CHEVROLET HALL OF FAME MUSEUM

DECATUR, IL

End in Sight Just north of Bement, the final and southernmost searchlight on the Bloomington District can be found right beside a crossing. Based on some older track charts, this signal used to be located about a quarter mile to the south and had previously been two masts, one on each side of the track. These, installed back in 1959, were moved and apparently combined into the single-mast intermediate we know here today as the Bement Intermediate during the signal updates in the early 2000s, around 2003-04 for signals south of Mills including this. All of the intermediates remaining on this line saw similar changes around the same period. Snapping a shot of this signal can be a tough one for southbounds thanks to how close it is to the crossing. But, careful timing and a little crop can work wonders to make sure no remnants of the crossing signals remains in-frame. NS D36, led by 3395 and 6936, comes flying down the last miles of the Bloomington District. They'll rejoin the Lafayette District in Bement itself and head on to Decatur, where they will be done for the day.
End in Sight Credit: Leo Blackwelder

The Chevrolet Hall of Fame Museum in Decatur, IL is a tribute to the automotive giant. It houses a vast collection of historic Chevrolet models, photographs and memorabilia. Visitors can get an up-close look at some of the company’s most beloved models, including the Corvair, the Camaro, the Impala and the Bel Air. The museum also showcases vintage racing memorabilia, including trophies, banners and race cars from the 1950s and 1960s.

The museum is located in a renovated, turn-of-the-century building in downtown Decatur. Inside, visitors can explore a variety of interactive exhibits and displays that chronicle the history of Chevrolet. One exhibit showcases the company’s first car, the Classic Six, as well as other early models. Another highlights the company’s involvement in the auto racing industry.

The museum also includes a gift shop and a theater, where visitors can watch films about Chevrolet’s history. The museum is open most days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours during the summer months. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. The Chevrolet Hall of Fame Museum offers an educational and entertaining look at the company’s history and its impact on the automotive industry.

CHEVROLET HALL OF FAME MUSEUM is a Uncategorized or General Museum in DECATUR IL. US MID #8401700222

The museum is classed as GMU (Uncategorized or General Museums). It comes under American Alliance of Museums (AAM) region: Midwest (Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin).

