Events

Rails to Victory

Name: Rails to Victory
Start: 2023-06-10
End: 2023-06-11
Location: Duerr Forest Preserve

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This WWII Living History Reenactment and Encampment is once again being hosted by the Fox River Trolley Museum and the WWII Historical Re-enacting Society.

Experience a World War II military encampment, view Period Battles on the banks of the Fox River, be a fan at an actual US Home Front Baseball game with the Rockford Peaches made famous in the 1992 Tom Hanks and Geena Davis film, "A League of their Own", and ride the museum trolleys into occupied France to experience the suspense and drama of the heroism of the American Allies.

It is occupied France, in June 1944, just after the landings of D-Day when French Partisans rose up to destroy rail bridges, cut telephone wires, and generally disrupt the German rear lines to ease the advance of the Allies. Each day, in addition to the Museum's regular trolley, which runs before and after the special excursions, the public is invited to ride special fare tours which will recreate the European Interurban rail service that ran between Paris and Rouen, France, along the Seine River during the Summer of 1944.

Passengers will board at Castlemuir Depot (Paris St. Lazare Station) and be required to present their French ID papers to the German Reichsbahn Railroad Conductors. During the hour-long round trip journey of 4 miles on the museum's track to Duerr Forest Preserve and back, passengers will experience period WW2 French civilians sharing the ride with them, French Partisans, German and American Allied Military Patrols and skirmishes, and Secret British SOE Spy Operations.

The Occupied France Trolley Adventure is an immersive performance presented by WW2 Actors portraying historical characters from the war and will put passengers right into the action. Passengers will view and experience small performance stops along the trolley's route recreating a variety of scenarios that played out in occupied France during the war. Passengers should be prepared to play along with the actors to fully enjoy the experience. This performance is family-friendly; however, it is not recommended for very young children who may be upset by loud noises, theatrical gunfire, and battle reenacting.