ride than drive, our guide to the Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg with kids helps you plan an Amtrak day out across Illinois, and both Galesburg and Mendota have museums beside their stations.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. They fit in a folder with a few crayons for the drive to the museum or the wait for the next train ride.
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
- Train museums in every state: search all 50 by town
- Christmas train rides in Illinois: Santa trains and holiday rides
- Halloween train rides in Illinois: pumpkin trains for next October
- The Illinois Zephyr Carl Sandburg with kids: ride a real Amtrak train
- Every Amtrak route with kids: find a train by city or station
- Train books for toddlers for the drive home
Illinois train museum questions
What is the biggest train museum in Illinois?
The Illinois Railway Museum in Union is the biggest, and it describes itself as the largest railway museum in the United States. It spreads more than 20 structures across 100 acres, with five display barns of equipment. Directory listings credit it with more than 450 pieces of rolling stock, much of which still runs.
Are there free train museums in Illinois?
Yes, a couple of Illinois rail stops cost little or nothing. The Amboy Depot Museum asks only for donations, and Rochelle Railroad Park lists no admission fee and is open daily from 7 am to 10 pm. Galesburg also lets children 7 and under in free with a paying adult, as of October 2026.
Where can kids ride a train at an Illinois museum?
Several Illinois museums run rides. The Illinois Railway Museum includes unlimited rides with admission, the Fox River Trolley Museum runs trolleys to a forest preserve, and the Monticello Railway Museum offers a one-hour round trip. Silver Creek & Stephenson near Freeport runs steam rides on a few holiday weekends, and Mendota offers speeder rides when conditions allow.
Which Illinois train museum is best for toddlers?
The Fox River Trolley Museum in South Elgin is a strong first pick for toddlers. The trolley ride is short, runs along the river and ends at a station in a forest preserve. For a free option with no ride, Rochelle Railroad Park lets small children watch real freight trains from a covered, fenced platform.
Is there a train museum in Chicago?
Yes, Chicago has four rail listings. The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry has The Great Train Story model railroad and the Pioneer Zephyr, Pullman National Historical Park covers the railcar company town, and the Chicago History Museum holds rail and 'L' collections. The CTA Heritage Fleet runs vintage 'L' cars on special events.
What train museums are near Peoria?
Wheels O' Time Museum in Dunlap is about 15 minutes north of Peoria, and the Rock Island Railroad Museum in Chillicothe is about 40 minutes away. The Galesburg Railroad Museum, with its 1930 Hudson locomotive, is about an hour west. Times are rough estimates without traffic.
Is there a train museum near Rockford, Illinois?
Yes, several are within an hour of Rockford. Rochelle Railroad Park is about 35 minutes south, Silver Creek & Stephenson near Freeport is about 40 minutes west, and the Illinois Railway Museum in Union is about 40 minutes east. These are approximate drive times without traffic.
Is there a train museum in Kankakee?
Yes, the Kankakee Railroad Museum is in the city's restored 1898 Illinois Central depot downtown, next to the Amtrak station. It has model railroads in N, HO and O scale, including a miniature 1950s Kankakee, plus a 1947 Pullman coach and a Union Pacific caboose. It does not post hours online, so call first.
Are there train museums near Springfield, Illinois?
The closest is the Monticello Railway Museum, roughly an hour and a half east of Springfield by car. It runs vintage train rides on weekends from May to early October and The Polar Express in November and December. Wheels O' Time near Peoria is about an hour and 40 minutes north.
How much does the Illinois Railway Museum cost?
For 2026 weekends from May to October, tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and youth, and $16 for ages 2 to 12. Weekdays and April weekends cost less, and children under 2 are free. Admission includes unlimited train rides, and parking is free, as of October 2026.
When is the Fox River Trolley Museum open?
The Fox River Trolley Museum runs on Sundays from 11 am to 5 pm, from Mother's Day to the first Sunday in November. Saturdays are added in July and August. Fares are posted on the museum's own site, so check there before you drive to South Elgin.
What can you see at the Rochelle Railroad Park?
Rochelle Railroad Park sits beside the double diamond where the Union Pacific and BNSF mainlines cross, with up to 80 trains a day. A covered, accessible viewing platform, picnic tables, a small Whitcomb switching locomotive and a gift shop with train tracking monitors round out the visit. A live scanner plays on 106.9 FM.
Does the Monticello Railway Museum have steam trains?
Yes, on select weekends. Diesels pull most trains, but the museum's restored 1907 steam locomotive, Southern 401, takes over on certain dates and during Railroad Days. The ride is a seven-mile round trip of about an hour between Nelson Crossing Depot and the downtown Wabash Depot. Check the calendar for steam weekends.
What is in the Amboy Depot Museum?
The Amboy Depot Museum fills a 19-room, two-story Illinois Central depot and division headquarters built in 1876. Inside are walk-in vaults, a curved staircase and Illinois Central artifacts. Outside you will find the steam switcher NS&W 76, a caboose, a freight house and the Palmer School one-room schoolhouse.
Where is the Great Train Story model railroad in Chicago?
The Great Train Story is at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, in its Transportation Gallery. The HO scale layout covers 3,500 square feet and runs more than 20 trains from Chicago to Seattle. Buttons let kids raise a drawbridge, and the scene switches to nighttime twice an hour.
Where can I see CB&Q locomotive 3006 in Galesburg?
CB&Q 3006 is on display at the Galesburg Railroad Museum on Seminary Street. The 1930 Hudson steam locomotive rolled up more than 2.3 million miles and was donated to the city in 1962. The museum is open Fridays and Saturdays from April through September, and by appointment.
Is there a Polar Express train ride in Illinois?
Yes, the Monticello Railway Museum runs The Polar Express from its downtown Wabash Depot in November and December. Riders hear the story read aloud and get cocoa, carols and a visit with Santa. Tickets go on sale in September, according to the museum, so plan early.
Do any Illinois train museums run pumpkin or Halloween trains?
Yes, the Illinois Railway Museum in Union runs a Pumpkin Train in the fall. Near Freeport, Silver Creek & Stephenson runs the Train of Terror on October evenings, a spookier ride better suited to older kids. Train of Terror tickets go on sale at 5 pm the same night, and fares are cash or local check only.
Why is Pullman in Chicago a national park?
Pullman is protected because it was one of the first planned industrial towns in the United States, built for workers who made Pullman railcars. It was also the scene of the 1894 Pullman strike. It became a national monument in 2015, the first National Park Service unit in Chicago, and was later named a National Historical Park.
Is the Mendota Union Depot still an Amtrak station?
Yes, the Union Depot Railroad Museum in Mendota shares the surviving piece of the town's 1888 station with a working Amtrak stop. Volunteers rebuilt the ticket office and waiting room, and passengers still wait there. The museum is open weekends from noon to 4 pm, with weekday tours by appointment.
Keep exploring
More family train guides from Rally
- DirectoryRailway Museum Directory650 train museums in all 50 states, with hours, tickets and train rides.
- HolidayChristmas Train RidesSanta trains and holiday light rides, sorted by state and town.
- OctoberHalloween Train RidesPumpkin trains and not-too-spooky rides for little ones, by state.
- NovemberThanksgiving Train RidesHoliday weekend train trips the whole family can share.
- AmtrakAmtrak With KidsWhich Amtrak routes work best with babies, toddlers and big kids.
- Plan a tripTrain Trips With KidsEvery Amtrak route, stop by stop, planned for families.