Meeting Information

The North Western Illinois Chapter holds a meeting on the fourth Saturday of each month, except June, July and December. We meet at St. Marks Lutheran Church at 675 North Mulford Road in Rockford, IL. Regular meetings (for Jan, Feb, Mar & April) begin with the doors open by 2:30PM, a short business meeting starting at 3 PM and the main program to follow. There will usually be time for members in attendance to share any railroad news, news slides, or participate in a mini-feature. Details on those events will be provided. For a detailed description of the featured show at the meeting, see below.

We offer sales tables prior to Chapter meetings. Table reservations must be made one month in advance at $5.00 per table, payable at the meeting to our (TBA) table manager. Availability is first reserved-first served.

Directions

Click here to view an interactive map by Mapquest.

Meeting Dates & Events for - 2025
When available, click on underlined text to view sample picture.

January 25, 2025 - Program - Completed
February 22, 2025 - Program
March 22, 2025 - Program -Completed
April 26, 2025- Program - Completed
May 12, 2025 - Program - Completed
June 16, 2025 - Program - Completed
July, 2025 - Program - No Meeting
August 23, 2025 - Program - Completed
September 27, 2025 - Program - We will enjoy another joint meeting with the Iowa Chapter in Savanna, Illinois.
October 25, 2025 - Program - Bob Schmidt via zoom another installment of passenger trains serving the Eastern U. S.
November 29, 2025- Program - Annual Meeting with great photographers: Andrew Nelson, Ron Lundstrom, Jerry Pyfer, and the efforts of George Strombeck.

Example #1 Philadelphia Suburban Transit Co. "Liberty Liner" (formerly CNS&M "Electroliner, built by St. Louis Car in 1942), lettered for "Red Arrow Lines," at Bridgeport, PA, 1964.

Example #2 CNJ commuter, behind 4-6-0 #779, Plainfield, NJ, 1953. The combustion properties of anthracite coal required the use of a wider firebox, which led to this "Camelback" or "Mother Hubbard" design, which had separate cabs for the engineer and fireman.

Example #3 LV "Black Diamond" (New York City - Buffalo), Jim Thorpe, PA, 1954. Alco PA-2 #606 leads
December 2025 - No Meeting

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