↓
 

Mid-Continent Railway Museum

North Freedom, Wis.

Mid-Continent Railway Museum logo banner with images of train cars and people.
  • Home
    • Home Page
    • News
    • Join Our Email List
    • Media
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Buy Tickets
    • Train Ride/Museum Info
    • Special Events
      • Autumn Color™ Weekend
      • Pizza Limited
      • Harvest Flyer
      • Pumpkin Special™
      • Root Beer Float Flyer
      • Santa Express™/Holiday Flyer
      • Stars and Stripes Special
      • Vintage Rail Car Tours
    • Cancellation Policy
  • Gift Shop
  • Restorations
    • Major Projects
    • Steam Status
      • Overview
      • C&NW #1385 Status Updates
      • Western Coal & Coke #1 Status Updates
      • Dardanelle & Russellville #9 Status Updates
    • Car Shop
      • General Updates
      • DSS&A Sleeper DULUTH
      • EJ&S #2
      • Badger #2
      • Copper Range #25
      • MLS&W #63
      • Copper Range #60
  • Equipment Roster
    • Equipment Roster Home
    • Steam Locomotives
    • Diesel/Other Locomotives
    • Wooden Passenger Cars
    • Steel Passenger Cars
    • Wooden Freight Cars
    • Steel Freight Cars
    • Cabooses
    • Service Equipment
    • Former Collection Items
  • Resources
    • Online Archives Home
    • Wooden Car Builders
    • MCRM Newsletters
    • Gazette Archive
    • Audio Archive
    • Video Archive
    • Wallpaper
    • Kids Page
      • Kids Page
      • What Makes A Diesel Locomotive Work?
      • What Makes A Steam Locomotive Work?
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • About Mid-Continent
    • Board of Directors
    • Department Leaders
    • Our Staff
    • Become a Member
    • Volunteer
    • Employment
    • Tour of Grounds
    • Local History
    • Mid-Continent Timeline
    • Privacy Policy
  • Donate

Category Archives: Western Coal & Coke #1 Status Updates

Welcome to the Western Coal & Coke #1 steam status blog! Work on the #1, a.k.a. “the Montreal,” is on hiatus while efforts focus on other locomotives. Updates from past years are archived here and on the Locomotive Shop forum of the MCRM members’ webpage.

Post navigation

← Older posts

Mechanical Department Update (April 13-14, 2024)

Mid-Continent Railway Museum Posted on April 16, 2024 by RebeccaApril 17, 2024

We had a great work session this past weekend!   

On Saturday, the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western cars #425 and #557 as well as the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range caboose C-74 were jacked up to place lubricating discs in the bolster bowls – this is where the car body meets the trucks. TJ, Al J, Grant H, Ross S, Fred V, Nick V, Pete D and Colton T helped out with this task.  

A new 3 phase electric panel has been installed in Mid-Continent’s Machine Shop. Tom H and Bob D mounted the new 3 phase panel to accept the new feed from the Engine House panel. After the contractor ran the new feed, Tom and Bob made the connections to the circuits in the machine shop. As part of this work, a single-phase panel was installed. 

Dave W was working on throughout the weekend to create fixtures to assist with the eventual installation of tires on the Western Coal & Coke #1 steam locomotive’s front truck wheels.   

On Sunday, Greg W, Fred V, Adam C and Ed R performed an undercarriage inspection on MCRY #1256, Mid-Continent’s ex-Army locomotive that serves as the museum’s primary locomotive for operating demonstration train rides. The work included checking the traction motor support bearing sumps and wicks, traction motor brushes and checking for any other defects under the locomotive while it was over the pit.   

A crew led by Pete D of Grant H, Colton T, and Fred V disassembled the brake cylinder on DL&W #425 to clean and inspect the cylinder bore and piston packing cup.   

Tom H and Bob D took advantage of the #425 being in the shop. They worked on removing old wiring and damaged electrical conduit that ran from the electrical cabinet on the A-end of the car to the baggage end platform on the B-end of the car. They will be installing new pieces of conduit where needed in preparation for installation of new wire. 

The DL&W #557 coach car still needs to have its cylinder disassembled and inspected and a single car air brake test still needs to be performed on the #425, #557 and C-74 before the season begins.   

The DL&W #595 and #563 still need to be jacked up to have lubricating discs placed in the bolster bowls, have the brake cylinders disassembled/cleaned/inspected and a single car air brake test performed before the operating season begins.   

