Welcome to the Official Website of the...
Illinois Live Steamers!
43 Years of Friends and
Family
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Illinois Live Steamers!
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About Our Club (last rev’d: 06/09) The ILS club grounds are located about 30 miles Southwest of Chicago. The club has tracks in three (3) gauges including: 6000+ feet of 7.5” gauge track, 5000+ feet of 4.75” track and approximately 1300 feet of elevated 3.5” gauge track. Various scale structures have been built by members and placed along the ground level track right-of-way to enhance the appearance of the railroad. Other track facilities include a turntable, steaming/engine repair bays and a hydraulic loading/un-loading hoist (also used as turntable). Club members operate a wide variety of equipment including steam, electric, gas, gas-electric and gas-hydraulic/hydrostatic powered locomotives. Steam locomotives are typically fueled with either: coal, propane or oil. Various types of rolling stock can be seen behind locomotives during train operations. Rolling stock was either purchased or built by the members themselves. Over the past several years, all the tracks at the ILS have been undergoing some degree of replacement or upgrading. The 7.5” track has been upgraded in with a combination steel and aluminum rail track. This was done to increase rail life on curved tracks. A signal system was installed on parts of the railroad to indicate train presence in locations where trains could not be seen due to line-of-sight restrictions. Summer activities include monthly car switching operations to simulate real world train operations. The 4.75” track is in the process of rebuilding some retaining walls that support deck bridges spanning Carlson Creek. The 3.5” track is investigating the use of concrete piers and spans. Members’ spouses continue to plant and maintain various gardens and decorations around the club property. The ILS continues to grow and improve. The future of the ILS (as in the past) will be determined by the membership in terms of “what’s next” or “where do we go from here?” The club has come a long way in 42 years, but still looks to the future to make a good thing even better. The Illinois Live Steamers would like to take this opportunity to thank you for visiting our website. Please visit the various sections of the website to learn more about the ILS and contact us if you have any questions or comments. Remember, safety first and always! |
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