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The Illinois Railway Museum ('''IRM''') is the United States 's largest Railway museum. Granted tax-exempt status in 1957 , the mission of the Museum is to demonstrate the vital role railroads have played in the growth of the Chicago area as well as the United States. Located in Union, Illinois , 55 miles northwest of Chicago , the museum has over 400 pieces of equipment. Rides on some of the museum's electric, steam and diesel powered trains are offered from April through October. HISTORY The museum was founded in 1953 by ten men (one of the founder was Howard ODINIUS from Milwaukee) who joined together to purchase Indiana Railroad interurban car 65. Originally called the Illinois Electric Railway Museum, the name was changed to IRM in 1961 to reflect the museum's expanding scope. The museum was initially located on the grounds of the Chicago Hardware Foundry in North Chicago, Illinois . In 1964 the museum's entire collection was relocated to Union along the former Right-of-way of the Elgin & Belvidere Interurban . Two years later, operations were begun using Illinois Terminal interurban car 415, and in 1967 the first steam engine was operated. The first of ten equipment storage barns was erected in 1971 . In 1981 a one-mile Streetcar loop was constructed and during the 1980's and early 1990's the museum's main line was extended to a length of 4.9 miles. OPERATIONS The museum's operations are primarily concentrated around its main campus just east of Union, Illinois. Train rides are offered on the 4.9 mile long main line as well as the one-mile streetcar loop. Electric trains are operated from April through October, and diesel and steam trains from Memorial Day through mid-September. Occasional Trolley Bus rides are also offered. IRM is one of only two railway museums in the country that operates both electric and diesel trains, and it is the only museum that offers trolley bus rides. IRM also owns two Libraries , the Pullman Library in downtown Union and the Strahorn Research Library in downtown Marengo . NOTABLE EQUIPMENT Turbines is kept in non-operating condition.]] 1518 , the first EMD SD7 built.]] 760, the first locomotive built by Fairbanks-Morse .]] Among the equipment preserved at IRM is:
USE IN FILM Due to its proximity to Chicago and its extensive collection of historic railroad equipment, IRM has been used in several Film s. The most apparent may be in the 1992 film ''" A League Of Their Own "'', starring Tom Hanks , Geena Davis and Madonna ; the museum's depot was used for several small town depot scenes and the '' Nebraska Zephyr '' and only surviving EMD E5 were used for scenes of and on the train. IRM equipment was also seen in the movie ''" Groundhog Day "'', which featured the museum's EMD SD24 diesel locomotive. In late 2005, the Burlington 9911A and several coaches operated to Chicago for filming in "Flags of Our Fathers," a Clint Eastwood film. SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS |