Local Railroad Attractions

Our region's railroad history is acknowledged by many communities...most of these towns owe their existence to the railroad. There are also numerous pieces of equipment and buildings throughout the region -- too many to list here, but each with their own story to tell.

For a list of regional railroad museums, go to our Regional Railroad Museums page.

Do you have a link to a place you would like to share? Have you found a broken link? Please send us an E-mail.

Railroad Viewing Parks

Within the past couple decades, several municipalities have setup parks and platforms for the benefit and safety of those who come trackside to watch trains. Here are some or our favorites:

Joliet Union Station
UD Tower
Joliet, IL

With closure of Joliet Union Station and transfer of passenger operations to Joliet Gateway Center, the original Union Station platform was resurfaced, fenced off, and is accessible to the public for train watching.

UD Tower was built in 1913 to control traffic at the newly built junction at Joliet Union Station. The tower was left in place with the construction of the new Joliet Gateway Center.

The Joliet Area Historical Museum seeks volunteers to help staff the Joliet Railroad Museum, which opened on May 10, 2024.

Contact Kailee Lowry if you can donate a few hours on a regular basis. E-mail Kailee at [email protected] or call at 815-723-5201

Homewood Railroad Park
Homewood, IL

At the southern end of CN's Markham Yard, Homewood sees CN freights, Amtrak and Metra trains, which also stop at the historic station there. The former IC Woodcrest shops and CN's training complex are viewable (behind a fence) a short drive north of the viewing platform. The platform is ADA compatible.

Park Forest/CN Rail-Fan Park
Park Forest/Matteson, IL

Overlooks the Matteson Connection, CN's reconfigured junction between the former Illinois Central mainline and the former Elgin, Joliet & Eastern

The above two parks can be found in the Chicago Southland Railfan Guide, a guide for railfanning and "rail-centric" attractions, restaurants and events provided in the south and southwest suburbs provided by the Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Tower B-12
Franklin Park, IL

Moved from the original location guarding the crossing of the Soo Line and Milwaukee Road, it now sits alongside the busy eastern approach to CPKC's Bensenville Yard, and sees CPKC and Metra trains along with transfer jobs coming up from the connection with the Indiana Harbor Belt.

Rochelle Railroad Park
Rochelle, IL

One of the first and most popular railroad parks, features crossing of the Union Pacific (ex-C&NW) and BNSF (ex-CB&Q/BN) along with historic displays of locomotives from Rochelle's Whitcomb Locomotive Works.

Griffith Historical Society
Griffith, IN

For most of the 20th century, up until the 70s, Griffith was the crossing of five different railroads and up to 180 trains a day. Mergers and abandonments have changed Griffith, but it is still an important point on the CN. The historical society also maintains the original crossing guard shack, the GTW depot, and interlocking tower.

Restored Depots and Equipment

There are countless restored (or being restored) depots and individual pieces of railway equipment (usually retired cabooses and locomotives) throughout our region, far more than we could ever hope to list. But that hasn't stopped someone from trying...

Railroad-themed Food and Lodging

From food brought to you by a toy train, to dinning experiences in historical depots, to a bed and breakfast in a historic freight house, our region has many railroad-themed experiences for train fans of all ages.

The Roundhouse - Two Brothers Artisan Brewing (in former 1856 Chicago & Aurora roundhouse)
Aurora, IL

The Choo Choo Diner
Des Plaines, IL

Flossmoor Station - Restaurant, Brewery
and Caboose Ice Cream Shoppe
Flossmoor, IL

The Junction Diner
Forest Park, IL

2Toots Train Whistle Grill
Glen Ellyn, IL

Grand Ballroom at Joliet Union Station
Joliet, IL

Bull Moose Bar and Grille
Sandwich, IL

Riley's Railhouse Bed & Breakfast
Chesterton, IN

Monon Connection Museum and Whistlestop Restaurant
Monon, IN

Tyler's Tender Railroad Restaurant
Schererville, IN

A Lil R&R
Palo (west of Cedar Rapids,) Iowa

Buffalo Phil's Pizza & Grille
Wisconsin Dells, WI

Dinner Trains

Relive the days of fine dining while riding the rails. Heritage railroads and museums may also offer dinner trains on special occasions or on an infrequent schedule. Check with them for details.

East Troy Electric Railroad Museum
East Troy, WI

Wisconsin Great Northern
Spooner, WI

Model Railroad Clubs and Displays

Although Blackhawk focuses on our region's "full-size" railroad history, we also know that many of our members enjoy the "smaller" versions of these fascinating machines. Fortunately, there are numerous places where you can visit and enjoy railroading on a miniature scale.

Chicagoland Lionel Railroad Club
New Lenox, IL

Discovery World
Milwaukee, WI

Elmhurst Model Railroad Club
Elmhurst, IL

Garfield-Clarendon Model Railroad Club
Clarendon Park, Chicago, IL

Hi-Rail Modular Train Club
Griffith, IN

Lake Shore Model Railroad Association
Calumet Park, Chicago, IL

Museum of Science and Industry
Hyde Park, Chicago, IL

Oak Park Society of Model Engineers
Oak Park, IL

Prairie Scale Model Railroad Club
Lombard, IL

Will County Model Railroad Association
Joliet, IL

Garden Railroads

Chicago Botanic Garden
Glencoe, IL

Illiana Garden Railway Society
Valporaiso, IN

Gabis Arboretum at Purdue Northwest
Valparaiso, IN

Live Railcams

Can't leave the house. Catch live railroad action on the hundreds of railcams across the United States and Canada, including many in our area. You can also connect to many of these for free on YouTube.