RailNews

Ride the White River Rocket on September 29

Ride the White River Rocket on September 29

Join founder Kevin McKinney and editor Mike Schafer on September 29 for a special event marking the 50th anniversary of PTJ! The day starts with a ride aboard the White River Rocket, a special chartered run departing LaSalle Street Station in Chicago for a run down Metra’s Rock Island District on Saturday, September 29. Photo stops are planned along the route, with an expected mid-day arrival at Joliet. Upon arrival, riders will disembark for a special luncheon inside the Grand Ballroom at Joliet Union Station.

The return trip to LaSalle Street Station in Chicago will include a brief stop at Metra’s famed “Rocket House” at 47th Street Yard (a former Rock Island maintenance facility). A scheduled early afternoon arrival in Chicago will leave you plenty of time to explore The Loop and enjoy dinner on your own.

Following the dinner break, attendees will meet in the beautifully restored Burlington Room at Chicago Union Station for an evening of presentations by top railroad historians and photographers. As part of Amtrak’s program to redevelop historic Chicago Union Station, the former women’s lounge was renovated and restored to its former glory as the Burlington Room in 2016, providing the perfect location for our show.

Seats are limited for this special all-day celebration. Tickets are $125.00 per person and includes the ride on the White River Rocket, luncheon at Joliet Union Station, the “Rocket House” stop, and admission to the evening program at Chicago Union Station. Tickets can be purchased directly from the White River Productions online store.

—Passenger Train Journal

This article was posted on: July 2, 2018