June 2024 Restoration Work Sessions and All Hands on Deck Announcement

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Group photo of some of the volunteers from the
“ALL HANDS ON DECK” session, 2023.

Summer is a busy time at Mid-Continent, as well as in the Restoration Department. Throughout the month of June, volunteers will have several opportunities to take part in helping Mid-Continent to preserve and restore equipment in the Car Shop.

Following is a summary of the dates volunteer work sessions will be taking place in the Car Shop:

 June 1st and 2nd: This session has been added as a result of the MCRM Summer Shindig being held (starts 4 pm on Saturday). Volunteers are needed to assist with the restoration work on the LS&I #64 coach, the DULUTH sleeping car and the EJ&S #2 combine.

June 8th, 9th and 10th: This session is one of our pre-scheduled volunteer work sessions. Pete B. will need volunteers to assist him with the EJ&S #2 project (on June 9th and 10th) and other work will also be taking place in the Car Shop during the three-day session.

June 26th to the 30th: This is a specially planned session to deliver a lot of results in a short period of time. To date (20) volunteers have signed up to help out during this session known as “ALL HANDS ON DECK”. We are still looking for more volunteers for this session so we can make significant progress that would otherwise take several months to accomplish. The primary projects for this session are the LS&I #64 (fill, sand and priming), the DULUTH (install siding and ceiling work), the EJ&S #2 (interior restoration) and the Rock Island #1094 (interior painting).  After a day of work, we’ll be providing meals and have planned after hour activities, including a pizza train ride at MCRM and a train ride/tour at the Riverside & Great Northern RR.

Any and all volunteers are welcome to participate in any or all of these sessions. If you’d like to volunteer for the All Hands on Deck session you must sign up in advance by contacting the MCRM Office at 608-522-4261 or via email at inquiries@midcontinent.org. You can help out on one or multiple days during the session, but please RSVP so we can appropriately plan the work and the meals.

Come join us and give us a hand! With everyone pulling together we’ll make some great progress in the Restoration Department.

Milwaukee Road #988’s New Wheels

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Shiny new wheelsets have arrived at a contractor shop for Mid-Continent’s Milwaukee Road #988 project. The #988 is an ALCO model RSC-2 built in 1947 and it is currently undergoing repairs with the intent to return it to operational condition.

New wheelsets for Milwaukee Road #988
Four of the six axles on #988 are powered and have a traction gear. Two axles are unpowered.
Miscellaneous refurbished hardware to go on #988’s trucks.
Milwaukee Road #988 truck frames, upside-down for repair work.
Milwaukee Road #988 truck frames, upside-down for repair work.
Milwaukee Road #988 truck frames, upside-down for repair work.

Six new wheelsets were purchased. The #988 is Mid-Continent’s only 6-axle diesel and is the most powerful diesel in Mid-Continent’s fleet at 1500 horsepower. The wheelsets that had been under the #988 were significantly worn and the traction gears on the powered axles were worn beyond the point of repair. The new wheelsets will use Hyatt roller bearings. Previously, #988 had five plain-bearing axles and one roller-bearing axle. The change to all roller bearings will help ensure that future parts and maintenance needs can be met. Roughly 80% of the truck and associated parts have new bushings installed. Parts are currently on order to rebuild the air cylinder and some additional bushings are needed to finish.

While the wheel and truck repairs are getting relatively far along, other work will be needed before #988 will be ready to return to service. The governor and oil cooler are currently at a contractor shop for repairs. Electrical system repairs, new batteries, body work, and repainting are all still to come as well. The #988 previously benefited from a major financial gift from the James T. Baker, Jr. Family in 2023, which has immensely helped in moving the project along. However, to get #988 running again, additional donations are needed. 

Donating to the Milwaukee Road #988 project is easy.

Option 1: Online

Donate by Credit/Debit Card or PayPal

Option 2: By Mail

Printable Donation Form

Option 3: By Phone

Call the Mid-Continent Railway Museum administrative office at 608-522-4261 or 800-930-1385.

Mid-Continent Railway Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization. All donations made to the Milwaukee Road #988 project are tax-deductible. All donations, big or small, are greatly appreciated!

“DULUTH” SLEEPING CAR: $10,000 Matching Fund Drive

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A recent view of the DULUTH sleeper car showing the car after the lower siding was removed.

Mid-Continent Railway Museum’s Duluth South Shore & Atlantic sleeping car “DULUTH” is the oldest and most complete standard gauge sleeping car in the country. This wooden sleeping car was built in 1902 and for over thirty years it provided overnight sleeping accommodations for passengers riding the rails across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The DULUTH only survived as it was repurposed into a camp along the shores of Lake Superior prior to being acquired and moved by Mid-Continent in 2016. Today, after several years of restoration work and thanks to many volunteers and donors the DULUTH sleeping car is coming back together.

The DULUTH is a rare time capsule demonstrating what long-distance rail travel was like over a century ago. The DULUTH sleeping car includes a private stateroom, the men’s smoking room, women’s toilet and a 10-section sleeping compartment, that featured upper and lower berths. Once restored visitors will be able to see and experience the DULUTH sleeper and take in the fine mahogany woodwork, marquetry, stained glass and plush upholstery. 

Recent restoration progress in the sleeping compartment of the DULUTH.

