Any Model Railroad Clubs in Chicago?

Chicagoland Lionel Railroad Club

 

Watch this video, and call the store for details and stop by their location.

This may have been taken down.

Contact Ted Schneff at Rails Unlimited.   He is in Elmhurst I believe.   He does have a website.    He runs a hobby business out of his home that is both mail order and he goes to many model RR shows.  

 

His layout is an informal club.   In other words he owns it and is the benevelant dictator.    But it is definitely a multi-person club size endeavor.  

 

Also there used to be the Smokey Mountain Club downtown someplace.   Not sure if it still exists.   It was a very old club in the basement of an old house.  It was a formal club.

Here are a few to consider:

1. Museum of Science and Industry (huge HO layout, the real Burlington Zephyr inside and you can walk through the whole train, a real steam loco open for cab tours)

 

2. Illinois Railway Museum: a couple hour drive from downtown, but awesome for real trains

 

3. Berwyn's Toys and Trains: Great store layout and huge O gauge/scale selection

 

4. Hi-Rail Modular Train Club: A quick drive from Chicago at Franklin School, 201 North Griffith Blv. Griffith IN. 46319. They may not be open so reach out to the members on this site. This one is way worth the visit. Check out their Facebook page

 

Enjoy your time in Chi-town!

I agree, check out Berwyn's O Gauge Layout.......

Gary - Cheers from The Detroit & Mackinac Railway

Might want to go to the Illinois State Railroad Musseum or go to their Natural History Museum if I am correct, they have the Empire State Express 999 and the Burlington Zephyr

Ted Schnepf is out toward Elgin, rather than Elmhurst.  If arrangements can be made, this would be a good candidate to combine with a trip to the Illinois Railway Museum. They are both out northwest of town.  I would recommend both based on visiting each during the March Meet. Ted's layout is 2-rail though, so it may disappoint if you are looking for 3-rail layouts or clubs.

 

I also believe there is a 2-rail club out in Rockford, also northwest of downtown Chicago by maybe a couple of hours.  Here is a link to a thread posted back in the spring about this layout.  Again, it's 2-rail.  But still a nice layout.

 

Rockford O Scalers

 

I hope this helps.  I'm a big fan of the IRM.  It used to be open in March just for attendees of the March Meet.  We had a absolutely great tour of the place with access behind a lot of the scenes.  Unfortunately, the tour has been absent from the schedule in recent years.

 

Jim

To be precise, it's the Illinois Railway Museum (the state has noting to do with it) and Museum of Science and Industry. 

 

Rusty

       

The club in Griffith is closed until August 1st.

Dan

 

     I belong to the  Chicagoland Lionel Railroad Club. There is a lot of construction going on now so I am not sure what will be running this week. Your best bet is to call tomorrow after 11am 815) 485-2588 and ask. I am out of town but you can reference me.

 

Best

 

Ray Marion

Word! I'll do that! Thanks!

 

Dan