Joliet Railroad Museum

Joliet Railroad Museum Come visit us at the new Joliet Railroad Museum located at 90 E. Jefferson Street within the City’s Gateway Center Train Station.

Throwback to 1929! 🚂Thousands of EJ&E employees and their families gathered at Dellwood Park for the Elgin, Joliet & Eas...
08/07/2026

Throwback to 1929! 🚂

Thousands of EJ&E employees and their families gathered at Dellwood Park for the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Company’s annual picnic.

What a wonderful turn out for Big Boy today all across Joliet! 🚂Union Pacific's Big Boy No. 4014, the world's largest op...
07/17/2026

What a wonderful turn out for Big Boy today all across Joliet! 🚂

Union Pacific's Big Boy No. 4014, the world's largest operating steam locomotive, made its way through our city today, drawing hundreds of railfans, families, and history enthusiasts. Originally built in 1941, this legendary locomotive is a remarkable piece of American railroad history, and it is an honor to see it pass through Joliet (and by our Railroad Museum!)

Did YOU catch Big Boy today? We'd love to see your photos in the comments! 📸

Looking for a place to check out the Big Boy tomorrow? Look no further! 🚂We're excited to cheer Big Boy on as it makes i...
07/16/2026

Looking for a place to check out the Big Boy tomorrow? Look no further! 🚂

We're excited to cheer Big Boy on as it makes its journey through Joliet! Join us at the Joliet Railroad Museum for a viewing opportunity and to learn about the history of the rail systems in Joliet!

We hope to see you there. 🛤

All aboard 🚂‼️Welcome to the Joliet Railroad Museum! We are located at: 📌 90 E. Jefferson Street, within the City's Gate...
02/09/2026

All aboard 🚂‼️

Welcome to the Joliet Railroad Museum! We are located at: 📌 90 E. Jefferson Street, within the City's Gateway Center Train Station!

The Railroad Museum is a former circa 1913 interlocking signal tower, known locally as Union Depot Tower, that was preserved and incorporated into the new Gateway Center Train Station.

The museum features information on the railroad companies that operated lines through Joliet and their ensuing legacies. It presents the story of collaboration, cooperation and engineering that went into the 1910-1912 track realignment and elevation project, which included the construction of historic Joliet Union Station and Union Depot Tower. The Railroad Museum also features the mechanisms and controls that coordinated the movement of trains through this critical intersection of east-west and north-south rail travel.

Here, we’ll share museum updates such as open hours, along with historical photos and facts from Joliet’s railroading past. Whether you’re a lifelong railfan, a local history buff, or simply curious about the trains that pass through our city every day, we’re glad you’re following along. 🚆

Address

90 E. Jefferson Street
Joliet, IL
60481

Opening Hours

Thursday 10am - 2:30pm
Friday 10am - 2:30pm
Saturday 10am - 2:30pm
Sunday 10am - 2:30pm

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