All aboard for new Putnam train exhibit

Jonathan Turner
·3 min read
All aboard for new Putnam train exhibit
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The Putnam Museum and Science Center is opening a new exhibit on railroads
Saturday, June 22.

Chugging through Oct. 13, 2024, All Aboard: Our Quad City Locomotive Legacy arrives right on time for J.B. Pritzker’s recently announced Illinois transportation plan, which includes $225 million to re-establish passenger train service between Moline and Chicago. The exhibit brings an expansive look into railways while centering the conversation around our unique history.

The new railroads exhibit at the Putnam (1717 W. 12th St., Davenport) opens on Saturday, June 22, and runs through Oct. 13, 2024.
The new railroads exhibit at the Putnam (1717 W. 12th St., Davenport) opens on Saturday, June 22, and runs through Oct. 13, 2024.

“The exhibit tells the story of the important impacts that railroads have had on QC culture and stability,” Chris Kastell, the Putnam’s curator of history and anthropology, said in a Friday release. “From inviting immigration to building the first U.S. railroad bridge across the Mississippi River, railroads have brought diversity and vitality to our area.”

On display are Buddy L trains, Rock Island Lines objects, a depot set with historic clothing, and a multitude of artifacts. In partnership with the Heartland Model Railway Club, there is a large model train display featuring many regional names, like Davenport, Rock Island, Barstow, and Burlington. Stories from local rail workers will be accessible.

Model trains in the Putnam Museum’s new exhibit on QC locomotive history.
Model trains in the Putnam Museum’s new exhibit on QC locomotive history.

In addition to the curatorial staff’s panels, there are loaned panels titled “Wheels of War & Move Over Sir! Women Working on the Railroad,” produced by the Union Pacific Railroad Museum. Interactives include railroad bridge building, a hand cart station, and a ‘Hobo’ Code guessing game.

“​All Aboard brings forth our rich rail legacy while focusing on workers and looking to the future of trains,” said Kelly Lao, the Putnam’s vice president of museum experiences. “We are excited to see the railroad industry developments in our region as we celebrate its past.”

Additionally, the documentary Train Time will be playing in the Giant Screen Theater for the duration of All Aboard, alongside the Putnam’s usual movie roster. The film follows a BNSF engine across sweeping American landscapes while touching on all aspects of rail careers, including engineers, conductors, logistic specialists, and service workers.

An image from the 43-minute documentary “Train Time” (2022), which will be shown at the Putnam Giant Screen Theater.
An image from the 43-minute documentary “Train Time” (2022), which will be shown at the Putnam Giant Screen Theater.

The long-planned QC passenger rail route, between Chicago and Moline, was initially slated to begin service in 2014. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin secured $177 million in federal funding back in 2010, and Gov. Pritzker committed an additional $225 million in state funding in 2019.

Of the $1.1-billion Illinois rail plan (under Rebuild Illinois), $225 million is to re-establish passenger rail service between Chicago and the Quad Cities, with a new intermediate stop in Geneseo. Other stations served will include The Q in Moline, Princeton, Mendota, Plano, Naperville, LaGrange, and Chicago’s Union Station.

All Aboard: Our Quad City Locomotive Legacy at the Putnam was made possible through generous donations from the Regional Development Authority, Arconic, and Iowa Economic Development.

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