Those of you who live near or are traveling through central Illinois on Monday might want to check this out — a 1944 steam locomotive will pass through several Route 66 towns that day.
Engine 765, a steam locomotive maintained by the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society, currently is in the northwest suburbs of St. Louis County, Mo.
The train will travel from St. Louis to Decatur, Ill., on Monday, Sept. 10. It will pass through the Illinois Route 66 towns of Venice, Madison, Granite City, Edwardsville, Staunton, Mount Olive, and Litchfield.
In fact, the train will be within spitting distance of the Mother Road between Mount Olive and Litchfield, according to this interactive, real-time map of its route.
It’s not known what time the train will pass through those towns. However, the map offers global-positioning system tracking of the train every 60 seconds. You can check the train’s progress from your computer or smartphone, and roughly plan your day when and where you want to snap photos or shoot video of this rare sight.
The train’s trek is part of the 30th-anniversary celebration of the Norfolk Southern railway.
(Hat tip to Heather Wilkins at the Land of Lincoln Regional Tourism Development Office; photo courtesy of the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society)
I wish this had been better advertised. I am so sorry I missed it! My granddaughter and I would have been so excited to be a part of seeing this. Heck I probably would have arranged a town event around its pass through.