Author Archives: Jeffrey Lentz

Summer 2015 Road Closure

Mid-Continent Railway Museum Posted on by

Due to the ongoing construction of a US Highway 12 bypass around Baraboo, State Highway 136 in West Baraboo is closed while an interchange is constructed. The closure is expected last until mid-September 2015.

Highway 136 is normally the most frequently used route to reach Mid‑Continent Railway Museum from the east, including visitors coming from Wisconsin Dells, Baraboo, Madison and beyond. During this construction period, the official detour will take drivers via Highway 33 toward Reedsburg, to Highway 136, through the village of Rock Springs, and finally onto County I to reach North Freedom and Mid-Continent Railway Museum.

As an alternative, detouring via County Highway W and County Highway PF offers a shorter and faster way to reach North Freedom (7 to 15 miles shorter depending on starting point). Regardless of route used, please allow extra travel time when planning your visit to accomodate the extra distances.

Click on the map below for a larger version of detour route map or download the PDF version.

Highway 136 Detour Map for Baraboo Bypass Project

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Reaching Mid‑Continent from Wisconsin Dells/Lake Delton Using Alternate Route

  • From Interstate 90/94 Exit #92 (next to Kalahari Resort & Great Wolf Lodge), follow US Highway 12 eastbound for 8 miles to County Highway W
  • Turn right on County Highway W, follow for 5.7 miles
  • At T-intersection, turn right on County Highway PF, follow for 1 mile.
  • At the 4-way stop sign in downtown North Freedom, turn left on W. Walnut St.
  • Follow W. Walnut St./Museum Rd. for 0.4 mile to Mid‑Continent Railway Museum.

Reaching Mid‑Continent from Middleton/Madison West Side Using Alternate Route

  • Follow US Highway 12 westbound to West Baraboo
  • Immediately after passing Walmart (on left), turn left on County Highway W
  • Follow County Highway W for 5.7 miles
  • At T-intersection, turn right on County Highway PF, follow for 1 mile
  • At the 4-way stop sign in downtown North Freedom, turn left on W. Walnut St.
  • Follow W. Walnut St./Museum Rd. for 0.4 mile to Mid‑Continent Railway Museum

Notice to GPS Users

If using a GPS device for navigation, be aware that some devices give the wrong location for Mid‑Continent Railway Museum, incorrectly showing the museum several miles southwest of North Freedom. Mid‑Continent is actually located just outside the city limit, 0.4 mile due west of 4-way stop sign in downtown North Freedom. The exact location is shown in the Google Map below.

April 4 Volunteer Opportunity for 1385

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The semi trailer containing various C&NW #1385 parts loaded during the March 21 volunteer session has now been moved to SPEC Machine where restoration and repair work is taking place.

Volunteers are needed once again to help unload the parts from the trailer at SPEC Machine. The unloading “party” is planned for Saturday, April 4, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. at SPEC. Please join and lend a hand if you can.

SPEC Machine
7175 Riles Road
Middleton, WI 53562

—UPDATE—

A small team of volunteers came out to complete the task on Saturday morning. In addition to lending a hand, Fred and Kathy Vergenz snapped some photos of the unloading as well as scenes around the SPEC Machine shop.

 

Parts Loaded and Ready for Transport

Mid-Continent Railway Museum Posted on by

On Saturday, March 21, volunteers answered the call seeking help with loading various stored parts of the Chicago & North Western #1385 steam locomotive in anticipation of delivering them to SPEC Machine in Middleton where work is taking place to bring the locomotive back into operation.

From 1385 Task Force member Pete Deets:

“Another great day! I’d like to say a big THANK YOU to everybody who lent a hand: Brian, Mike, Mike, Richard, Kyle, Fred, Kathy, Steve & Moore Space. We had such fun getting a load on the trailer we will be planning an unloading party as well. The date has not yet been set but will be within a month. We were even able to put in some time taking measurements from the old boiler to try to clear up some of the differences between the drawings and the actual vessel. Thanks again to all because your time is truly appreciated and valuable to the Museum.”

An announcement of the next volunteer opportunity to help with unloading the trailer will be made here and on our Facebook page when the time and date is known.

All photos courtesy Fred and Kathy Vergenz.

 

Moving Parts to SPEC Machine

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We have a new volunteer opportunity to help move the C&NW 1385 project forward. Saturday, March 21st we will be removing all the 1385’s parts parts presently stored in a boxcar at Mid-Continent Railway Museum and placing them into a semi trailer for transport to SPEC Machine where rebuild work is continuing on Mid-Continent’s flagship steam locomotive.

We’ll start at 9 A.M. and, with enough willing hands, should be done by early afternoon – if not sooner. There is very little really heavy stuff left to move, it is primarily piping and jacketing that is just unwieldy. The trailer will be spotted right next to the boxcar so we’ll need people in the boxcar, on the ground and in the trailer. Any time at all will be much appreciated and gratefully accepted. Members can refer to the Locomotive Shop forum on the members’ webpage for additional information.

Video and Print Coverage of 1385’s Progress

Mid-Continent Railway Museum Posted on by

Two new high-quality videos have recently hit the internet following the 2015 C&NW 1385 Open House. Both feature video from the open house and interviews with key individuals involved with the project.

CNW 1385: On Track To Operation, One Year Later produced by Midwest Zephyr Media

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C&NW 1385 – Hope For a Return to Steam produced by HighIronofWisconsin Productions

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Coverage of the event came in several forms. Several Madison-area news channels included the open house in their news coverage.

Stories appeared in both local and larger newspapers. The Wisconsin State Journal ran an article by Barry Adams in the Sunday newspaper a week in advance of the Open House. The same article also ran in other area newspapers, including the Green Bay Press Gazette.

The Wisconsin Southeastern Division of the National Model Railroad Association posted many nice photographs of the open house event on their Facebook page (does not require a Facebook account to view).

An estimated 1,500 visitors stopped by the C&NW 1385 Open House at SPEC Machine over the weekend of February 21-22, 2015.