Springfield Model Railroad Club

08/18/2026

That’s something you don’t see everyday! A steam engine on the front lawn of the old state capitol!

This unusual photo of a Chicago and Alton steam engine sitting on the south lawn of the then Sangamon County Courthouse (now referred to as the Old State Capitol building) on Sept 25 1915. Photo says the steam engine was being used to power decorations on this date which was the last day of the Illinois State Fair.

08/14/2026

The STRAs newest power addition was hard at work on its first day on the job. Unfortunately it experienced a ditch light malfunction and will need to return to the shops to get that straightened out. Otherwise its maiden voyage was a success as it lead the return section of the south bound local!

07/27/2026

A few views of a very STRA operating session earlier this month.

07/20/2026

Here was our view of the Big Boy on Saturday as it left Springfield. It was such an awesome experience to see it up close and feel its awesome power as it chuffed past. We sure hope everyone got a chance to see it and enjoyed viewing a piece of American and railroad history! Feel free to share your guys photos and videos with us, we’d love to see them!

07/17/2026

In case you all have been living under a rock the past few weeks, the Big Boy is making its cross country journey and will be coming through Springfield Saturday the 18th! In honor of this we ran our own big boy steam excursion around the layout last night!

Per Union Pacifics website the train will be leaving Bloomington at 815 heading to Springfield where they are scheduled to arrive at 1045 and have a meet and greet at the Amtrak station. I imagine traffic downtown will be crazy so you’ll probably want to get there early in anticipation of that.

Remember to stay safe! Don’t drive dangerously trying to chase the train and don’t block streets for a picture of it. Please be careful around any tracks as there will be trains other than the Big Boy to watch out for. UP recommends giving 25 feet of space!

Just be smart and don’t trespass or do anything dangerous. People out east died trying to see the Big Boy and we don’t want to see that happen here. So have fun, stay safe and bring some water because it’s gonna be another hot one tomorrow!

🚂 🚂🚂🚂

07/04/2026

An image 250 years in the making!!

Bicentennial and semi quincentennial units line up in honor of Americas 250th birthday! The STRA wishes everyone an amazing and safe fourth of July!

Happy Birthday America!

06/28/2026

A little bit of local flavor I’m working on. Illinois & Midland 2084. Still quite a way to go, but it’s really starting to look like something.

-CJ

06/22/2026

The other night on the STRA a pair of Rapido Trains Inc. IC GP40s led an empty coal drag across the Mississippi on its way south towards St. Louis. There the train will be routed through the St. Louis metro over the TRRA before returning to IC rails and eventually to a mine in Southern Illinois.

06/15/2026

A Springfield to Granite City manifest crosses the river as it heads south at Wood River. The train will soon arrive at the TRRAs Granite City yard where the train will be transferred to one of the class 1s to continue its journey!

05/14/2026

Today on the STRA SBL-2 (Southbound local return) heads north toward Springfield. A high hood NS GP38-2 leads the short train today’s as it emerges from the tunnel and motivates up hill. This train is the return section of the Southbound local that runs between Springfield and Alton. The crew has one more stop on its journey at the plastics plant outside Springfield before returning home.