Homewood Railroad Heritage Weekend

Homewood' s Eighth Annual Railroad Heritage Weekend will herald in the summer railfanning season in Chicagoland on Saturday, May 14th, and Sunday, May 15th, 2011--just two short weeks from now!!!

Here is our current (as of May 1st) program of events:

Saturday May 14th

11 AM-330 PM - NEW for this year - The Homewood Rail Committee is proud to present a series of FREE symposia on the History of the Illinois Central Railroad. This all-new feature will be held at the Homewood Public Library, right across Dixie Highway from our main venue at the Village Hall and just north of the St. Joseph's School site (where the evening multi-media show is). NRHS Blackhawk Chapter President Bill Molony, Retired IC Railroader and Author Alan Lind, and ICRHA Author and Historian David Hayes will present detailed historical programs on the heritage of Homewood's original hometown railroad:

11 AM - 1215 PM - Bill Molony, "The Illinois Central Railroad in the Civil War"
1245 PM - 2 PM - Alan Lind, "IC to ICG - the 1960's"
215 PM - 330 PM - David Hayes, "The IC Kentucky Lines"

This will give attendees a chance to go and have a nice relaxing supper and maybe do a bit of railfanning before the big multi-media show kicks off at 7 PM.

7-10 PM: Annual Multimedia Digital/Slide Show (St. Joseph's Church Gym)

This year we will again be at our venue at St. Joseph's Catholic Church Gymnasium, immediately across the street from our main Sunday Train Show venue at the Homewood Village Hall, located at the corner of Dixie Highway and Chestnut Road in downtown Homewood. The church complex is right across the street from the village hall, on the east side of Dixie Highway. LOOK FOR THE EVENT DIRECTION SIGNS IN TOWN! This venue was recently refurbished, has high ceilings, plenty of seating, and lots of free parking. As usual, we have a great lineup of exciting presenters for you, and in response to many requests, have expanded the evening to no less than NINE GREAT SHOWS:

Program:

1.) Paul Burgess: "Country Blossom--the Bloomer Line" The show's now traditional "short appetizer," a brief program this year features your host's favorite Central Illinois shortline.
2.) Robby Gragg: "The Railroad Scene in Joliet, IL" This show by one of our up & coming young guns is a must for EJ&E/IAIS fans!!!
3.) Chris Lastovich: "High Iron of the Iron Range" A look at the Ore Roads of the Upper Midwest by perennial show favorite Chris Lastovich.
4.) Joe Petric "The Milwaukee Road: America's Resourceful Railroad" Veteran shooter Joe Petric looks back at the legendary Milwaukee Road.
5.) Brian Carlson: "Hoosier Sojourn: The Railroads of Southern Indiana" Brian has incredible luck catching rare action, and tonight he will share some of it with us!

Intermission (Tee Shirts, goodies, and general fun & frolic)

5.) Chris Guss: ""From Dusk to Dawn...Railfanning After Hours" Chris shows us why he is one of the pre-eminent night shooters working today.
6.) Don Kalkman: "Sweet Home Chicago" One of Chicago's best looks at action in the USA's Railroad Capitol.
7.) Mark Llanuza: "In the Eye of the Storm" Heavy Weather Shooting by Chicago's Official Snow King. Has to be seen to be believed!!! I am NOT kidding!
8.) Lance Wales: Pride of Place as the Anchorman goes to one of the NWI NRHS Chapter's very best camera handlers. Lance has a multi-faceted program that will look at the CNIC Iowa Division, the beauty of Fall Foliage, and the fast-disappearing searchlight signals of the BNSF Mendota Subdivision. If you haven't seen a Lance Wales program, you are in for a treat tonight!

The recession-reducing cost of this year's show is STILL only a miserly two dollars! Yep, two bucks buys you three hours of some of the best rail photography action you'll see all summer. Come on out and and have a good time! We will have our unique and limited line of Homewood Rail Weekend T-Shirts for sale, as well as the usual suspects in terms of refreshments.

