Illinois Railway Museum Completes Barn 15
Published: March 16, 2026
By: Adam Burns
The Illinois Railway Museum announced on March 3, 2026 it had completed Barn 15, which will add another 2000 feet of indoor storage space for the organization's impressive collection of locomotives and other equipment. The building follows the recent completions of Barns 13 and 14 and all were finished thanks to generous donations from supporters. All of these barns, as well as several other projects, such as yard tracks, are part of their larger "The Rail Project" endeavor which began in 2022 to greatly improve infrastructure and capacity. To learn more about this ongoing project and donated to the museum please click here.
Burlington Northern F9's BN-1 and BN-2, which powered the former Class 1's business train, are now preserved at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union. They are seen here on August 12, 2017. Doug Kroll photo.About The Museum
The Illinois Railway Museum (IRM), located in Union, Illinois, is widely regarded as the largest railway museum in the United States and one of the most significant railroad preservation sites in the world. Founded in 1953 by a small group of railway enthusiasts seeking to save Chicago’s rapidly disappearing electric railway equipment, the organization relocated to its present rural site in 1964, where it has grown into a sprawling, operating museum covering hundreds of acres.
Unlike many static museums, IRM functions as a true “museum in motion.” Visitors can ride historic steam trains, diesel-powered passenger consists, interurban electrics, streetcars, and elevated rapid-transit equipment along the museum’s demonstration railroad. Over seven decades, the museum has assembled a collection exceeding 450 pieces of rolling stock, representing nearly every era of North American rail transportation—from 19th-century steam power to modern rapid transit equipment.
IRM’s mission extends beyond display alone. Volunteers actively restore equipment to operating condition, preserving not only historic machinery but also the experience of rail travel itself. The museum’s extensive barns and shops allow year-round conservation work, making it one of the premier centers for railway preservation in North America.
Noteworthy Steam Locomotives
Among IRM’s greatest attractions is its outstanding steam locomotive collection.
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 4-8-4 No. 2903 is one of the largest preserved “Northern” types ever built. Part of Santa Fe’s massive 2900 class, the locomotive symbolizes late-era mainline steam power and stands as one of the museum’s most imposing exhibits.
Equally important is St. Louis–San Francisco (Frisco) 2-10-0 No. 1630, a 1918 Baldwin-built Decapod that has operated regularly in excursion service at IRM. It represents the standardized locomotives developed under the United States Railroad Administration during World War I.
Another highlight is Grand Trunk Western 4-8-4 No. 6323, notable as one of the final steam locomotives operated by that railroad and one of only two surviving GTW Northerns.
For earlier railroad history, Illinois Central No. 201, built in 1880, preserves the appearance of early suburban steam commuter power once common around Chicago.
Diesel & Electric Collection Highlights
IRM is especially renowned for its electric and diesel preservation efforts, reflecting Chicago’s rich commuter and interurban heritage.
A standout piece is the massive Milwaukee Road “Little Joe” electric locomotive, originally built by General Electric and capable of producing over 5,000 horsepower. These locomotives hauled heavy freight across electrified mountain districts and represent the peak of American electric freight design.
The museum also preserves Pennsylvania Railroad GG1 No. 4927, among the most famous electric locomotives ever constructed, which powered passenger and freight trains along the Northeast Corridor for nearly half a century.
Diesel-era streamlining is represented by Burlington Route’s stainless-steel EMC E5 locomotive, associated with the famed Nebraska Zephyr trainset—an icon of prewar passenger innovation.
IRM’s collection further includes numerous Chicago Transit Authority and interurban cars, allowing visitors to experience historic rapid transit equipment that once defined urban transportation in the Midwest.
A Living Railroad Legacy
Today, the Illinois Railway Museum stands as far more than a display facility—it is a working archive of American transportation history. By preserving steam, diesel, electric, and urban rail equipment in operating condition, IRM uniquely connects modern visitors with the technological evolution that shaped both Chicago and the broader railroad industry.
Few institutions so completely capture the story of railroading—from horsecar-era transit to high-horsepower electrics—making IRM one of the most important preservation achievements in North American railroad history.
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