Birthday trip to Chicago

[to2leo]

Hi JNS forumers,

I got a good deal to go to Chicago during my birthday half-week coming up in less than two weeks.  I have my tourist sites down-packed but am wondering the train portion.  Dose anyone know if there are any not to be missed sites in Chicago for rails?  Hobby shop, picture taking sites, union station, transit lines, good places to eat...

 

Any suggestion will be greatly appreciated!

Leo

[Mudkip Orange]

MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. Way back in the day they had an "O" scale layout, but this has been replaced by an even bigger layout in HO. You follow the BNSF all the way from Chicago to the Pacific Coast. It's one of the most impressive you'll ever see, anywhere.

 

The "L". The Blue Line was the first rapid transit line ever built in the median of an expressway. The Yellow Line (Skokie Swift) is one of the only third-rail-powered transit lines in the world with grade crossings. It was originally built with overhead as part of the North Shore line. And the Brown Line (Ravenswood) is full of twists and turns and alley running.

 

And if you can rent a car for a day, check the ILLINOIS RAILWAY MUSEUM, which is about 60 miles out along the Northwest Tollway (I-90). They have a giant collection and you can ride EVERYTHING, with different loops set up for steam, trolleys, trolleybuses... they've got PCCs, Brills, ancient "L" stock, AN ELECTROLINER (i.e. the inspiration for the Odakyu Romancecar), 2-8-0s, 4-8-4s, the collection is vast.

[to2leo]

Thanks Mudkip Orange,

I will factor those sites in.  I cannot wait to go there because I only manage to stay in Chicago for several hours in the past.

[CaptOblivious]

Let me second the Museum of Science and Industry, for the restored BN Zephyr they have on display. (costs extra to tour it, as I recall)

[Mudkip Orange]

...and the coal mining exhibit, and the sub, and the 40s-vintage GM "wheels of progress" display that they used to propagandize for the interstate highway system... that place is just the bomb shizzat.