OREGON — The February presentation at the Oregon Depot Museum will feature Gerald Podraza of Galena, Illinois. Plan on coming out to hear the presentation the last Saturday of February, the 24th at 10 a.m.
Gerald has traveled extensively on passenger rail in Illinois on both the Illinois Zephyr and the Saluki. He’s also traveled nationally on the Texas Chief, the City of Los Angeles, the Cardinal, the City of New Orleans and the California Zephyr.
While a resident of rural Jo Daviess County near Apple River, he rode the Land O’Corn and the Black Hawk during its last year of operation. He was a member of a Citizens’ Coalition to “Bring Back the Black Hawk” for five years. Those efforts concluded in an IDOT-funded feasibility study in 2021.
His presentation “Revive the Twin Cities Zephyr” will detail prior attempts to restore passenger rail service as he did with the Black Hawk in Northwest Illinois. He’ll present ways to discuss, evaluate and/or demonstrate added value to communities located along and within the regions of this route.
For more information about this program or other programs, please contact Roger Cain 815-757-9715, Chris Martin 815-742-8471 or Otto Dick 815-440-0639.
