Trains, streetcars, interurbans and trolleys

[sixpkrt]

Over the weekend I was able to help my father relive some of his past by visiting the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois. He has always been a rail fan and at 85 years old, he grew up in an era when every day life was much more simple, and the forms of transportation was a little slower paced than it is today.
He shared stories with me on this weekend excursion I had never heard before about him riding in the same type or similar trains and street cars when he was much younger.
I lost my mother in January which was a life changing event for me. I could never know how it truly effected my dad after being with the same woman for 57 years, to lose someone that close.
Attached are some of the pics I took

 

[sixpkrt]

More from Illinois Railway Museum

 

[sixpkrt]

and more....

 

[stubs300]

That's one museum I haven't been to yet, but would love to go. I grew up on the North Shore and Dad was a big train nut. Don't get me started on pics, but here goes!

 

[traintech55]

Thanks for the pictures guys. Illinois Railway Museum is a fantastic place, a lot of my co-workers from the Chicago Transit Authority, (C.T.A.) volunteer their time to restore these old machines. They love these old railcars like we love our "C" bodies. For those in the Wisc., Ill., And Ind. area they run them for rides on the weekends.

 

[Fury440]

Not really trains, but I really like complicated track!

 

[Fury440]

And bridges ...
Chicago & North Western viaduct over Des Moines River near Boone, Iowa ca. 1902

 

[Fury440]

And sorting yards ...
Classification yard at the Chicago & North Western Proviso Yard. December 1942

 

[70bigblockdodge]

I love trains. I'm putting that on the list. Can I get a truck in their parking lot? Or at least the tractor.

 

[traintech55]

Not really trains, but I really like complicated track!

View attachment 88870

Great picture. This is Switching Tower 12. It has 5 separate lines going thru it in both directions 24/7. I have walked those tracks many times to get a broken train moving.

 

[MarPar]

Great picture. This is Switching Tower 12. It has 5 separate lines going thru it in both directions 24/7. I have walked those tracks many times to get a broken train moving.

very cool! is that at Wells and Van Buren?

 

[tallhair]

Very cool pictures. Not C bodies, just saying, but very cool and I like to check them out.

Thanks for sharing

 

[traintech55]

very cool! is that at Wells and Van Buren?

Wells and Lake st. The train in the picture is southbound on Wells st. Probably a Brown line train from Kimball.