The Yahoo based Large Scale Trolley Group will host it’s annual trolley-meet at the Illinois Railway Museum on Sunday, July 4th. This event will be in conjunction with the normal IRM July 4th Trolley Pageant which features literally dozens of operating streetcars, interurbans, rapid transit and trolley freight (as well as trolley buses !) This year’s event will be a blockbuster as IRM has added nearly a dozen “new” pieces to the collection since last year’s event, and several cars which were under restoration will also make appearances. Highlights expected include the possibility of both a 3 car wood CA&E train, and a 3-car steel CA&E train, two new open cars (a single truck and a double truck car), and another newly completed North Shore car.
The LST group will be set up as it was last year, on the patio at the west end of the depot. There will be at least two operating loops of track, one set for normal 2-rail DC operation, one for live overhead operation.
EVERYONE is welcome to come, join the festivities, and bring a trolley to run. We can accomodate 2 rail, live overhead, or RC controlled operations
An added “bonus” this year, the LST group is holding an informal “challenge”, the contest is set up for any of the LST members who wished to participate to construct a new trolley in 98 days for operation at this year’s meet. So, we’re expecting to see some new equipment as well as some old favorites.
Two more bonus attractions will be set up inside the depot.
First is the “Action & Reaction RR”, an HO scale model railroad built on a bicycle wheel. While the wheel spins in one direction, the train runs in the opposite direction, creating an illusion of standing still while moving. It’s all but impossible to describe and do it justice, you have to see it to beleive it. Also will be a display of the “Interurbans of the Fox Valley”, a presentation featuring memorabilia and railroadiana of the Chicago Aurora & Elgin, Aurora Elgin & Fox River Electric, and related interurbans in the Fox Valley area (Including the Elgin & Belvidere Electric, the former ROW of which serves as much of IRM’s current mainline). Included will be both 1/2" and 1/4" scale models of many types of equipment from these traction lines.
Your regular admission to the museum includes all of the above activities. If you’d like to assist with the set-up on Saturday, and/or become involved with the LST group, please check the Yahoo LST webpage and post your interests. (Sign up required)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/largescaleTrolley/
Hope to see you there !
John C
And yes - the dreaded “Eggtroliner”, a model of the North Shore Line’s famed Electroliner, constructed from Aristo Eggliners will be operating at some point during the day. (But it will be running past an accurate 1:24 scale model of the South Upton Tower !