Railroading Heritage of Midwest America (RRHMA) is excited to announce that huge steps are being taken to make our Silvis, Illinois, shop complex the new hub for what we call History’s Future. We have been hard at work on everything from track repairs to new interior lighting and general clean up to make the first delivery of equipment possible.
Track on the west end of the building was completely removed and replaced to make it easier and safer for equipment and operators to enter the building. With track work on the west end completed, crews are now focusing on the east end of the complex. The switch on Track No. 1 will be moved further east to make entering the building with larger equipment on that track possible. While Silvis has served most of its life as a facility for servicing diesel locomotives, a more shallow curve was needed to allow our steam locomotives and passenger cars to enter the buildings.
The first delivery of donated equipment from the Union Pacific, which included five passenger cars, has safely made their way onto the property and are tucked inside where they are safe from the elements. Crews will begin going through the cars and assessing what repairs and maintenance need to be undertaken before the cars enter RRHMA service.
Our Double Matching Grant still program still applies! With your donation, we can bring these cars, Challenger No. 3985, and 2-10-2 No. 5511 back to service. Every dollar donated up to $500,000 will be matched by two generous grants. Donate today at https://rrhma.com/double_
You can also sign up to be a member! While Silvis is not yet open to the public, we are working to make it safe for members and railfans alike for visits in the near future. Sign up to be a member and you will receive exclusive notifications via email when the time is right for visitors.
Thanks for your continuing support!
