July 28, 2024 continued:

 

            I went and photographed CLRV #4034.

 

 

            I then photographed the cab of former CN F7 #9164. I believe the cab was acquired as a replacement cab/nose for a unit in IRM’s collection. It reminded me how following the 1986 Hinton train collision which was the worst accident in VIA’s history, the cab of Kansas City Southern F7 #4062 was used to replace the cab of VIA FP9 #6300 which was the only locomotive to survive the accident and was the last F-unit on VIA’s roster.

 

 

            I then went by the barn where the trolleybuses are kept and photographed former MBTA trolleybus #4110 and what looked like part of the roof of a Santa Fe F45.

 

 

 

            I then walked past the equipment stored outside.

 

 

 

 

 

            I saw a train consisting of former Chicago Aurora and Elgin interurbans #431 and #460 was going to depart. #431 had always been part of the IRM collection while #460 was one of several interurbans IRM acquired from Trolleyville USA.  I photographed the train and took a seat in CA&E #460.

 

 

            The train soon departed. I photographed former Wisconsin Central SD45 #7525 in the yard by the diesel shop.

 

 

            #431 was leading out of the station. We ran to the end of the line and changed ends so that #460 was leading. At one point we took a siding to let a train pulled by Frisco steam locomotive #1630 to pass. I photographed it and filmed it when it passed.

 

 

            After the steam train passed, we continued on. I photographed the grounds and the back of the cab from CN #9164.

 

 

 

            We got back to the station. I photographed and filmed the CA&E train and the steam train when it returned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I then photographed former Cleveland PCC #4223 undergoing restoration in the maintenance barn.

 

 

            I walked through the barn where GG1 #4927 was kept. I left and photographed the Redbirds and other equipment near them.

 

 

            I then photographed equipment stored in a yard outside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I photographed an old car.

 

 

            I then walked through the barn with various streetcars including Shaker Heights PCC #63. I photographed the cars in the barn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I then went out to where the mainline trains depart from and photographed Frisco #1630’s train and the CA&E train. I also took a few videos as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I then walked past the end of the maintenance barn. I took some photos.

 

 

 

            I saw a Double Decker bus parked out front of the trolleybus barn. There were also museum members gathering around it. I knew it had to be good. I photographed the Double Decker and MBTA trolleybus #4110.

 

 

 

            I then photographed the cab of CN #9164.

 

 

 

            I peeked in IRM’s diesel division restoration shop and took a photo.

 

 

            I then walked back to the Double Decker. I learned that it was privately owned and was stored about 100 miles south of IRM. The bus cannot do highway speeds so they took the back roads.  I ended up seeing the member who was driving Dayton Flyer E800 #925 back in 2012 when I first met Russ Schultz.

 

            I had seen this member on two more occasions since that day in 2012. First was a month later at the Halton County Radial Railway Museum. The second time was the following year when I went on the CTA 2200 charter which was done by IRM. I mentioned that I had visited Edmonton BBC #189 at the Trolleybus Museum in Sandtoft back in 2014. He said he had chosen #189 for the museum.

 

            I saw some guys going into one of the bus barns. I went inside and took some photos.

 

 

 

 

            This is a former Milwaukee trolleybus that was recently restored.

 

 

 

 

            The buses inside were parked close together making photography difficult but I was able to photograph former TTC Flyer trolleybus #9339.

 

 

 

The Milwaukee trolleybus can be seen again at the right of the photo.

 

 

 

            I then went out of the barn. I knew Edmonton BBC #181 was parked in the other barn. After a few minutes, the other barn was also opened up. The buses were really jam packed. I photographed former Dayton Skoda trolleybus #9809. The Skodas were the mainstay of the Dayton trolleybus fleet when I visited in 2010 for the charter on their former Edmonton BBC. However they were retired around the same time as Toronto’s CLRV streetcars. A few have been preserved with one going to a trolleybus museum in Czechoslovakia. Another is part of Dayton’s historic trolleybus fleet which included BBC #110 and Flyer #937 which was restored to operation several years ago.

 

 

 

#9809 is similar to #9830 pictured above back in 2010.

 

            I then attempted to photograph Edmonton BBC #181. Due to how close the buses were parked together, I couldn’t get a front end shot.

 

 

 

 

Since I was unable to get a front end shot of Edmonton #181 this time, I have included a shot from 2012.

