Monticello, IL: Railroad Museum

(Satellite)

The museum uses tracks abandoned by the Illinois Central and Illinois Terminal Railroads. The IC depot in De Land, IL, was moved here as the Nelson Crossing station.

Street View, Oct 2023

The Wabash depot in Monticello was moved from the NS/Wabash tracks to the former IC tracks.

mrym_depots

Monticello Railway Museum posted three photos with the comment: "Did you know the Monticello Railway Museum depends on an all-volunteer staff to operate our historic trains? If you're interested in learning more about volunteering for train service, the first step is to become a member and attend our crew rules training on April 20th. This course begins the certification process to become a qualified flagman, conductor, or even eventually an engineer! To learn more about becoming a member and volunteering, visit mrym.org/volunteer-with-us."

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Dennis DeBruler shared
I dug deeper. They have 17 cabooses: https://www.mrym.org/cabooses

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Dennis DeBruler commented on his share
Given the slanted window, I presume this is in one of the Wabash cabooses.
Photo uploaded to Google Maps by Brian Sharp in May 2022.

Mike Sypult posted eight photos with the comment:

The Deland, Illinois Illinois Central Depot was built in 1919 on the Havana District (Champaign to Havana, IL through Clinton). As milepost 23.5 from Champaign, the line through Deland was constructed in 1873 as the Chicago, Havana & Western Railroad. Later, the line came under control of the Wabash St. Louis & Pacific Railroad, then conveyed to the Illinois Central in 1888. The last regularly scheduled mixed passenger trains on the line ended in the late 1930s. The line was formally abandoned by the Illinois Central Gulf on July 16, 1987. The depot agency ceased sometime in the 1970s - I can remember as a kid playing in the abandoned depot.  The depot was acquired by the Monticello Railway Museum and moved to Monticello in 1980 where it serves as the Nelson Crossing station.  Mike Sypult photos, October 2, 2021 Monticello, IL

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Sign board from the Deland Illinois Central depot. October 2, 2021 Monticello, IL - Mike Sypult photo.

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Early photo of the Deland, Illinois IC depot. Monticello Railway Museum photo.
[The grain elevator has expanded considerable since this photo was taken.]

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Bay window of the Deland IC depot. October 2, 2021 Monticello, IL - Mike Sypult photo.

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Ticket window area of the Deland Illinois IC depot. October 2, 2021 Monticello, IL - Mike Sypult photo.

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Nelson Crossing depot of the Monticello Railway Museum, former the Deland Illinois IC depot.
October 2, 2021 Monticello, IL - Mike Sypult photo.

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Nelson Crossing depot of the Monticello Railway Museum, former the Deland Illinois IC depot.
October 2, 2021 Monticello, IL - Mike Sypult photo.

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Museum volunteer John Downing selling tickets at the Nelson Crossing depot of the Monticello Railway Museum. Former the Deland Illinois IC depot. October 2, 2021 Monticello, IL - Mike Sypult photo.

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Nelson Crossing depot of the Monticello Railway Museum, former the Deland Illinois IC depot.
October 2, 2021 Monticello, IL - Mike Sypult photo.

0:33 video @ 0:21, cropped
Thursday August 8, 2024 was historic day in that the museum’s recently installed water tank was used for the first time supplying water to the water column installed on the west platform at Nelson Crossing. This water column will be used to supply water to the museums steam locomotive #401. Long time volunteer David Marshall was the first volunteer to open the valve and test the water flow out of the column. This was the first water to flow through this water crane since it was taken out of service in 1950-1951 at the Oaklawn Shops (Danville, Illinois) when steam was replaced by diesels. Many improvements plan to be revealed over the next couple of months as we prepare the museum for RR Days

John Sciutto commented on a post
Here is the valve recently made for the water tank at the monticello railway museum. Stainless steel