The Illinois Railway Museum
Presents
The Anzio Express & The North Platte Canteen!
"Now boarding for a ride thru history..."
A WW2 Reenactment Day: May 29-31, 2010
It is
near the end of WW2, and the Allies have captured Rome. Mussolini has
disappeared and may be
traveling by train. The Allies are chasing him. German
and Italian troops are everywhere.
You are on the train! Are your papers in order?
On May 28 Thru May 30, 2010, from 9am to 5pm, the Illinois Railway Museum in cooperation with over 200 local World War Two Re-enactors will recreate how trains played their part in the events of the Second World War. Over 100 military and civilian living historians will set up field camps and home front displays to bring to life the years of the Greatest Generation and how railroads helped win the war. There will be military and civilian camps, displays of artifacts, and vehicles of the period on site. To assist in bringing the 1940’s to life, railway rolling stock including restored period passenger cars and street trolleys will be featured. This event will be held on the grounds of the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois. All scenarios will utilize working trains, trolleys, and streetcars.
The highlight of the day will be a period troop train which will make a stop at the legendary North Platte Canteen, made famous in the book, “Once Upon a Town”, by Chicago Author Bob Greene. The train will whisk you back to a time of railroad troop transports winding their way through the United States to ports of embarkation for our soldiers, and illustrate the hospitality shown to lonely service men and women for over five years.
Activities will also include the re-creation of an Italian Rail System train from Anzio, Italy to Rome to show what it was like to live and travel in Italy under German occupation. Soldiers and civilians will mingle with the public on the train, to bring to life situations which may have been encountered during travel in 1943-1945 Italy. On the trolley routes, you will pass into occupied Italy and witness historical events as they unfold.
Hosted by 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment, Official Midwest Chapter, 10th Mountain Division Living History Display Group, Inc & TSG and Sponsored by the Illinois Railway Museum, with the assistance of the 353rd Infantrie HRS
Re-enactor Forms and Information
SOME
OF THE PLANNED
SCENARIOS AND BATTLES:
Afternoon Battle in an Italian Rail Yard. Smaller Skirmishes along the Main Rail Line.
Recreation of the North Platte Canteen in North Platte Nebraska.
Several Small Unit battle actions in the Italian Theater of Operations reenacted along the Museums secondary Trolley line.
Downed Allied Airmen Picked up by German Troop Train.
German Capture of Resistance Fighters and related skirmishes.
Allied Troops encounter German Patrol.
German Troop Train and Patrol of Passengers................And much more!
New for 2010
Saturday Night Swing Dance with Band & USO Show Featuring:
The Grand Avenue Big Band!
| Event Staff Contact List |
 |
IRM Event Director & Museum Representative |
 |
Event Co-Director Anzio Express Allied Coordinator North Platte Canteen Train Coordinator |
 |
Event Co-Director "Tour of Italy" Trolley Coordinator |
|
Security Coordinator Assist. Security Coordinator |
 |
Registrar & Overall Canteen Coordinator |
  |
Allied Military Commanders/ Battle Coordinators |
 |
Commonwealth Representative Coordinator |
 |
Axis Overall Commander/Axis S&A/ Anzio Express German Train co-ordinator |
 |
S&A Enforcement /Allies |
 |
Axis Civilian S&A |
 |
North Platte Canteen Civilian Coordinator |
|
Swing Dance Decorations Committee |
Some Video from the October 2009 Event!
More can be found on YouTube!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
