This page was last updated: August 29, 2024
- CALENDAR OF EVENTS -
A listing of all known rail and transit enthusiast events happening in and around the
Chicago area..
(Except where noted, meetings/activites take place in the city of Chicago)
If your organization's meetings/events are not listed -- or if you have any corrections
to be made to your event, contact Bill Shapotkin at traingg1@aol.com.

Oct 26 (Saturday) Chicago Terminal Chapter of the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical and Historical                                        Society  meeting (2:00-5:00 PM)
Location:      Historical Pullman District Visitors Center (11141 S. Cottage Grove Ave) in Chicago.
                      Location is accessible to public transportation using CTA bus #4 , #111A or 115 to/from
                     111th/Cottage Grove Ave or Metra Electric to/from 111/Pullman station (which is not ADA
                      accessible) or to/from 115/Kensington (which is ADA accessible).
Admission:   Free.
Program:      To be announced. 
Information:   ld_mlc43@comcast.ne6

​                          - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  2024 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
Sept 6 (Friday) Omnibus Society of America meeting.
Location:      )
Admission:   ) No meeting scheduled -- See Information on trip scheduled for Sept 7th.
Program:      )
Sept 20 (Friday) Railroad & Shortlines Club of Chicago  meeting. (7:30-9:30 PM)
Location:      Chicago Union Station (500 W Jackson Blvd)
                   Room 107A (There are steps up to this room.) 500 W Jackson Blvd (You must enter the station
                    between Clinton and Canal.)
                   Web site: https://rscc.dhke.com/
                   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/railroadshortlinecc
                   Email: shortlinechicagoHS@hotmail.com
                   For program announcements by email, send a blank message To: rscc+subscribe@groups.io
                   Phone number for program announcement: 312 725-0432  Leave a message and your call will
                    be returned. This number is answered during programs for assistance.
Admission:  Free.
Program:     To be announced.
Sept 27 (Friday)  Central Electric Railfans' Association meeting. (7:00-9:00 PM)
Location:      899 S. Plymouth Ct.
                   For your first visit, you might need a bit of wayfinding:
                   Though the building is marked “899 South Plymouth,” you can’t actually enter from that street.
                     The staffed entrance is on 9th St., just west of State St. There you’ll be welcomed by a doorman
                     and sent up the elevator to the mezzanine-level meeting room.
                    The building entrance is just 1500 feet from Roosevelt Green/Orange/Red Line stations, or 900
                      feet from the Polk exit from Harrison Red Line station (but there is no elevator at Harrison).
                      Buses 29, 62, and 146 stop at the corner of 9th & State.
                    Parking is available in the buildings on the east side of State Street, and can be prepaid at
                      discount rates through SpotHero.com or ParkWhiz.com. Several restaurants are quite
                      convenient, including Chicago Curry House in the same building, Bar Louie in Dearborn Station
                      and Taco Maya and Lou Malnati’s Pizza, both just across State St.
Admission:   Members for the year 2024 (and their spouse) are admitted free. All others are asked to pay a
                     $5.00 admission. Of course, payment of 2024 membership dues can be made at-the-door.
Program:      "PCCs and More."
Information:  https://www.cera-chicago.org/events

                          - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  2025 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
Jan 25 (Saturday) Chicago Terminal Chapter of the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical and Historical                                        Society  meeting (2:00-5:00 PM)
Location:      Historical Pullman District Visitors Center (11141 S. Cottage Grove Ave) in Chicago.
                      Location is accessible to public transportation using CTA bus #4 , #111A or 115 to/from
                     111th/Cottage Grove Ave or Metra Electric to/from 111/Pullman station (which is not ADA
                      accessible) or to/from 115/Kensington (which is ADA accessible).
Admission:   Free.
Program:      To be announced. 
Information:   ld_mlc43@comcast.netJan 25
Oct 4 (Friday) Omnibus Society of America meeting. (7:00-9:00 PM -- Please do not arrive before 6:45 PM)
Location:       San Lucas United Church of Christ (Basement), 2914 W North Ave
                      Enter the basement from the walkway on the side of the building. There are steps into the
                      basement. The church is on the north side of North Avenue between Francisco and Richmond
                      (across the street from Humboldt Park).

