Photo from the venue's own site
Admission from $14.
The Illinois Railway Museum in Union is the largest railway museum in the United States, where visitors ride and explore restored trains spanning from 1800s steam engines to recently retired CTA Red Line trains. Guests board electric trains that operate hourly, and on many days steam or diesel locomotives also run. The museum displays and operates vintage Pullman cars, electric streetcars that run on a streetcar loop, and diesel locomotives undergoing restoration. A model train museum is also on site. The Central Diner provides food service on weekends and weekdays during the operating season. Special events throughout the year include the Pumpkin Train, Steam into Fall, Bus Day, and the Happy Holiday Railway. The museum suits families with children of various ages, from toddlers to older kids, as well as train enthusiasts and anyone interested in transportation history.
Hours: Varies by season; April: Sundays 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM; May through September and Special Events: Weekends 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM; Weekdays Memorial Day through Labor Day: 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM; October: Weekends 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Buy tickets on tickets.irm.org →Prices quoted from irm.org. Prices can change — the link above goes to the page they came from.
Fancy going together?
2 reasons to go, each in the venue’s own words, with the date we checked it.
Oct 10 – 25Event
Families ride Halloween-themed streetcars to a pumpkin patch, select pumpkins with farm hands, pose with life-size cutouts and antique farm equipment, and visit the Schroeder Store. The museum is open 10am–5pm with the last train departing at 3:30pm.
Check event details and ticket requirements with the venue.
“Join us for the Pumpkin Train on October 10th, 11th, 17th, 18th, 24th, and 25th.”
Nov 27 – Dec 21Event
Families board a 40-minute train ride with Santa Claus, enjoy hot chocolate and treats, watch an animated light show and holiday songs, receive gifts, and meet Mrs. Claus. Holiday lights illuminate the campus and Barn 6; streetcar rides and a model railroad exhibit are included.
Check event details and ticket requirements with the venue.
“Happy Holiday Railway runs ten dates in 2026: Friday, November 27 (Black Friday), Saturday the 28th, and Sunday the 29th, then weekends December 5–6, 12–13, and 19–20, plus Monday, December 21.”
Illinois Railway Museum publishes its own offers, and when irm.org was last read, on , there was none.
The page stays here because the attraction is still worth knowing about, and because we keep checking. If a deal appears on their site, it appears here.
See irm.org for yourself →Within 25 miles of Illinois Railway Museum. Dates and wording are each venue’s own.
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