2017 Events
We have several special events planned for 2017 at the Monticello Railway Museum. Regular train service also operates Saturdays and Sundays from May through October – see the schedule for details. Different fares may apply to special events.
- Throttle Time
- You can be the engineer of our train!
- Dates: Saturday, April 29 and Sunday, April 30, 2017; Saturday, November 4 and Sunday, November 5, 2017; and many Saturdays from April 30 through October 29, 2017.
- 401 in Steam
- Ride behind our restored 1907-vintage steam locomotive!
- Dates: Saturday, May 20 and Sunday, May 21; Saturday, June 10 and Sunday, June 11; Saturday, July 15 and Sunday, July 16; Saturday, August 19 and Sunday, August 20; Saturday, October 21 and Sunday, October 22, 2017.
- School Days – Tuesday, May 2 and Wednesday, May 10, 2017.
- An opportunity for school children to ride a full-sized diesel-powered train.
- Mother's Day Weekend – Saturday, May 13 and Sunday, May 14, 2017.
- Make this Mother's Day special by treating Mom to a relaxing ride with her family on our vintage train. Moms ride FREE when accompanied by their children!
- Father's Day Weekend – Saturday, June 17 and Sunday, June 18, 2017.
- Dads ride FREE when accompanied by their children!
- Fireworks Special – Monday, July 3, 2017.
- See the Monticello fireworks without worrying about traffic.
- Railroad Days – Saturday, September 16 and Sunday, September 17, 2017.
- Come enjoy UNLIMITED rides on our vintage passenger and freight trains and motor cars running on our former Illinois Central and Illinois Terminal trackage, enjoy kids' games and more!
- The Polar Express™
- Read along with the story as the train makes its round-trip journey to the North Pole.
- Dates: Friday, November 17; Saturday, November 18; Sunday, November 19; Friday, November 24; Saturday, November 25; Sunday, November 26; Friday, December 1; Saturday, December 2; Sunday, December 3; Friday, December 8; Saturday, December 9, 2017.
- Lunch with Santa on the Train – Saturday, December 2 and Sunday, December 3, 2017
- Enjoy a visit with Santa Claus while eating a kid-friendly sack lunch. This event is hosted by the Monticello Chamber of Commerce.
NOTE: Due to the need for more capacity for the overwhelmingly popular Polar Express™, the Ghost Train will not be held for the foreseeable future.