DG 'Rusty' Alderson,
TOAST President
Mostly 1830 -1930
Rusty's
All American
Stories
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Not an official Metra Site
Gilded Age & Train Historian
Train Railfan
Historical Characters, Lincoln Family,
Frontier Arizona, Early Railroads
TOAST email: GAstorybook@gmail.com
Choo Choo for Kids
Diners
Two Toots & Whistle
Choo Choo Diner
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Ride Trains
Fox Valley Trolley Museum
Illinois Railway Museum
Polar Express
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Museums
Bartlett Depot
DuPage History Museum
large model railroad in basement
Museum of Science & Industry
layout, Zephyr train, locomotive
West Chicago
Batavia
Plainfield
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Train Watching
Geneva
Naperville
Rochelle
Other.
Chicago Union Station Great Hall
Great Midwest (Model) Train Show
Rail Webcams
Safety Video for Toddlers​
Glen Ellyn Bartlett
Two Toots & Whistles
Kids love this place.
Many Geneva families take the Metra Union Pacific West train, get off at Glen Ellyn and walk 1 block west of the train station.
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In Bartlett coordinate your visit to
2 Toots and Whistles
with the Barlett Depot Museum
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Located 1 block of Metra's Milwaukee District West line station in downtown Bartlett.
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The Bartlett Depot has several hands on activities for children including activating the train horn and putting on a conductors uniform.
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Check for Depot hours at their website.
If you may want a longer train ride, ride Metra all the way into Chicago, then board Metra's Union Pacific Northwest line (same station), and get off at Des Plaines station. Walk 2 blocks to the original diner:
CHOO CHOO DINER
600 Lee St, Des Plaines, IL
providing smiles since the 1950's!
Rt 31 South Elgin
Fox Valley
Trolley Museum
Great Midwest Train Show (s)
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Usually 1st Sundays of month
9am to 3pm at the DuPage County Fairgrounds.
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3 Buildings full of Trains
Operating Model Train Displays
TRAINS KIDS CAN RUN!
Museum of
Science & Industry
A really gigantic train model train layout! .
Twenty (20) operating trains
Check it out at
Also, home of the Burlington Zephyr
Wow, the entire train is at the museum!
Board the train, sit down, and imagine yourself running the rails at over 100 miles per hour between Chicago & Denver.
Locomotive 999
The first steam locomotive to go over 100 MPH
CHICAGO UNION STATION
There are just no words to adequately describe the Great Hall at Chicago Union Station. Kids (and adults) are in awe!
The kids will notice people waiting for their Amtrak train as well was observing people walking fast (even running) to catch their commuter train. Although not the best place to see trains, nevertheless, it's atmosphere will be memorable.
Union Illinois
45 min from Geneva
Illinois Railway Museum
Consistently voted the best railway museum in the United States!
This is the place to see and ride trains!
Batavia
Batavia
Depot Museum
Downtown West Chicago
City Museum
This was a railroad town. The Museum has lots of train pictures. Kids love ringing the bell and watching a little train run around a track.
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Two train lines cross the town for train watching. Check out the locomotive near the museum, near the Metra station.
Mendota
Joliet
Train Station
Plainfield
Rochelle
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
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Although now condos, still an interesting
place to see all these cabooses together.
Themed & Holiday Rides
Polar Express
(various Metra lines)
Fox Valley Trolley Museum
Illinois Railway Museum
Miscelleanous
Chicago's L
Some recommend riding the 'Brown Line'
all above ground
numerous curves
not too long a ride
Favorite: Galesburg IL