End in Sight Just north of Bement, the final and southernmost searchlight on the Bloomington District can be found right beside a crossing. Based on some older track charts, this signal used to be located about a quarter mile to the south and had previously been two masts, one on each side of the track. These, installed back in 1959, were moved and apparently combined into the single-mast intermediate we know here today as the Bement Intermediate during the signal updates in the early 2000s, around 2003-04 for signals south of Mills including this. All of the intermediates remaining on this line saw similar changes around the same period. Snapping a shot of this signal can be a tough one for southbounds thanks to how close it is to the crossing. But, careful timing and a little crop can work wonders to make sure no remnants of the crossing signals remains in-frame. NS D36, led by 3395 and 6936, comes flying down the last miles of the Bloomington District. They'll rejoin the Lafayette District in Bement itself and head on to Decatur, where they will be done for the day.
Making the Quota I was chatting with a friend about roadrailers, sharing photos and the like, when I realized I almost never actually photograph the things. I had a look through my folders and have consistently only shot them once a year. This is frankly absurd considering the the things run within spitting distance of home. What have I been doing the last five years? For once, I actually went out and sought the elusive Triple Crowns out. After already meeting my yearly quota back in January, it seemed like snatching a roadrailer would be a good way to spend a day. I got more than I bargained for when the day was said and done, but more importantly, I did find the 255. At Milmine, NS 255 makes haste on its westward journey to Kansas City. NS7676 had quite a lengthy train of trailers on it today, and pairing that with warm temps, clear skies, and even a friendly wave from the conductor, I don't think I could complain about anything here if I wanted to. Nice day out!
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Sneaking Around Last year, I shot Pierson while work was still in its earliest stages on the elevator and track upgrades alike. A year later and we come to find there's been a lot more work done to say the least. In preperation for handling some of the grain at the nearby elevators at Bement/Milmine, Pierson saw renovation to allow the DREI to do some loading there. These changes are now visible in the form of a significant track realignment around the loading tracks. The last time I was here, that curve didn't exist, which made for a bit of a surprise when I pulled up here! Speeds seem to be a bit faster, too, which is always nice. DREI 101, led by GP59 5909 and SD45s 4236 and 4240, comes rolling straight through the realigned trackage, with still quite a ways to go before the day is yet over.
Golden Opportunity I never seem to shoot the DREI very often despite it being pretty local to me. My opportunities to do so typically fall on weekends that I don't usually like waking up very early on, but here and there I make the effort, especially when I'm basically invited out there. Can't argue with that much, but the timing was good, so hey, off I was. The Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad is undergoing a power shuffle presently. The leaser fleet, made up of HLCX and FURX power of various colours and models, is going away, now replaced by power taken from the WSOR and by the freshly shopped WAMX 5909. Built as the NS 4616, this rare GP59 is new to the railroad, but far from a new locomotive. It's one of just 36 of its type, all built for Norfolk Southern in 1989, but NS pruned its roster of the remainders of the class in 2020, selling them to PRLX. In 2022, Watco purchased ten of the units and had them sent to Metro-East Industries for refurbishment and paint. It joins two SD45s - derated to SD40-2s - in todays train, the 101. I arrived in Decatur just as the three locomotives were starting to pull out of the yard, giving me just seconds to grab my camera and snatch a quick photo. With golden morning light on my side, it'd be hard to lose here. A fine start to a much needed day out.
Old Influences Milepost 267 is located at just another minor crossing in the middle of nowhere on the DREI, a typical midwestern scene we all know and love. Aside from the crossing, though, the mileposts on the DREI still hail from the B&O - not the signs themselves, but the numbers. The Decatur Sub was formerly part of the B&O Indianapolis Division, with all mileposts westwards from Cincinnati, Ohio. Just between La Place and Casner in Illinois, we're 267 miles away. It's a line you can't take by rail anymore as abandonments and split up ownership have separated things, but little details like this are certainly neat reminders of the past, and their little influences on things today. Meanwhile, DREI 101 is fast approaching as the sun continues to give us just the right amount of gold early (ish) in the morning. Even though most would complain about the line being pretty much arrow straight from here on, that does work nicely in our favour as the sun climbs into the eastern half of the sky. Never anything wrong with light on the nose, eh?
It's A New Dawn The DREI's Decatur-Chrisman train, 101, gets out of Decatur pretty early most days - and today was no exception. Despite a slight delay, our newly certified engineer got the SD40-2 triplet underway pretty quickly as light takes hold of its surroundings finally. The DREI is a young railroad, born from a struggling CSX line. Remnants of its CSX - and previously even B&O - past still linger along the way, such as the no trespassing signs at the bridge over Lake Decatur, still lettered for CSX. Signs of fall are beginning to appear as the leaves turn and the sunrise (and sunset) change their times, which allowed for some fine golden morning light to shine across the scenery. Nice start to the day.
Everything's Different DREI 101 climbs the slight hill at Pierson, powered by three former SD45s with newly certified engineer Blake Dooley as the hogger for the day. He invited me to come and shoot the days train as it was his first official train after getting certified, so who was I to say no? Having been nearly two years since I've shot the DREI, this was my first time back in Pierson in a good while. The elevator there is seeing some major reconstruction as Topflight prepares it to load trains once again. Bement and Milmine will see some of their grain trucked down to Pierson to be loaded on the DREI, who is also performing a construction project of their own - a new section of mainline right beside the old one. Despite being new, it's not expected to be ran above 10mph, which is the current speed limit here.
First Choice There are a few common places to go after following anything south of Monticello, some more obvious than others. A choice of signals, some quiet crossings, and Bement itself. Typically, the Bement Intermediate is the first choice for anyone - hey, who can argue with more signals? I can't, and that's why I ended up here instead, though there is another opportunity between there and here that I have yet to try. NS D36 made for a very leisurely chase from Lodge downwards, giving me more time than I really needed to get to the Bement intermediate. Normally, if you catch something here, you'd be hard pressed to catch in Bement itself, but...
You Gotta Get Out Personally? I don't like being in Decatur that much. IC1000 and UP3807 couple onto a long string of cars at ADM Decatur, shoving back briefly before stopping and putting the string beside them on yard air. Decatur is not known for its cleanliness - or safeness, or much of anything positive these days if we’re being really honest here - and this ADM plant is one of the worst offenders. It and T&L are able to make the entire city just plain stink. No amount of interesting RSSX critters nor IC1000 can make up for that. By the time we did find our favourite deathstar by ADM, dusk was coming quick, so we made a point to get our quick couple of photos, and get the hell on out of there before darkness really hit. At least the smoke and steam looks neat from a distance.
World of Hurt My aimless wandering landed me in Bement, where scanner traffic suggested that NS D17 would be departing towards Champaign relatively soon. The thought of chasing a northbound up even just a section of the Bloomington District was definitely an exciting thought - so wait I did. The wait paid off, and with a 30mph restriction due to a faulty EOTD, they were off towards the Andersons grain facility. I sped off to the Bement intermediate, and after parking, promptly slipped on the ice almost directly beside the signal itself and hit the ground. Ow. I'm just glad the train was far enough away so that the crew didn't see that...
Bookin' It To Bement NS D36, led by SD60E 6975, carries on the Bloomington District tradition of going fast and making the rest of us try to keep up! Beating the train from Lodge to the signal at MP 150.9, just north of Bement, is no easy feat thanks to the town of Monticello blocking the way - but we just barely made it. The train has another mile or two to go until it reaches the Lafayette Sub to finish its trip to Decatur. The signal here is the last searchlight before reaching the sub, and it's a pretty sharp one all things considered.

Contact CHEVROLET HALL OF FAME MUSEUM

CHEVROLET HALL OF FAME MUSEUM
3635 E US ROUTE 36
DECATUR
IL
62521

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CHEVROLET HALL OF FAME MUSEUM Information

MID # 8401700222
Name CHEVROLET HALL OF FAME MUSEUM
Alternate Name
Classification Uncategorized or General Museums, , Midwest
Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN)
NTEECC
Tax period of the latest return filed (YYYYMM)
INCOME 0
REVENUE 0
LAT/LONG 39.825422, -88.896584
CODES FIPS State Code: 17
FIPS County Code: 115
US Census Tract: 002402
US Census Block: 2014