What's Coming Down the Line? The Railroad in the American Mind

Illinois is the nation’s railroad crossroads. This not only altered the state’s economy and communities but also represented an industry with a cultural allure. The speeding locomotive meant progress, and people gathered trackside to watch the train arrive and marvel at the opulent, Illinois-built Pullman cars. 

Railroads not only accelerated Illinois’ economic development and population boom but also were icons that influenced American culture. The national land-based transportation network radically changed the economy, how people traveled, and how corporate structure evolved. Rail workers were seen as heroic as they labored in a hazardous occupation. The railroad became a cultural symbol, reflected in advertising, cinema, and children’s toys. Each presentation includes some local rail history. Climb aboard for a train ride into our culture.