Car Shop Archives - Mid-Continent Railway Museum

DULUTH Project Gets Support from SLHTS

Posted on July 19, 2018 by Jeffrey LentzJuly 19, 2018

Mid-Continent Railway Museum is grateful for the continued support by the Soo Line Historical & Technical Society (SLHTS) to restore the museum’s DULUTH sleeping car. In mid-July 2018, Mid-Continent Railway Museum received a donation of $1,250 from SLHTS to assist with ongoing work on the car.

SLHTS has a history of supporting the acquisition and restoration of Soo Line heritage equipment at Mid-Continent Railway Museum. This new donation is in addition to $600 SLHTS donated for the DULUTH prior to the car’s arrival to aid in transporting the car from the shores of Lake Superior to its new home in North Freedom, Wis. In recent years, SLHTS has also supported projects such as Soo Line caboose #99085, the Soo Line steam locomotive #2645.

Mid-Continent Railway Museum is pleased to join SLHTS in sharing Soo Line’s rich history with present and future generations.

In 1988, Mid-Continent played host to the Soo Line Historical & Technical Society’s annual convention which included a special train ride featuring equipment of Soo Line heritage.

Tom E. Dailey Foundation Awards Grant for DULUTH

Posted on June 7, 2018 by Jeffrey LentzJuly 19, 2018

We are happy to share that on May 26th, Mid-Continent Railway Museum was awarded a $3000 grant from the Tom E. Dailey Foundation. We are very pleased to receive this grant as it will be combined with the recent Emery Rail Heritage Fund grant (see: DULUTH Project Earns $9000 Grant from ERHT) to help restore interior of the DULUTH sleeping car. The Tom E. Dailey Foundation has previously awarded Mid-Continent grants for our restoration projects, including helping to move the DULUTH to North Freedom in 2016. This grant is a great boost toward our $75,000 fundraising goal for the car’s restoration. The present fundraising balance stands at $27,351 [updated – 7/19/2018] with an overall goal of raising $75,000 to cover material acquisition and some paid labor – to compliment volunteer labor – over the next three years.

Thanks also goes to MCRM volunteer Peter B. for completing and submitting the grant application to the Dailey Foundation.

DULUTH Project Earns $9000 Grant from ERHT

Posted on May 7, 2018 by Jeffrey LentzJanuary 11, 2019

We are very pleased to announce that Mid-Continent Railway Museum has received a $9,000 grant from the John H. Emery Rail Heritage Trust (ERHT). These funds will be used to kick off the interior restoration work in the Duluth South Shore & Atlantic sleeping car “DULUTH”. We sincerely thank the John H. Emery Rail Heritage Trust for their most generous grant. Mid-Continent is seeking donations to match the ERHT grant so the restoration process can move ahead at a faster pace and additional restoration tasks can be performed. Learn more about what’s next for DULUTH.

As-built Interior photo of DSS&A DULUTH.

Anyone interested in supporting the project is encouraged to make a contribution to the DULUTH Fund so Mid-Continent can restore the DULUTH sleeping car to its former glory. Make your donation via mail or donate online using the Donate button.

Be sure to write in “DSS&A Sleeper DULUTH Fund” on the printed form or check memo line if sending a donation by mail. Credit/debit card donations can also be accepted by phone at 608-522-4261 or 800-930-1385 during museum office hours. All donations are tax-deductible.

Additional information on the country’s oldest and most complete sleeping car can be found on the Duluth South Shore & Atlantic “DULUTH” Roster Page

Grant match fundraising goal announced May 7, 2018.
Grant match fundraising goal achieved on August 11, 2018.

What’s Next for DULUTH?

Posted on July 12, 2017 by Jeffrey LentzJanuary 11, 2019

What’s Next for the DULUTH?

Given the scope of the project and the resources needed to restore the DULUTH, the restoration effort will be a multi-year project that will be executed in phases. Now that the DULUTH is back on 6-wheel trucks and has draft gear, the next step will be to reinstall the brake system. Plans also call for moving the DULUTH into one of the museum’s buildings after the completion of Coach Shed #2 (in 2018) to prevent further deterioration and to assist with restoring the car. A detailed scope of work, tasks, and the restoration schedule are presently in the process of being developed. To kick off the next phase of restoration tasks, a $75,000 fundraising effort is underway to allow major material acquisition and some labor cost during the next three years.

Fundraising total shown is as of January 1, 2019.

Request For Help

Please consider making a donation to the DSS&A Sleeper DULUTH Fund so Mid-Continent can restore the DULUTH sleeping car to its former glory. Make your donation via mail or donate online using the form on our online Donation page.

Be sure to write in “DSS&A Sleeper DULUTH Fund” on both the printed and online forms. Credit/debit card donations can be accepted by phone at 608-522-4261 or 800-930-1385 during museum office hours. All donations are tax-deductible.

DSS&A sleeping car Duluth interior, May 2017.

DSS&A DULUTH sleeping car floor plan in 1924.

DSS&A DULUTH sleeping car floor plan as of 2017 after modifications for use as a summer cabin.

DULUTH Arrives at Mid-Continent

Posted on September 14, 2016 by Jeffrey LentzJuly 12, 2017

By William Buhrmaster, Mid-Continent Railway Museum

On September 7th the DULUTH sleeping car arrived at Mid-Continent Railway Museum.
The sleeping car was unloaded on September 8th and is now setting on a pair of 6-wheel trucks for the first time in 82 years.

Duluth South Shore & Atlantic sleeping car “DULUTH” is one of a series of five 10-section sleeping cars built by The Barney & Smith Car Company of Dayton, Ohio in 1902. The car is of all wood construction, with varnished mahogany interior, fine marquetry throughout, stained glass windows and green plush upholstery. In addition to the sleeping section the car features a stateroom, a smoking room as well as men and women lavatories. The car was used on the DSS&A’s North Country Mail (between Duluth, MN and Sault Ste. Marie) and remained in active service until 1934. The car left the DSS&A in December 1934 when it was sold to a Michigan resident and hauled to the shores of Lake Superior where it has been used as a summer cottage for the past 81+ years. In December 2015 the owners, Bob and Beth Krasche, generously donated the DULUTH to Mid-Continent Railway Museum. Since then museum volunteers have been finalizing plans to load, move and acquire appropriate trucks for the car.