This is a view of the IRM from the South West, looking North East. This view covers the main property of roughly 60 acres. The dark line running left-to-right across the top of the image is the Chicago and North Western's (now U.P.) mainline that goes from Elgin to Belvedere. The IRM mainline parallels the C&NW main for about 4.5 miles, from Union, Illinois (on the West end) to the Kishwaukee River (on the East end).

Running diagonally from the upper left to bottom center of the photo is Olson Road. Visitor parking is located at the juncture of Olson Rd. and the mainline, just out of the picture to the left beyond a row of small trees.

At the bottom of the image, we have what's known as Yard 10. This yard contains old freight and some passenger equipment awaiting restoration. Some freight cars are used for parts storage. The building at Olson Rd. and just North of Yard 10 is the IRM's Building and Grounds Department shed, which houses tractors and other heavy equipment for maintenance of the grounds and public facilities.

Following the service road that enters the museum property from Olson Rd. at the B & G shed, we find two sheds paralleling Olson Rd. The first, and shorter of the two sheds is the Steam Shop. The long shed just East of the Steam Shop is known as Barn 9. This barn is 60' wide and over 600' long. One track can house the Nebraska Zephyr (5-unit articulated trainset with an E5 locomotive), an additional locomotive, and the Norfolk & Western Y3 2-8-8-2 locomotive and tender. It's one long shed!

Following the line set by Barn 9 to your left on the photo, there is what appears to be a very small red-topped shed at a cross road. That "small" shed is really the 50th Avenue station from the Chicago Transit Authority, and is used in "revenue" service to board CTA equipment as well as Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee equipment, including the Electroliner. This station is an excellent restoration, and is appreciated by many visitors each year.

Just East of the 50th Avenue Station is the concession stand, Central Avenue. Here you can have a soda, or a sandwich and just enjoy the day on some picnic benches in the grove area. Between 50th Avenue Station and the concession is the track that splits to form a wye with the main station tracks, farther North. The East leg of the wye, along with trackage that travels along the East side of Barn 9, then around the remainder of the property, is the Trolley Loop. You can just make out the reverse 90' curves at the clump of trees on the right side of the aerial photo. The trolley loop is used to help people get around the grounds, and to exhibit our lighter weight traction equipment.

Moving further North from 50th Avenue Station (to your left), we encounter a brown building with a red roof parallel to the mainline. This is the East Union Station, the Museum's main depot. This station was built in 1851 and moved to the museum in 1967 from Marengo, Illinois. To the right (East) of the station are some C&NW baggage cars that serve as the museum's gift shop and bookstore. Just South of the bookstore is a "speeder" that kids love to sit on.

Following further East from the bookstore, there's a building also paralleling the mainline that has a combination green and red roof. (Storms damaged a number of buildings in years past, and the roofing materials didn't always match.) This is Barn 2, and will contain the diesel (Mechanical Department) shops and other Maintenance of Way equipment used to keep the railroad in tip-top shape.

Let's go back to East Union Depot for a minute, and we can wait inside while another aerial view of the museum, and more of the tour are prepared.