CENTRAL ELECTRIC RAILFANS' ASSOCIATION

A not-for-profit technical & educational society, established in 1938

Upcoming Programs




What's new at CERA?


CERA’s June Programs

Friday, June 13, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. CT

Zoom Presentation

https://tinyurl.com/CERAthe2ndFriday

Easy Link to Zoom

Meeting Number 814 9251 7167  Passcode  880028

John Nicholson

The Illini Trail

To coincide with the publication of CERA’s latest book, Bulletin 153, The Illini Trail, tonight’s program will explore the history and operations of this long-abandoned, but fascinating line. Operating under various corporate names—Illinois Valley Traction, Illinois Valley Railway, Chicago Ottawa & Peoria, Illinois Valley Division of the Illinois Traction System, Chicago & Illinois Valley—the line was built in increments along the Valley. It eventually stretched from Joliet to Princeton, making it one of the longest interurban routes in the state.

Operating under the aegis of William McKinley and his Illinois Traction System, the line was never able to build a substantial freight traffic base and never achieved the level of prosperity of the parent company. Over the years the line saw traditional heavyweight arch-window interurban cars playing the route, later supplanted by more economical lightweight equipment.

We’ll review the passenger and freight operations  and recount the interurban’s struggle for survival from the competition of the automobile, bus, and truck transport that ultimately won out. Join us tonight for a trip into the past.


We will also have a short newscast preceding the regular program.

This program is open to all CERA members and guests. Mark this date on your calendar!




If you have not yet paid your 2025 CERA Membership dues please do soon or contact me

for more information: Elmer Haneberg

elmer@corpevent.com

(773) 972-0470




If you have not yet paid your 2025 CERA Membership dues please do soon or contact me for more information:Elmer Haneberg

elmer@corpevent.com

(773) 972-0470

Thank you for your continued support.

WWW.CERA-CHICAGO.COM/JOIN

Questions? Send us an email at ceraoffice@gmail.com

 

 

 

Let us know by email if you have questions at:

ceraoffice@gmail.com

For more railfan programming listings, visit:
http://www.railcc.org/events.html

 





JUNE 6TH REGISTTATION DEADLINE

        CERA'S FAN TRIP TO ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA

Thursday, June 26, 2025 to Monday, June 30, 2025

Join us as we travel from Chicago or your city of choice

to

St. Paul, Minnesota

Itinerary Below

TRANSPORTATION 

Train Depart Chicago Amtrak to St. Paul

Thursday or Friday, June 26 th or 27th

Borealis departs Chicago 11:05 AM arrives St. Paul  6:29 PM

or

Empire Builder Depart Chicago 3:05 PM arrive St. Paul 10:56 PM

(Everyone books their own travel)

AMTRAK BOOKING LINK


LODGING

Stay at the St. Paul Hyatt House 

180 Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, MN 

651-647-5000

King or 2 Queen Beds

Thursday  Friday  Saturday  Sunday 

$129.00  $155.00  $155.00 $155.00

HOTEL REGISTRATION LINK BUTTON


SATURDAY TROLLY TOURS

Saturday Coach Bus Tour  $50.00 to CERA

Departs St. Paul Hyatt Place 9:00 AM

First stop will be the Excelsior Streetcar Line

(click on above button for more information)

Second stop will be the Como-Harriet Streetcar Line

(click on above button for more information)



SATURDAY DINNER AND MEETING

Banquet Dinner and CERA Meeting 6:30 PM  $50.00 to CERA

Guest Speaker (Aaron Isaacs)  and Business Meeting

St. Paul Hyatt Place 

Thick Slices of Slow Cooked Pot Roast     or      Chicken Breast with

Steamed Vegetables                                              Mushrooms, sundried tomatoes

Crisp Green Salad                                                   Herbed Pasta

Freshly Baked Bread                                               Caesar Salad

*Pick 1 Item (3 choices): Steamed Vegetables

Choice of Mashed Potatos, Baked Potatoes,

or Rice Pilaf                                                                 Sourdough Bread


TRANSPORTATION HOME

Train departs St. Paul Amtrak to Chicago

Sunday or Monday, June 29th or 30th

Empire Builder departs St. Paul 8:50 AM arrives Chicago 4:45 PM

or

Borealis depart St. Paul 11:50 AM arrive Chicago 7:14 PM

AMTRAK BOOKING LINK


for more information: Elmer Haneberg

elmer@corpevent.com

(773) 972-0470


RENEW NOW

Click above RENEW NOW to go to

Membership Renewal Site



Please consider donating to CERA. Our members and non-members alike help us keep providing monthly programming, annual books, periodic trips and events and more. Simply click on the donate button.


JOIN OR RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP TODAY

https://cera-chicago.org/sys/website/?pageId=7743

Renew at above link

Since 1938, Central Electric Railfans’ Association has presented programs, published books, and hosted fan trips.

In 2024 CERA continued its successful online programs on Zoom, offering both “open-to-all” Zoom programs and programs marketed exclusively to members and prospective members. We also returned to our in-person programming at a new location and hosted a fan trip to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

We very proudly edited, published and produced the critically received Transit in the Triangle, Volume 2 which was mailed to all of our 2019 Members. Our goal now is to get out two books in the next 16 months to 2020 and 2021 members!! 

We plan on making 2025 even better. Look forward to new things on Zoom and in our in-person programming, news on upcoming CERA-penned books and other featured products in our store and special deals on older titles in our inventory.

Please consider contributing to these efforts by renewing your membership, or becoming a new member. You can pay for your membership by check or credit card and online via our web site: www.cera-chicago.org/join. We accept PayPal.

CERA 2025 members will receive a hardbound book on an electric railway subject as a membership benefit. You can count on our publications to continue a long tradition of excellence in historical and contemporary electric railway research, while also being both informative and entertaining.













Copyright 2018 Central Electric Railfans' Association. All Right Reserved 

Central Electric Railfans' Association is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.  P.O. Box 503, Chicago, IL  60690

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