CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF ILLINOIS

DECATUR, IL

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!
Making the Quota Credit: Leo Blackwelder

The Children's Museum of Illinois in Decatur, IL is a hands-on educational and interactive museum dedicated to inspiring a love of learning in children. The museum houses over 20,000 square feet of interactive exhibits, activities, and programs designed to engage and educate children from birth through 12 years old.

The museum features permanent exhibits that focus on art, science, nature, and culture. These include the Imagination Lab, a creative space for exploring art and design; the Spark Lab, a science exploration area; the Nature Nook, a nature and outdoor play space; and the Culture Corner, a space to learn about the diverse cultures within our community.

The museum also offers a wide range of programming for children to participate in, including science experiments, art projects, and special events. In addition, the museum has a gift shop, café, and outdoor play area.

The Children's Museum of Illinois is a great place for families to explore, learn, and play. It's a great way to engage children in learning and to foster a lifelong love of learning.

CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF ILLINOIS is a Children's Museum in DECATUR IL. US MID #8401701081

The museum is classed as CMU (Children's Museums). It comes under American Alliance of Museums (AAM) region: Midwest (Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin). Total revenue from most recent IRS 990 Form: $ 359,132 from tax period 201306 (YYYYMM).

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!
Triple Crowned Pans are fun, and I rarely take them, so I've started practicing that a little bit. NS 255 is one of only two roadrailer trains left in the US - and I think the world, frankly - and its classic Triple Crown trailers make for a great subject to try and pan.
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 Ends Here While I would have loved to follow D36 and its ex-SP duo around some more, that just wasn't going to happen. Once the train slowed to a stop at CP Veech, we grabbed a few more shots across the soybean fields, and headed back towards home. We had plans that night, and we needed to get that check engine light we'd acquired back at Lodge checked out. The good news? It was nothing! A knock sensor warning, one I've had before and one that is meaningless considering the hard bumps and rough roads from the day. With that clear, we both agreed it was a successful outing. Too bad that was our last one for a while, but, international borders and such... Some interesting notes on these two SP motors is that neither originated from SP. 2690 was built as a PRR SD45, the 6202, and it moved through PC and CR with that number until it was sold to the CNW as the 6527, and then rebuilt to SD40M-2 spec for SP. Numbered SP8614, it lived into UP as the 2690, and keeps that number today after changing hands to NREX and now HZRX. The 2676 went through equally as many names. Built as an SD45 as ACL1024, it quickly joined the SCL as the 2000, then the Seaboard as the 8900, then CSX, and wound up in VMV with the same number. It follows the same pattern as the 2690 after that - rebuilt as an SD40M-2 and numbered SP8600, then UP2676, NREX, and now HZRX. Reportedly, both of these motors are going to Hach Equipment in Painesville, OH. After that? who knows!
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.
A Losing Race NS D36 rolls past the community of Milmine, IL, as the sun begins to turn the sky yellow on its way out for the day. Milmine is one of those many small towns along the rail lines of the midwest, made up of a grain elevator and a rather small collection of homes. Places like these are often forgotten, but following trains around tends to bring us to places like this. Of course, losing the race against the train tends to make it easy to come across these places. Now we have to race both the train and the sun, and man, I am not winning much of either lately.
Big Moves A year ago, NS was moving the N&W 2156 from Roanoke, VA, back to its home in St. Louis. The five-year lease to the eastern museum was up, and this time they weren't going to hold the engine hostage! NS 957 is only going about 25mph while NS 21T, just on the other side of the train, has been given the greenlight to finally accelerate past the slow-moving museum move. From down below, you can really get an appreciation for the size of the 2-8-8-2. The N&W articulateds are some of the bulkiest steam engines, almost strange looking, but they fit their intended use very well.
Slowdeath All good things must come to an end. MEC609 rests at Mervis Recycling in Decatur, waiting for its turn to be torn apart. MEC609 is far from an original MEC unit and far from home. The true identity of this engine is Milwaukee Road 156 - the legendary bicentennial unit. After 49 years, she’s been through a lot, but this is the end. Built in 1972 as the 3026, it was renumbered to 156 in 1973 during Milwaukee’s latest grand renumbering project. In 1975, the 156 was selected to be repainted into the railroads bicentennial scheme, where it would join railroads across the nation to celebrate the 200th birthday of the United States. It wore the scheme until 1977, crossing the system and making impressive meetups over time. The 156, back in its orange and black dress, remained in service with the Milwaukee until the company’s final bankruptcy in 1985, when it went with its sisters to the Soo Line. SOO renumbered it to 6333, banditized it, and ran it for two years. It was retired in ‘87 and sent to Morrison-Knudsen for a rebuild, where it gained a full sized fuel tank and other unspecified work. Turned out in April ‘88, the engine was promptly sold to the Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México, or NdeM, along with 40 of its sisters. Given the number 13022, it ran in Mexico for 9 years, when it was given to TFM after a short stint on FNM and applied the new number 1420. From there, she worked in both Mexico and the US for a number of years before being moved to the US full time. Officially, it was renumbered KCSM 3269, but it never wore those marks. As TFM 1420, it operated until 2010 when the Pan Am Railways bought the engine and shipped it to Maine. It was promptly renumbered 609 and patched for a few months, then it was repainted into the dark blue and white of Pan Am, living in the Maine Central subsidiary. For 8 years, the 609 worked hard for the Pan Am, but time ran out in 2018 when she and two sister engines were sold to GATX and shipped off to Altoona. 156 never turned a wheel for them and instead sat idle for two years. Then, out of the blue, she appeared at Mervis in Decatur, missing parts and ready to be torn apart. Where is her future now? Likely joining the towering mountains of scrap metals in the facility. The MRHA and IRM have been contacted, apparently, about the status of 156, but Mervis is known for being quick to scrap. And so, given the information we have, it’s time to say goodbye to the bicentennial. 49 years of service isn’t a bad track record at all. Goodbye, MILW 156. EDIT: 156 is confirmed to have been purchased and saved! She ain't dead yet!
1957 Decatur Commodores Scorecard_7
1957 Decatur Commodores Scorecard_4
1957 Decatur Commodores Scorecard_2
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.

Contact CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF ILLINOIS

CHILDRENS MUSEUM OF ILLINOIS
55 S C C RD
DECATUR
IL
62521

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CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF ILLINOIS Information

MID # 8401701081
Name CHILDRENS MUSEUM OF ILLINOIS
Alternate Name CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF ILLINOIS
Classification Children's Museums, , Midwest
Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) 371235904
NTEECC A52
Tax period of the latest return filed (YYYYMM) 201306
INCOME 418,111
REVENUE 359,132
LAT/LONG 39.831021, -88.929791
CODES FIPS State Code: 17
FIPS County Code: 115
US Census Tract: 001200
US Census Block: 3020