Category Archives: News

Keep up with the latest news and announcements at Mid-Continent Railway Museum.

2021 COVID-19 Impacts – Updated

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Mid-Continent Railway Museum is now open Saturdays and Sundays through October 17th. Mid-Continent is dedicated to keeping our visitors safe above all else. This post contains important information regarding visiting Mid-Continent Railway Museum during our 2021 season.

Schedule Changes

In response to anticipated decreases in the number of visitors and greater operating challenges during a pandemic, Mid-Continent has reduced its museum and train ride schedule to Saturdays and Sundays only in 2021.

Groups of 20 or people may still be able to be charter a train ride on weekdays between May and October. Please contact our office with any group inquiries.

Increased Likelihood of Cancellations

Due to the evolving pandemic situation, Mid-Continent Railway Museum reserves the right to cancel or alter schedules from those advertised. All Onboard Dining Trains scheduled for 2021 have been canceled due to the added challenges associated with offering food service during a pandemic. At this point, all Coach Trains (i.e. non-food-service trains) are operating as scheduled, but additional cancellations are possible. Our website contains the most up-to-date schedule information and can be viewed on our Plan Your Visit page.

In the event train departures are canceled, reservation-holders will be notified as soon as possible and will be offered a full cash-back refund or the ability to transfer the ticket value to a future departure or a gift card.

Book with Confidence

During the pandemic, we understand that last-minute changes of plans may become necessary due to the need to follow self-isolation protocols, quarantines, or if experiencing the onset of COVID-19 symptoms. For this reason, we have adjusted our cancellation policy. If you need to cancel your booking due to COVID-19 related concerns, please contact us as soon as possible to be offered the greatest flexibility on refunds or rebooking.

Passengers are implored to cancel their visit if they are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, believe they may be infected, or recently had close contact with someone who is infected.

Health Safety Precautions

Mid-Continent is taking steps to reduce the risk of transmission aboard our trains and around the museum property.

Face Mask Usage

Although the State of Wisconsin has eliminated its mask mandate and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has relaxed its mask recommendation for vaccinated individuals, the CDC still requires mask usage aboard public transportation, including all airplanes, trains, buses, and while inside transportation facilities. This includes Mid-Continent Railway Museum. This is a federal regulation and is not up to Mid-Continent. Suitable face masks must be worn at all times aboard Mid-Continent trains and while inside Mid-Continent’s depot building. Masks are provided free-of-charge and can be obtained from the ticket agent or conductor.

Federal-level regulations still require facemasks to be worn aboard all passenger trains and at transportation facilities, including Mid-Continent.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Order

View the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) order requiring the use of masks and the frequently asked questions. View the Federal Railroad Administration mask order.

Refusal to wear a mask will result in denial of entry.

With the exception of individuals with Special Circumstances listed below, all individuals must wear a mask that:
a. Completely covers their nose and mouth
b. Is secured to their head with ties or ear loops.

A face shield and/or goggles are not an acceptable substitute for the use of a mask, but may be used in addition to one.

Masks can be either manufactured or homemade and should be a solid piece of material without slits, exhalation valves, or punctures. Medical masks and N-95 respirators fulfill the requirement.

Special Circumstances

The following individuals may be permitted to proceed without a mask:

  • Individuals under the age of two (2) years old
  • An individual with a disability who cannot wear a mask, or cannot safely wear a mask, because of the disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.). This exemption does not apply to individuals for whom mask-wearing may only be difficult. For additional information and examples of what constitutes an eligible exemption, refer to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.

Individuals who have received the COVID-19 vaccine or have recovered from COVID-19 are not exempted from mask requirements.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ORDER

Other Precautions

Hand sanitizer stations have been made available at numerous locations around Mid-Continent Railway Museum property and aboard our trains.

Contacting Mid-Continent

To facilitate social distancing/telecommuting of our administrative employees, staffed office hours of the museum’s Administrative Office Building have been reduced. Mail, voicemails, and emails will continue to be checked frequently. Please allow up to 1-2 business days for a response. Any in-person meetings with office staff should be arranged ahead of time to guarantee availability.

All 2021 Onboard Dining Trains Canceled

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Due to the challenges associated with offering onboard dining during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mid-Continent Railway Museum is announcing the cancellation of all ONBOARD DINING TRAINS for the remainder of 2021.

We apologize for any inconvenience these cancellations may cause. The cancellations do NOT affect Mid-Continent Railway Museum’s COACH TRAINS, which continue to operate as scheduled and are better able to accommodate CDC social distancing and mask requirements.

Look for onboard dining trains to return in 2022.

Mid-Continent is a 2021 Blue Star Museum

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Mid-Continent Railway Museum to offer free admission to military personnel and their families this summer.

