Dates for the 9th iteration of Freemo in McLean, IL – Cornfield 9 – were recently announced as May 19, 20, & 21, 2023.

Freemo is a modular layout standard that specifies the end connectors, but otherwise leaves the modeler a free hand to shape their modules how they see fit. Locally, the Illini Railroad Club has shifted to Freemo following loss of their previous layout space to a dorm remodel. They would ordinarily be at Cornfield 9 in May, but since that date this year is after school is out it will limit their participation. However, the IRC will bring many of their Freemo modules to set up on operational display at the Urbana Lincoln Square Train Show on March 25 & 26, 2023.

On May 19-21, 2023, Cornfield 9 will be hosted again by Tom Ludlam of McLean Depot in a local McLean school gymnasium seen in the pic above. This continues to be a free event. You may contact Tom now for more info, with full details coming in March.

McLean Depot
266 E Dixie Rd
PO Box 266
McLean IL 61754
mcleandepot.com
309-244-5900
M-F 10-6
Sat 10-5

Here’s a few more pics of the kind of great modeling that will be on display in May at the next Cornfield Meet.

You’ll put a few miles on the car over a single weekend, but two great shows coming up in mid-February. On Saturday, February 18 in Pacific, MO, the Pacific Eagles Train Show holds its single-day run.

Back on this side of the Big Muddy the next day is the Peoria and Pekin Train Fair on Sunday, February 19.

If you have any info on other nearby Midwest train shows in February, please post it up here.

March 2023 brings a pretty full schedule packed into two weekends. On March 11, the Boeing Employees Railroad Club will hold their first Railroad Swap Meet of 2023 in St. Louis, MO.

The next day in Springfield, IL is the Springfield Railroad Society’s Train Fair on Sunday, March 12.

The last weekend in March is Urbana, Illinois turn to shine with what we like to call the friendliest train show in the region. It’s March 25 and 26, 2023 and we hope to see you there. Here’s a direct link to the shown webpage where you can find registration and contact information:

http://www.illinoisterminaldivision.org/show/show.htm

I’ll have the latest version of our flyer uop soon here..

Train shows are back in a big way for 2023. The first weekend in January has the St. Charles Model Railroad Club’s Trainfair 2023 in the town of the same name in Missouri on January 7.

Later in the month and in Illinois Terminal Division’s area is the Mattoon, IL show at Cross County Mall on January 21-22.

Traveling some again, on January 28 is the La Crosse, WI Great Tri-State Rail Sale.

If you have any more train show info for January 2023, please post it up here.