                      If using public transit, Get off CTA bus #72 NORTH bus at Francisco, or get off CTA bus #94 --
                      CALIFORNIA bus at North Ave and walk west.

                      There is plenty of on-street parking eastbound on the south side of North Ave adjacent to
                      Humboldt Park, or in a small parking lot behind the church.

                      Call Adam on 847 215-0180 if there are difficulties.
Admission:     Members and their guest are admitted without charge. All other are asked to make a $5.00
                        contribution.
Program:        A presentation by long-time member Raymond DeGroote, Jr. 

Oct 18 (Friday) Railroad & Shortlines Club of Chicago  meeting. (7:30-9:30 PM)
Location:      Chicago Union Station (500 W Jackson Blvd)
                   Room 107A (There are steps up to this room.) 500 W Jackson Blvd (You must enter the station
                    between Clinton and Canal.)
                   Web site: https://rscc.dhke.com/
                   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/railroadshortlinecc
                   Email: shortlinechicagoHS@hotmail.com
                   For program announcements by email, send a blank message To: rscc+subscribe@groups.io
                   Phone number for program announcement: 312 725-0432  Leave a message and your call will
                    be returned. This number is answered during programs for assistance.
Admission:  Free.
Program:     "Chicago to Freeport, IL on the Chicago & North Western -- the original mainline of the Galena &
                    Chicago Union," by William M. Shapotkin.
Oct 25 (Friday)  Central Electric Railfans' Association meeting. (7:00-9:00 PM)
Location:      899 S. Plymouth Ct.
                   For your first visit, you might need a bit of wayfinding:
                   Though the building is marked “899 South Plymouth,” you can’t actually enter from that street.
                     The staffed entrance is on 9th St., just west of State St. There you’ll be welcomed by a doorman
                     and sent up the elevator to the mezzanine-level meeting room.
                    The building entrance is just 1500 feet from Roosevelt Green/Orange/Red Line stations, or 900
                      feet from the Polk exit from Harrison Red Line station (but there is no elevator at Harrison).
                      Buses 29, 62, and 146 stop at the corner of 9th & State.
                    Parking is available in the buildings on the east side of State Street, and can be prepaid at
                      discount rates through SpotHero.com or ParkWhiz.com. Several restaurants are quite
                      convenient, including Chicago Curry House in the same building, Bar Louie in Dearborn Station
                      and Taco Maya and Lou Malnati’s Pizza, both just across State St.
Admission:   Members for the year 2024 (and their spouse) are admitted free. All others are asked to pay a
                     $5.00 admission. Of course, payment of 2024 membership dues can be made at-the-door.
Program:      To be announced. 
Information:  https://www.cera-chicago.org/events
Nov 1 (Friday) Omnibus Society of America meeting. (7:00-9:00 PM -- Please do not arrive before 6:45 PM)
Location:       San Lucas United Church of Christ (Basement), 2914 W North Ave
                      Enter the basement from the walkway on the side of the building. There are steps into the
                      basement. The church is on the north side of North Avenue between Francisco and Richmond
                      (across the street from Humboldt Park).

                      If using public transit, Get off CTA bus #72 NORTH bus at Francisco, or get off CTA bus #94 --
                      CALIFORNIA bus at North Ave and walk west.

                      There is plenty of on-street parking eastbound on the south side of North Ave adjacent to
                      Humboldt Park, or in a small parking lot behind the church.