Mid-Continent Railway Museum is pleased to announce that it has joined museums nationwide once again this summer in the Blue Star Museums initiative, a program that provides free admission to currently-serving U.S. military personnel and their families. The 2021 program at Mid-Continent begins on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 15, 2021, and ends on Sunday, September 5, 2021 – the last day of train rides prior to the program’s nationwide end date on Labor Day, September 6th.

Blue Star Museums is an initiative of the National Endowment for the arts in collaboration with Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and participating museums. Blue Star Museums includes children’s museums, art, science, and history museums, zoos, gardens, lighthouses and more from all 50 states.

The free admission program is available to those currently-serving in the United States Military – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard as well as members of the Reserves, National Guard, U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps, and up to five family members.

See the complete list of Blue Star Museums.

Discount Details at Mid-Continent and How to Claim Your Tickets

  • The Blue Star Museums program is limited to active military members and up to five family members. The serving military member need not be present.
  • The Blue Star Museums program ends at Mid-Continent on September 5, 2021.
  • Although the Blue Star program is for active military members only, Mid-Continent offers both active and retired military members a discount of $10 off their ticket every day we’re open all season long. Active and retired military members also can claim a free coach ticket during our Stars & Stripes Special weekend. These discounts outside of the Blue Star Museums program do not extend to family members.
  • Free or discounted tickets are valid toward coach car seating. Discounts not valid toward onboard dining tickets.
  • Free or discounted tickets must be claimed at the ticket window and are not available through the online reservation system. CAC card, DD Form 1173 ID card, or DD Form 1173-1 ID cards must be available to be presented to the ticket agent upon request.

About Mid-Continent Railway Museum

Mid-Continent Railway Historical Society–also known as Mid-Continent Railway Museum–is an outdoor, living museum and operating railroad recreating the small town/short line way of life during the “Golden Age of Railroading,” with operating trains, educational exhibits, and displays of restored rolling stock. Mid-Continent has operated at North Freedom, Wisconsin since 1963.

About the National Endowment for the Arts

Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the Arts Endowment supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. Visit arts.gov to learn more.

About Blue Star Families

Blue Star Families is the nation’s largest grass-roots military family support organization, with a mission to support military families to improve military readiness. Its distinctive approach builds stronger communities around military families through knowledge and programs that address the unique needs of those who serve. Blue Star Families’ nationally recognized surveys and analysis give military families an important voice that informs policymakers and its military family programs. It uses the power of its collective resources and cross-sector collaborations to make a difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of members of military families to strengthen the troops, their families, and our nation as a whole. For more information, visit bluestarfam.org.

Dining Trains Canceled Through September 2021

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SCHEDULE CHANGE NOTICE:

All ONBOARD DINING departures scheduled through September 2021 have been canceled. The affected departures include:

The above cancellations are in addition to the following previously canceled trains:

These cancellations are being enacted by Mid-Continent Railway Museum to best comply with a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) directive aimed at reducing the transmission of the COVID-19 virus aboard railroad passenger trains and other forms of mass transit. The directive was originally set to expire in May 2021, but has now been extended by the TSA to September 2021.

After careful consideration, our Dining Services volunteers felt we would be unable to provide passengers aboard these trains the quality experience they expect and deserve while also remaining compliant with the TSA directive.

We apologize for any inconvenience these cancellations may cause. Customers already booked aboard the affected trains are being contacted and will be offered a full refund.

The cancellations do NOT affect Mid-Continent Railway Museum’s COACH TRAINS, which will continue to operate normally while observing social distancing and mask requirements. No food service is offered aboard COACH TRAINS.

Mid-Continent is currently evaluating options for our dining trains scheduled in October and will release additional information on those trains soon.

Related Links:

  1. Transportation Security Administration News Release about the extension of mask rules
  2. Centers for Disease Control Requirements for Face Masks on Public Transportation Convayences and at Transportation Hubs

Update on Mask Requirements at Mid-Continent Railway Museum

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Face masks musts still be worn while on Mid-Continent Railway Museum property and aboard all Mid-Continent Railway Museum trains.

Background:

On March 31, 2021 the Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned the Wisconsin Governor’s executive order requiring the statewide use of masks to help reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

This ruling does NOT overturn the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) order which requires mask usage on airplanes, trains, buses and while at transportation hubs throughout the United States. Under the CDC order, Mid-Continent Railway Museum’s entire property is considered a transportation hub and Mid-Continent’s trains are classified as a public conveyance and are subject to the CDC order.

Refusal to wear a mask while visiting Mid-Continent will result in denied entry. Failure to comply with requests to wear a mask may result in civil fines in accordance with Transportation Security Administration Security Directive 1582/84-21-01. Help make your visit enjoyable for everyone by arriving prepared and with a face mask.