Union: Illinois Railroad Museum

Union, Illinois -- It's the summer of steam for this train-loving family! Thanks to a prize-winning raffle ticket held by my three-year old at a library event this summer, we were the happy recipients of a family pass to the Illinois Railway Museum in Union. We took advantage of the tickets over the Labor Day weekend, and enjoyed a visit to one of our favorite day trip sites in the area. It's been a few years since our last visit to IRM so we were thrilled to discover that locomotive #1630 has been operational this season and we would be there on a scheduled steam ride day. As it happened, that every engine was chugging past the parking lot as we pulled in, welcoming us with the characteristic deep toot of the whistle. Of course, a ride on the 1630 was the first destination of our visit once we entered the IRM grounds. Compared to the later ride on a relatively modern CTA train, the characteristic chuf-chuf of the engine and sway of the cars leaves passengers no doubt that they are riding something of a time machine.

The 1630 pulling into the station

Waiting to pull out of the station

The railroad museum's collection of engines, cars, signals, and memorabilia is staggering.  Long barns filled with rolling stock house family favorites such as the Nebraska Zephyr and streetcars that once rolled through our hometown (long before our time!). The kids loved checking out the compartments of Pullman sleeper cars, although Mom and Dad found them just a bit claustrophobic. We endured the mild shame of entering the wrong door of the trolley car for a ride around the entire grounds -- go in through the back, out through the front. Yet, as always, the kids may have been most wowed by the playground. IRM has recently installed substantial trained-themed play equipment giving both toddlers and older climbers the chance to work off the wiggles and play engineer in a safe place.

The new playground at IRM 

Wandering through
the interurban car barn

After almost five hours and three train rides, which seemed too few for our 8-year old, we called it a day, but only after a visit to the expansive gift shop. It's a paradise of train toys, knickknacks and mementos, so come with your spending money or be ready to repeat, "We are not shopping for us today!"

The museum remains open daily in September with trains operating on the weekends. Check the website for special fall and winter events, including Halloween and Christmas activities, coming up in the weeks to come. 

The Illinois Railway Museum is at 700 Olson Road in Union, Illinois.

By the wheels of the Grand Trunk Western 6323

Wise words

Union: Illinois Railway Museum

The signal collection at the Illinois Railway Museum
has always been a favorite spot for our family

In a new entry in the Best Ways to Keep Mom from Saying Goodnight contest that my oldest seems to run nightly, my train guy was studying an old calendar from the Illinois Railway Museum and trying to make me guess what events different colors represented. Since I found it easy to resist getting lured into a conversation about last year's activities, the procrastination was cut short. It did remind me, though, that the Union museum still has a few activities for visitors this year. If your schedule permits a drive out into the country, IRM is a great destination. On any visit, kids will love the train rides and seemingly endless cars and engines to explore. Special event days make the trip even more fun. 

Coming up this weekend (October 26-27), kids in costume will be able to take home treats from the Railway Museum's Trick or Treat Trolley event. Their website promises "free pumpkin and snack for  kids." It's a regular fare event of $10 for adults and $7 for kids, with a $38 family maximum. The grounds are open from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. 

For those who are older (at least 13) and enjoy being super scared this time of year, save Friday and Saturday night for the Terror on the Railroad Haunted Event. This runs from 7 till 11 p.m. for $13 or $18, depending on how much fear you'd like to cram into your evening. Check the link above for full details. 

Things calm down at the museum in November, although work is always being done behind the scenes. (Check IRM's blog to see some of those repairs and improvements.) The 2013 season ends with Christmas spirit during the first two weekends in December. Guests of the Happy Holiday Railway will be able to enjoy a wintery train ride and visit with Santa and the elves. Check with the museum for details and availability as holiday programs tend to sell out well in advance.

The Illinois Railway Museum is in Union, Illinois. For directions, click here. 

Train-lovers: Vote for favorite places

Entrance to
The DuPage Children's Museum

This business of entertaining young train lovers is a serious thing. Serious enough that "Best place for train-watching" is one of the categories parent-types can vote for in the first Chicago Parent Best of the Best Awards. Here are the contenders (selected by reader nominations):

• 2 Toots Cafe (Bartlett and Glen Ellyn)
• DuPage Children's Museum, second floor (Naperville)
• Riding the 'L' around the loop
• Illinois Railway Museum (Union)
• Ogilvie Transportation Center 

If being an informed voter inspires you to try visit those in the running, one more place deserves your attention. The very next category offers Forest Park's Junction Diner restaurant as a choice for "Best spot for playdate lunches." Yes, this is Chicago, but only one vote per email address will be accepted. Results will be available online in late December.

As a nice incentive, Chicago Parent is offering a chance to win $100 for casting a ballot. Go to their website and make your choices known by Friday, Oct. 18.

Some of the artwork displayed on the second-floor Trains exhibit
at the DuPage Children's Museum

Union: Extras needed for "Chicago Fire"

I've been following NBC's Chicago Fire because a high school friend of mine, Robyn Coffin, has a recurring role in the show as Cindy Herrmann. It's a thrill to see her on TV -- someone we know on a show filmed in a place we know. 

Now, the producers are looking for some of the rest of us to serve as extras in the show for a scene that will be filmed at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union. The details are reported at PlanItNorthwest, but according to Jami Kunzer's story " a call is out for roughly 150 extras to be available Oct. 4-10." Send an email to: extra.326@gmail.com with the subject line "five day." And hustle. The expectation is that spots will go quickly. 

Break a leg, folks!