Monticello Railway Museum facts for kids

The museum's Wabash depot on October 15, 2006
Locale	Monticello, Piatt County, Central Illinois
Quick facts for kids Preserved operations
Reporting mark	MRMZ (Temporary equipment transfers/loans)
Length	15 mi (24 km)
Preserved gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Commercial history
Opened	1966 (1966)
Preservation history
Headquarters	Monticello, Illinois

The Monticello Railway Museum (MRYM) is a special museum for trains in Monticello, Illinois. It's not just for looking—it's a working railroad where you can ride on historic trains! The museum is a non-profit organization, which means it uses the money it makes to preserve railroad history. It has a huge collection of over 100 train cars and engines, including powerful diesel locomotives that have been carefully restored.

What You Can Do at the Museum

The museum's main attraction is its heritage railway. This is a real railroad that uses old tracks once owned by the Illinois Terminal and Illinois Central Gulf railroads. You can take a ride on an excursion train and see the Illinois countryside from a vintage train car.

For a truly unique experience, the museum offers a "Throttle Time" program. This lets visitors donate to get a chance to actually operate one of the diesel locomotives with the help of an expert crew. The museum's trains run on weekends from May to October, and also for special holiday events.

How the Museum's Tracks Grew

The museum's railroad is made of two main parts, called divisions.

• The Terminal Division: This was the first track the museum built. Volunteers laid the track on an old railroad path that once belonged to the Illinois Terminal railroad.
• The Central Division: In 1987, the museum bought this track from the Illinois Central railroad. This was a big deal because it allowed the museum's trains to travel into downtown Monticello and stop at the historic Wabash Depot.

Today, most train rides use the Central Division. The museum is working to restore more of this track so trains can travel all the way to the nearby town of White Heath.

How to Get to the Museum

The Monticello Railway Museum is easy to find. It is located just off Interstate 72 at Market Street, Exit 166. From the exit, you turn at the stoplight onto Iron Horse Place and follow the road to the end. The museum is about a 25-minute drive from Champaign and Decatur.

History of the Museum

The museum started in 1966 with a group of dedicated railroad fans. They called their group "SPUR, Inc." which stood for Society for the Perpetuation of Unretired Railfans. At first, they just wanted to convince a big railroad company to keep running old-fashioned steam train trips.

When that didn't work, the group decided to start their own museum and run their own trains. They found a spot in Monticello and moved their very first engine, a small steam locomotive, to a lot there. In 1970, the group changed its name to the Monticello & Sangamon Valley Railway Historical Society, and later shortened it to the Monticello Railway Museum.

Building a Railroad

The museum's volunteers worked hard to build their dream. They bought about five miles of an old, abandoned railroad path and a nearby field. They turned the field into a rail yard where they could store and fix their trains. Over the years, they laid down track piece by piece.

In 1987, the museum made a major purchase. They bought 7.5 miles of track from the Illinois Central Gulf railroad. This new track connected their rail yard to the town of Monticello. After a "Golden Spike" ceremony to celebrate the new connection, the museum ran its first train into town.

The Museum's Train Collection

The museum has a large and impressive collection of locomotives and train cars. Some are fully operational and used for train rides, while others are on display or being restored by volunteers.

Locomotives

Here are some of the amazing engines you can see at the museum.

Locomotive details

Number	Images	Type	Class	Builder	Built	Status
401		Steam	2-8-0	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1907	Operational
1189		Diesel	F7A	General Motors Diesel	1953	Operational
6789		Diesel	FPA4	Montreal Locomotive Works	1959	Operational
1649		Diesel	NW2	Electro-Motive Division	1947	On Display
8733		Diesel	GP11	Electro-Motive Division	1958	Operational
6071		Diesel	SD40	Electro-Motive Division	1964	On Display
44		Diesel	44-ton switcher	Davenport Locomotive Works	1940	On Display
191		Steam	0-6-0	American Locomotive Works	1916	On Display

Passenger and Freight Cars

The museum also has many different types of train cars, called "rolling stock." These include passenger coaches, dining cars, cabooses, and freight cars.

Rolling stock details

Number / Name	Images	Type	Builder	Built	Status
892		Passenger-Baggage Car	Pullman Company	1918	Operational
2541		Passenger car	Pullman Company	1925	Operational
7		Observation car	Pullman Company	1917	Operational
2920		Passenger car	Pullman Company	1925	Operational
4112		Dining car	Pullman Company	1946	Operational
1907		Open-air flatcar	Nickel Plate Road	1929	Operational
9831		Caboose	Illinois Central Railroad	1941	Operational
9926		Caboose	Illinois Central Railroad	1950	Operational
806		Caboose	Illinois Terminal Railroad	1924	Operational
2824		Caboose	Wabash Railroad	1949	On Display
2834		Caboose	Wabash Railroad	1949	Out of service

Historic Buildings

The museum has also preserved important railroad buildings.

• Nelson's Crossing Depot: This train station was originally in Deland, Illinois, and was built by the Illinois Central Railroad in 1919. It was donated to the museum and moved here in 1980. Today, it serves as the museum's ticket office and gift shop.
• Wabash Depot: This beautiful depot was built in 1899 for the Wabash Railroad. In 1987, it was carefully moved to the museum grounds. It was restored and is now a centerpiece of the museum.

Special Events

The museum hosts fun events throughout the year that offer special experiences.

Railroad Days

This is the museum's biggest event, held on the third weekend of September. With one ticket, you can ride on several different kinds of trains. These include a passenger train with vintage coaches, a mixed-freight train, and even small motor cars.

Fireworks Special

On a special evening near the Fourth of July, the museum runs a Fireworks Special train. It leaves at night and takes passengers to a perfect spot on the museum grounds to watch a big fireworks show.

See also

• List of heritage railroads in the United States
• List of railway museums