                      Call Adam on 847 215-0180 if there are difficulties.
Admission:     Members and their guest are admitted without charge. All other are asked to make a $5.00
                        contribution.
Program:        Cicero Ave Trolley Buses, transit service on Chicago's 74th/75th St Route and other Chicago-area
                         bus transit operations, by William Shapotkin.
Nov 15 (Friday) Railroad & Shortlines Club of Chicago  meeting. (7:30-9:30 PM)
Location:      Chicago Union Station (500 W Jackson Blvd)
                   Room 107A (There are steps up to this room.) 500 W Jackson Blvd (You must enter the station
                    between Clinton and Canal.)
                   Web site: https://rscc.dhke.com/
                   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/railroadshortlinecc
                   Email: shortlinechicagoHS@hotmail.com
                   For program announcements by email, send a blank message To: rscc+subscribe@groups.io
                   Phone number for program announcement: 312 725-0432  Leave a message and your call will
                    be returned. This number is answered during programs for assistance.
Admission:  Free.
Program:     To be announced.
Nov 22 (Friday)  Central Electric Railfans' Association meeting. (7:00-9:00 PM)
Location:      899 S. Plymouth Ct.
                   For your first visit, you might need a bit of wayfinding:
                   Though the building is marked “899 South Plymouth,” you can’t actually enter from that street.
                     The staffed entrance is on 9th St., just west of State St. There you’ll be welcomed by a doorman
                     and sent up the elevator to the mezzanine-level meeting room.
                    The building entrance is just 1500 feet from Roosevelt Green/Orange/Red Line stations, or 900
                      feet from the Polk exit from Harrison Red Line station (but there is no elevator at Harrison).
                      Buses 29, 62, and 146 stop at the corner of 9th & State.
                    Parking is available in the buildings on the east side of State Street, and can be prepaid at
                      discount rates through SpotHero.com or ParkWhiz.com. Several restaurants are quite
                      convenient, including Chicago Curry House in the same building, Bar Louie in Dearborn Station
                      and Taco Maya and Lou Malnati’s Pizza, both just across State St.
Admission:   Members for the year 2024 (and their spouse) are admitted free. All others are asked to pay a
                     $5.00 admission. Of course, payment of 2024 membership dues can be made at-the-door.
Program:      To be announced. 
Information:  https://www.cera-chicago.org/events
Sept 7 (Saturday) Omnibus Society of America bus trip to Kenosha, WI.

Join us for a trip to Kenosha Streetcar day. Our trip (on a vintage bus) will depart N/W corner of Madison/
 Clinton (in Chicago) at 8:30 AM with a pick-up stop at the Dempster/Skokie 'L' station (CTA Rt #54A bus stop)
 at 8:50 AM. We intend to arrive at the Kenosha streetcar barn/bus line-up by 10:30AM (a stop will also be
 made a Frank's Trolley
 Diner (for those who wish to dine there).
Our return trip will depart Kenosha at 2:00 PM and we intend to make the 3:10 PM bus line-up in
 Waukegan. A meal stop (at a local McDonalds) will be included. It is anticipated that we will make a photo
 stop at the Waukegan PACE bus garage.
We expect to return to Madison/Clinton by 5:30 PM (with a courtesy drop-off at Dempster/Skokie by 5:00 PM).

Although no fare will be charged, we will ask everyone to make a $10.00 donation to cover the cost of
 fuel/tolls. Meals are on individual settlement.
Questions? Call Bill Shapotkin at 847-987-9676.

Sept 21 (Saturday) llinois Division of MRHA will meet.  (1:30 (doors open at 1:00)-9:30 PM)
Location:     Itasca Public Library (500 W Irving Park Rd in Itasca).
Admission:  Free.
Program:    Guest Presenter will be Terry Norton with a slide show that covers a general look at railroading.
                    Mark Llanuza will give us the latest doings on Metra and more. Bob Storozuk will again show
                    16 mm movies from the MRHA archives.
                    In addition Bob will have a fresh batch of HO equipment for sale at bargain prices to benefit our
                     Museum. Also, a free surprise to all who attend! What more could you ask for?!?