There will be work happening during the museum’s Spring Fling weekend, May 4 and 5. There may also be a work session before then. If you are interested in joining the ranks of Mechanical Department volunteers, please contact our office at inquiries@midcontinent.org or RSVP for the Spring Fling here: https://form.jotform.com/240655916920157  

Photos courtesy of Colton T.

Pete D and Grant H disassembling the brake rigging in preparation of disassembling the brake cylinder.
The #425 is being lifted with the jacks.  Al J is watching a level placed on the platform and is directing people at each jack to keep the car level as it is raised.
DL&W #425 The car has been lowered back onto the trucks.
Brackets for mounting the conduit to the car are being removed.  This will assist with the removal of the old wiring.
Light shines through the windows of the Engine House, highlighting C&NW #1385’s tender in the distance.
MCRY #1256 under the spotlight of sun rays in the Engine House.
Posted in Mechanical Department, Western Coal & Coke #1 Status Updates

Hot Flanging a New Door Sheet

Mid-Continent Railway Museum Posted on February 21, 2008 by Jeffrey LentzApril 14, 2015

Early February Mid-Continent members Jason Sobczynski, Dave Wantz, Bob Ristow, Don Angles and Jim Connor traveled to Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga. At the TVRM shops, they assisted Gary Bensman in flanging a new door sheet for the WC&C #1 fire box.

Pictures show the McCabe Flanger is use and hot flanging (heat and beat) operation.

The heat and beat operation was a very intense 45 minutes from starting to heat (two rose bud torches) to completion.

The metal is heated to bright red, almost white. One person guides the flatter and one person administers hard blows to the flatter with a sledge hammer for 30 to 40 seconds. Metal is heated again and the pounding continues.




[youtube]fdjCzCJM-BM[/youtube]

[youtube]LoiFP1QzUWM[/youtube]

Tagged firebox

Creating New Tender Truck Springs

Mid-Continent Railway Museum Posted on February 3, 2008 by Jeffrey LentzApril 14, 2015

Leveling the WC&C #1 boiler in preparation of upcoming work.

Jason and Ed jack the boiler to level position in preparation for work next week.

Jason and Ed jack the boiler to level position.

Bottom two photos – In the process of rebuilding the tender trucks we are repjacing all of the elliptical springs. Over the years, two sets of springs had been replaced with non-standard types. Luckily, it was only required to fabricate two of the “end blocks” that are in between the mating surfaces of the springs. This has been done by Joepen, a local, well equipped CNC machine shop in North Freedom.

Manufacturing new “end blocks” that are go between the mating surfaces of the tender truck springs
Manufacturing new “end blocks” that are go between the mating surfaces of the tender truck springs

Tagged boiler, tender, trucks, Western Coal & Coke 1

New Castings

Mid-Continent Railway Museum Posted on January 11, 2008 by Jeffrey LentzApril 14, 2015

First of four new engine truck castings for WC&C#1. Photo courtesy Steam Operations Corporation.
One of two new valve yokes for WC&C #1. Photo courtesy Steam Operations Corporation.

Driving Wheels Completed

Mid-Continent Railway Museum Posted on September 13, 2007 by Jeffrey LentzApril 14, 2015

Tires for the driving wheels of WC&C #1 have been applied and are ready for shipment back to Mid-Continent.

Pictures show completed wheel sets and detail of completed crank pin quartering main driver for WC&C #1.

Tires installed on WC&C #1 drivers. Photo courtesy Steam Operations Corp.
Tires installed on WC&C #1 drivers. Photo courtesy Steam Operations Corp.

Detail of crank pin quartering on WC&C #1 main driver. Photo courtesy Steam Operations Corp.

Tagged drivers, restoration, Western Coal & Coke 1, wheels

Post navigation

← Older posts
QUICK LINKS
PLAN YOUR VISIT
BUY TICKETS
GIFT SHOP
DONATE
JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST
VIEW WEBCAMS
Live view of North Freedom depot

Contact Us

Mid-Continent Railway Museum
P.O. Box 358
E8948 Museum Road
North Freedom, WI 53951
Office phone: 608-522-4261
or 800-930-1385
E-mail: inquiries@midcontinent.org

Recent News

  • “Last Spike” Ceremony
  • Engine House Track #2 Update
  • 1385 Steam and Air Line Installation/Donation Update
  • #1385 Cab, Smoke Stack, and Hand Rail Installation/Donation Update
  • Your Help is Needed to Bring the C&NW #1385 Home Again!
©2025 - Mid-Continent Railway Museum - Weaver Xtreme Theme Privacy Policy
↑