 

            I then photographed one more bus in the barn.

 

 

            I found out that the Illinois Railway Museum has gotten approval to build a third bus barn. This will help reduce the crowding of buses in the barn.

 

            The people who were also in the barn were looking around. I decided to see if I could join them. I was told I could. We went through the maintenance barn and then through the office where I took a few photos.

 

 

 

            We went outside and I photographed AEM7 #945.

 

 

            I mentioned to the IRM member I knew Greg. The member said he didn’t interact with Greg much.

 

            We went into the streetcar barn. The visitor asked what the newest subway cars were. He was told the 2400s were. We also heard the 2400s weren’t operational at the time. I asked about the 2200s and found out they were also having mechanical problems.

 

            We then went into CTA el cars #4410 and #4412. They were powered up. I photographed the Green Hornet from the cars.

 

 

            We then departed and then headed out onto IRM’s main line. This was my first time riding some of the 4000 series El cars. We got to the end of the line. I climbed down and photographed the train.

 

 

            I then climbed back up. CTA #4410 was leading. #4412 was leading in the opposite direction. We took the siding to allow #1630 and its train to pass. When it passed, I filmed it.

 

            We soon got back and put 4410 and 4412 away. I then headed out to the parking lot. I saw the Double Decker and photographed and filmed it.

 

 

 

            The museum was now closed so I headed out to my car. I photographed Frisco #1630 which had been uncoupled from the passenger cars.

 

 

            I got in my rental car and headed out. Instead of turning right out of the museum, I turned left. I wanted to see the back yards. I drove past and turned around I then drove over and parked on the side of the road. I got out and took some photos.

 

 

 

            I then got back in my car and drove back towards Chicago. I detoured on the way and stopped at a Taco Bell for dinner after I made a few wrong turns. I logged into the Wi-Fi and plotted a way back to my hotel. I saw I got an email from Amtrak concerning my trip on train #48 tomorrow. I was booked in a sleeper but I saw that I was downgraded to coach!

 

            I got into my car and drove back to my hotel. I went online and called Amtrak who confirmed that I had been downgraded against my wishes. They said it was due to equipment shortages.

 

            I also phoned home and let my mom know what had happened with my train. After going online, I eventually called it a night.

 

July 29, 2024:

 

            I got up and got dressed I had what was left of the cereal bars as opposed to going to IHOP again. After I finished packing and checked out of the hotel. I then drove out of the hotel and turned around. I stopped for gas. While I was getting gas, I filmed a couple Metra trains.

 

            After leaving the gas station I drove to the highway. I then headed to O’Hare and dropped off my rental car on time. I then got on the shuttle train and rode to Terminal 2 and got on the El. I photographed the train.

 

 

            I noticed a train had the exposure for 54^th / Cermak which is now used by the Pink line. I photographed the rollsign.

 

 

            I got on the front car and the train departed. I rode to Clinton station. I got off and filmed the train leaving.

 

            I then walked to Union Station. I went by the First class lounge. Despite being downgraded I was still able to access the lounge and store my suitcase free of charge.

 

            After storing my suitcase I walked down to the Clinton station on the Green and Pink lines. I got on a train heading to the Loop. As we passed the Ogilvie Transportation Center, I attempted to photograph it.

 

 

            I rode to Washington/Wells station and got off. I walked to Millennium Station. I was going to the Science Museum I went to in 2012.

 

            After buying a ticket for the next departure, I had lunch in the station.  Soon it was time to board. This would be my first time riding Metra’s new electric cars. I boarded the front car. The train departed and I rode to 55^th-56^th-57^th street station. I got off and filmed the train pulling away. I took one more photo.

 

 

            I then left the station and walked towards the Museum of Science and Industry. Along the way I photographed a DE60LF.

 

 

            I then got to the Museum of Science and Industry. It is of course like the Ontario Science Center. However the Science Center in Toronto was closed earlier in the year over concerns about the roof. However some feel like the concerns are unwarranted and it has caused some controversy.

 

            I then photographed the building.

 

 

            I went inside and paid admission. I also bought a ticket to an exhibit dedicated to James Bond. I went to the James Bond exhibit first. I took some photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I then went to the part of the exhibit about cars and boats featured in James Bond films.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            The next part of the James Bond exhibit was on various gadgets Bond and real life spies use.

 

Click to read about the rest of the James Bond exhibit:     Science and Industry Museum continued