Sunday May 15th

6-9 AM at the Homewood Railfan Park (Harwood Avenue and the Metra Station Headhouse)

Hosted railfanning with FREE coffee and donuts. I will be on hand to answer questions, point out local opportunities, and otherwise make a nuisance of myself. The CN/IC/Metra 8-track mainline through downtown Homewood is usually very busy during these hours and you can expect any number of freight and passenger trains, including Amtrak's fabled "City of New Orleans" and the "Saluki" corridor service. Free parking right sits across the street.

All day - Rail Equipment Park open for touring (Park Avenue and the Metra/Amtrak Station)

Homewood's resident and carefully restored Illinois Central GP10 8408 (Hand-washed and waxed for the occasion!) and caboose IC 9426 await your inspection at the rail equipment portion of our park facility, located on the west side of the right-of way, just north of our vintage 1923 Illinois Central passenger train station. The caboose interior has been fully restored to its in-service condition and will be open for tours this year. You can access this site by taking a walk through our vintage 1911 pedestrian tunnel from the east to the west side of the right of way. Don't forget to take a look at the many railroad themed murals in the tunnel, created by students at Homewood-Flossmoor High School. This tunnel can also be used to access both the Metra and Amtrak passenger platforms. Please observe relevant Amtrak and Metra safety and access rules.

1PM-3PM Illinois Central Model and Railroadiana Display at the Village Hall Display Cases and at the Homewood Public Library, located just across the street from the main venue and just north of St.Joseph's School

9 AM - 3 PM Prototype Equipment Display

Homewood's hometown and headquarters railroad, Canadian National (ex-IC), will have an assortment of prototype equipment on display along the Metra parking lots on the east side of the right of way along Harwood Avenue north of the Railfan Park site.

9 AM - 3 PM - Train Show (Village Hall and Firehouse, corner of Dixie and Chestnut)

NEW for this year: "Best of Show" Model Contest - Bring your favorite locomotive, freight or passenger car, structure, or diorama and enter it in our "Best of Show" contest.

Looks like another busy, banner year for us! Layouts, historical societies, authors, vendors, industry displays, and yep, it's all still FREE admission! As of May 1st, our list of participants includes:

Canadian National Railways
Operation Lifesaver
Metra
Illinois Central Railroad Heritage Association (ICRHA)
National Railway Historical Society Blackhawk Chapter (with Locomotive Simulator)
National Railway Historical Society Chicago Chapter
Canadian National Lines Special Interest Group (CNSIG)
Conrail Historical Society
Park Lane Hobbies
Hoosier Hobbies
The Art of Motion Railroad Books and Artwork
Klos Heavy Rail Transport & Trucking
Homewood Historical Society
Homewood Rail Heritage Committee
Bolingbrook Model Railroaders
"Big Mo" - World's Largest portable model railroad!
N Trak, Modular N Gauge Layout

Dave Wilma, S Gauge Layout(s)

Note that this year, the ENTIRE fire station is also going to be used, and filled with model railroads!!!!

This list may expand as we draw down to the event itself, so watch for updates!

Plus--many individual vendors and other fun stuff. Come on out and enjoy this fun and growing Chicago tradition as the kickoff to your summer railfanning season! CN will also be operating "Lil' Obie," their ATV-drawn children's "safety train." Plenty of food and other goodies will be available as well. Additionally, many local Homewood merchants in our quaint downtown, mere steps away from the venue, will have special Sunday hours to welcome visitors to town.

Homewood, Illinois, a railroad community since 1853, is located in the south suburbs of Chicago, with easy access via Metra's Electric District commuter service, Amtrak long-distance train service, or via Interstates I-80, I-294, or I-57.

This annual event and the historical venues involved are sponsored and maintained by the Village of Homewood Railroad Heritage Committee, an all-volunteer, non-profit arm of the municipal government charged with preserving and promoting Homewood's rich railroad history and modern heritage.

We hope to see ALL of you in Homewood on May 14th and 15th! Thanks for reading, and please feel free to forward this message to any interested party or organization!

Paul Burgess
Homewood, Illinois
Rail Heritage Committee