Rochelle Railroad Park - Rochelle, Illinois

Ryan K.

Decided to make a quick stop because my son loves trains. They had 2 trains pass in less than 10 mins. We just wish they had a better playground for the kinds.

Chicagomike68 C.

What a fabulously fantastic place to visit if you like rail road history and memorabilia. You can sit outside and watch trains go by and look at the various artifacts or you can go inside to see railroad items and inside they sell tshirts hats sweatshirt/gift shop type of items. I visited to see the Big Boy train in September 2024. It’s worth your stop if you like trains or worth the stop to see historical items related to the railroad

Daniel S.

Is is a mecca for railfans, with two of the major transcontinental lines crossing each other, and the park is amazing! The Pavilion has multiple picnic tables where groups can sit, converse, and eat food, and it offers unobstructed views of both rail lines. There are also grassy areas where you can set up lawn chairs and blankets if you would like to have a picnic on the grass. The gift shop has many items which pertain to railroading in general and the park, along with a room that has history about the railroads in Rochelle. If you are a railfan, this is a must go!

Andy (.

Very nice train watching park. Covered area that also has scanner playing to listen to the BNSF and UP. Gift shop has everything for a train lover plus snacks.

Tammy D.

Absolutely loved it. There's a train kids can play on, my niece & nephew loved it. It's so amazing watching the trains go by. Completely free, although there's a gift shop with train merchandise, (not sure if their open). It's also really neat that you can tune into a radio station to see what trains are coming.

Lost W.

Lovely place to watch trains pass by. Very busy location, with potential to see several trains in a short period of time.

Scott H.

I love coming down here. If you are a train buff then you will find your people here! I come down because I love to photograph the graffiti and the kiddos just love watching the trains go by. It's a wonderful way to pass a beautiful day.

Apple B.

The Rochelle Railroad Park is a great place to see trains! Lot's of trains! The BNSF and Union Pacific Railroad main lines both merge and cross one another at a junction here at the park, leading to all points west.

The park is in a great location near shopping centers and restaurants by a mile or two from the park. The park also has a small gift shop that sells T-shirts, coffee mugs, small wooden train whistles for kids etc...

The park also has on site restrooms, along with vending machines holding both soda and water.

The Rochelle Railroad Park is a great place to have a picnic and to take kids.

But do keep a sharp eye on small children. While there is a fence preventing small children from running out onto the tracks, there are still some dangers.

Kids can find gaps in the fence to get around, since the fence does run a finite length.

Also there is a potential falling hazard up by the pavilion, since it does rise up about 10+ feet over the surrounding ground, to give a locomotive cab ride height view, so you can look right into the locomotive engineers eyes as you wave to him from his vantage point.

And then finally the parking lot can be full of both people and moving cars. So you will need to watch the little ones so they don't go running out into the parking lot when your not looking.

But generally the park is safe for kids over 6 yrs old. And for younger kids it's generally safe. So long as you keep an eye on kids who tend to run off without understanding potential dangers.

Personally I wouldn't take any children under the age of 5, as train sounds can be a bit much for really small children.

The park is a great place to get pictures and video of trains. But it's not ideal if your looking for professional pictures. The park does have telephone polls, Railroad crossing gate equipment on property that's the size of a SUV, and a couple of other things that can sometimes pose a challenge if you always want 100% uninterrupted vantage points of trains.

The good news though is that the town of Rochelle does have other vantage points near the park that can provide truly uninterrupted vantage points of the trains.

But otherwise most people generally think the park itself offers a good enough environment for taking good photos and videos. Especially because you are elevated a bit and are nice and close to the action.

People who visit the park on a regular basis are usually Illinois residents. However people from Wisconsin (Such as myself) will often make the drive to the park on weekends as well, who make up the 2nd largest demographic of the 50 states that visits the park. You will then see plenty of Minnesota and Iowa plates to.

However people do come from all 50 states. Even sometimes from other countries like Australia or Germany. Yes I have met them there, because they wanted to see American trains and because Rochelle Railroad Park is well known from media such as Train Magazine, TV shows and radio. Plus word of mouth.

People are almost always very nice here. I personally have never had a bad experience. And I have visited the park for 21 years now, year after year. (Sometimes several times in any given year even.)

But keep in mind sometimes railfans can be a bit strange. They will sometimes talk your ear off about their hobby. All in good fun mind you. But sometimes it can be a bit much if your more of a casual observer. Now this isn't much of an issue, as most will keep to themselves and won't divulge information unless you ask.

So I give the park 4 out of 5 stars. It's got a lot going for it. But there are some things to keep in mind that may not always be perfect for you depending on your specific circumstances. So that's why I can't give 5 stars. Because your milage may very with what you will end up experiencing due to individual requirements.

The park is ment for families 👪. And most children 6 years on up will be fine.

So check it out. And keep an open mind. Very much worth it at least once! 🙂