All Aboard!
A Railroad Day Trip through Ogle County
Rochelle*Oregon*Byron

Stops include

Rochelle Railroad Park – 124 N. 9th St., Rochelle, IL  www.rochellerailroadpark.org
Blackhawk Model Railroad Club – Conover Square – 201 N. 3rd St., Oregon, IL www.blackhawkmodelrailroad.com
Byron Museum of History – 110 Union Street, Byron, IL www.byronmuseum.org/permanent-exhibits/

Rochelle Railroad Park

Start your Railroad adventure at the Rochelle Railroad Park, a must see for railroading fans young and old. With over 80 trains per day, this is an ideal spot for train watching. A raised platform allows viewers to experience and photograph two Class One rail lines crossing at the “diamond”. Tune your radio to 106.9 FM to listen to radio transmissions from dispatchers to locomotive engineers. The gift shop has an active ATCS display, which shows locations of trains in the area so you can be ready for their arrival. Snacks, drinks and souvenirs are also available along with plenty of train displays and memorabilia. 

Hours
Open year round.  Gift shop & Visitor Center open April-Oct 10a-5p/Nov-March 11a-4p.

Blackhawk Model Railroad Club in Oregon

Located in the Conover Square Mall, the Blackhawk Model Railroad Club offers a opportunities for visitors to view a large HO scale layout in operation plus displays of Z, N, S, O and G models. 

Hours
Free and open to the public Sat. 10a-4p/Sun 1-4p/Wed. noon-3p.  Groups by appt.

Byron Museum of History

The Byron Museum of History features “Byron in the Railroad Era,” a permanent exhibit located in the museum’s Exhibition Hall. This exhibit tells the story of how Byron flourished during the early 20th century railroad industry. In 1910, railroads were the backbone of many communities and helped small towns thrive & flourish.  The Milwaukee Road and the Chicago Great Western were the two railroads that passed through Byron. This exhibit also explores several local businesses that used the railroad to ship their products to Chicago. Several memorable quotes about the railroad, taken from the museum’s Oral History collection, are also on display. Featured objects in this exhibit include an interactive Byron Train Model of 1910, a red caboose lantern, photographs of Byron’s two depots, a model Hiawatha train, and an authentic piece of a railway track. An audio program provides visitors with the story of the importance of railroads in Byron’s history and growth.  Take time to explore the entire museum which also features exhibits on Byron native & professional baseball player, AG Spaulding, the Underground Railroad stop in Byron and much more! 

Hours
Open Tues-Fri 10a-5p & Sat. 10a-2p.  Groups & special hours by appointment.