About the IRMSigns Webstore

Historic ‘L’ Signs Available!        

The Illinois Railway Museum has received many obsolete signs from the Chicago Transit Authority.  As part of its routine improvements, the CTA has been replacing many signs and has given those removed to IRM for preservation or disposal.  After selecting unique examples of CTA signage for preservation and display, the Museum now has a LIMITED number of excess signs that are available for sale.  These CTA signs are either enameled or made of aluminum, fiberglass, thick plastic, or steel, so they are rugged and will withstand being outdoors (a few are foamboard).

Proceeds from the CTA sign sale will go to the IRM Sign Fund to restore, preserve and display other historic signs and artifacts in our collection.  IRM is critically short of funds to restore and display its many rare illuminated, neon, enameled, and structural stone or metal signs.  By purchasing one or more of these signs, you will get a rare keepsake to decorate your home or office, and you can help preserve other historic railway signage.  Some plastic signs are designed to be back lit, a great display item!  Most sign pictures are very low resolution to help page loading time.

Picking up your historic items at IRM would be the most convenient and economical method, but you must include a telephone number (please note day or evening), or even better, your email address, so we may contact you to schedule an appointment for your sign pickup (no walk-ins).  If you would like your sign(s) shipped, then please include a shipping address and the shipping cost as noted on the order form (we can not ship to a P.O. Box).  We recommend that you call IRM first if you are ordering a large sign (over 48” on a side) or more than 5 signs so we may give you the shipping cost.

PLEASE NOTE the followingThese signs were IN SERVICE with the CTA.  Therefore they are in used condition.  Most have scratches, dings, graffiti, notches/CTA alterations, fiberglass cracks, “A/B Station” in various states of being painted over, and general wear from usage.  Some have tape, tape remnants, dirt, and/or paint over spray droplets.  Some of these may be easily removable, some are PERMANENT.  Many of the station signs have been graffitied or graffiti scratched.  We may have or at one time had more than one of each sign, therefore you may or may not receive the exact sign pictured.  Please understand that there are no exchanges.  We will pick out the best sign available at order time.  This also applies to certain signs with arrows.  Unless specifically directed, we will choose the best sign available at time of order regardless of arrow direction.    Orders are filled on a first come (actually first paid), first served basis.  Emailing your order in with credit card information is the quickest method.  See the order form for more information and explanation of “Shipping Table” charges.

If you have questions, please contact Dave Diamond at 815-923-4391 x431 (leave message) or ddiamond@irm.org

Please remember that we are a volunteer organization.  We do our very best to return messages/emails in a timely manner.  We also do our best to ship your order as soon as we can.  Please allow up to 3-4 weeks for delivery.

This site was created to display what we have available.  Unfortunately the signs cannot be stored in a retail-type location here at the museum.  Therefore it is not conducive to “come in and look around”.  Thank you very much for your understanding.