October 26, 2025

Today’s trip was to the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois. J had visited once with family; I’d never been. It’s not far from Hampshire and the Hampshire Social coffee shop, which was closed.

On the way I was once again struck by oddly placed subdivision patches interspersed between farm fields and farm fields for sale as commercial or residential properties. I’m surprised there’s any farmland left — it’s disappearing fast. I don’t love the sometimes bucolically named cookie-cutter subdivisions, but I understand that’s what we have that’s affordable (I guess). Home ownership is still the American dream — no matter how costly.

I digress. Subdivisions do that to me.

Not far from the museum I spotted a hawk on the wires, but it flew off when it realized it was about to get its photo taken.

The museum is extensive, although I didn’t see much of it as the objective was a ride (streetcar?) to a pumpkin patch. I had trouble getting aboard — even the step up onto a stool was too high for my weakened legs — but I managed to get on and get to the pumpkin patch, where a cart with hot drink awaited, along with pumpkins, hay bales, and goofy Halloween decorations. There were cutouts for photo taking, but most of the children though the holes were for throwing pumpkins through. Most didn’t have enough strength or good aim.

I spotted a handcar on the tracks and said, “That would be fun.” (If you’ve seen a silent movie with trains, you’ve seen a handcar.) I thought it was there for show, but soon saw some young people pumping their way down the track under the watchful eye of an onboard employee or volunteer. Oh, to be in good enough shape to get on it and take off.

Back at the museum, I took more photos of a giant red . . . thing (attachment?). When I looked it up I found out it’s a steam-powered rotary snow plow. There are a few still in operation.

Back at the gift shop, I bought several items, including a book on Route 20 in Illinois, which goes to Galena as well as Union. I grew up on Route 20 in New York, not knowing where it went beyond my little world. It reminds me of a scene in the 1943 version of Jane Eyre, in which young Jane and Helen have this conversation:

Jane: Helen, where does that road go?

Helen: I told you before — to Bradford.

Jane: But after Bradford?

Helen: Darby, I suppose, Nottingham, and then London.

Jane: From London to Dover and across the sea to France and then over the mountains and down to Italy and to Florence and Rome and Madrid . . .

Helen: Madrid isn’t in Italy, Jane.

Jane: That road goes there all the same. We’ll drive along it one day when we’re grown up in a lovely coach and four, and I’ll have beautiful curly hair just like yours, and I’ll have read all the books in the world, and I’ll play the piano and talk French almost as well as you do . . .

After a brief stop at Pingree Grove Forest Preserve (Kane County), it was time to head down Route 20 again . . . toward home.

Illinois Railway Museum

24 photos