To help with the restoring this national treasure Mid-Continent is challenging its members, donors and supporters to raise $10,000 to go towards the ongoing restoration work on the DULUTH sleeping car. With this challenge, every dollar donated to this fund drive will be matched dollar-for-dollar, by an anonymous donor, up to $10,000. Together this will raise $20,000 for the DULUTH restoration fund.

Funds from this fund drive will be used for several key areas of the car’s restoration, including:

  • Repairing and restoring the water damaged ceiling panels.
  • Installing and painting the ceiling canvas. 
  • Replicating the (4) interior doors that are presently missing inside the car.
  • Sourcing wood for making and installing new exterior car siding and trim.

Your donation to the DULUTH 2024 Matching Fund Drive the will help complete the above projects and restore the DULUTH sleeping car.

Make Your Donation Today

Making your donation to the DULUTH project and getting it matched is easy and takes only a few minutes.

Donate by Check

Donations by check can be made out to Mid-Continent Railway Museum and mailed to:

Mid-Continent Railway Museum

P.O. Box 358

North Freedom, WI 53951

Be sure to write “DULUTH 2024 Matching Fund Drive” on the check memo line so we can properly process your donation.

Donate by Phone

To donate by phone, please call Mid-Continent’s office at 608-522-4261.

Donate by Credit Card or PayPal

You can donate instantly using any major credit or debit card or by PayPal via the button below.

Donate Here!

Fundraising Update

Thanks to our amazing donors, the matching fund goal has been met! However, this project is not finished, and continued donations are appreciated and needed to bring the overall DULUTH restoration project to completion. Use the “Donate Here” button above to make a donation today.

The matching grant fundraiser began on 5/1/2024 and was fully matched by donors on 7/30/2024.

Individual Donations ($10,000) & Matching Grant ($10,000)

Work in progress with a crew of volunteers in the sleeping compartment of the DULUTH.
Read About Progress Here!

Rail Relay Phase 2: Preparing for Installation

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Mid-Continent Railway Museum’s trains have traveled the rails at North Freedom for 60 years… rails which are themselves often over 100 years old. Mid-Continent’s railroad track is a critical piece of infrastructure that makes possible our museum’s signature experience – the train rides! Now we are asking for your help to make sure Mid-Continent’s rail line remains safe to operate for another 60 years and beyond.  

MCRY Rail Relay Phase 2 is the next crucial step in addressing old, worn, and fatigued rail along Mid-Continent’s rail line on which its demonstration passenger trains are operated. Phase 2 involves replacing 11,431 track feet (2.16 miles) of rails, joint bars, tie plates, rail anchors, track bolts, and spikes, known as On-Track-Material, or OTM. That is enough rail to replace over half of Mid-Continent’s entire railroad!

Rail Relay Progress Made So Far

Thanks in large part to the generosity of donors who have given so far, Mid-Continent was able to place a winning bid on 502 tons of rail and 138 tons of OTM at a total cost of $203,000. The rail was recently removed from the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad’s Prairie Subdivision as they upgraded that line. This has provided enough rail to allow Mid-Continent to complete all of Phase 2. Although the rail being purchased comes used, it is newer and heavier-duty rail than what exists on Mid-Continent’s current line and will be good for many decades in service for the museum. The purchased rail was transported to the museum in November and early December 2023.

Rail arrayed for sorting
Sticks of newly acquired rail, arrayed for sorting in Mid-Continent’s parking lot. April 2024.
Inspection markings on the newly acquired rail. April 2024.

Next Steps

In April 2024, crews began sorting the rail in preparation for placing (but not yet installing) the rails along Mid-Continent’s line. In summer 2024, Mid-Continent will prepare a bid package, requesting bids from railroad construction contractors for swapping out the old rail with the new rail.

Your Help is Needed for the Rail Relay Phase 2 Project! 

Now that Mid-Continent has acquired the rail, it is time to install it. Although Mid-Continent’s volunteers accomplish a great deal, the scale of the work to be performed can only be achieved with the help of a railroad construction contractor. This means donations are needed to bring the project to completion. Depending on contractor availability, the target is for this to happen during fall/winter 2024.

Your donation to the Rail Relay Phase 2 project directly supports Mid-Continent’s core mission of providing an immersive museum experience of riding aboard historic railcars on an authentic, rural branchline route. Join Mid-Continent today in preserving America’s railroading legacy for tomorrow.

How to Make Your Donation

Mid-Continent Railway Museum is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, educational entity. All donations are tax-deductible. 

You can make your donation in one of several ways: 

  1. Click the Donate Now button to be taken to the project’s PayPal donation page. This method accepts credit and debit cards, as well as PayPal payments. 
Donate Now
  1. Send a check to with “Rail Relay Project” written in the memo line to
    Mid-Continent Railway Museum
    PO Box 358
    North Freedom, WI 53951-0358 
  1. Speak to one of our office staff by phone at 608-522-4261 or 800-930-1385 to make a payment by phone or if you have any questions. 

Tips for Maximizing Your Impact 

Consider asking your employer if they match donations to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. If you’re retired, ask your financial advisor if donating a portion of your retirement account’s required minimum distribution (RMD) is right for you.

Mechanical Department Volunteer Work Session (May 4th-5th)

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The Mechanical Department will be holding a work session the weekend of May 4 and 5 in conjunction with the Spring Fling event.

The goal for this work session is to disassemble, inspect, clean and install the brake cylinder of the DLW 557, perform the single car test on DLW 425, DLW 557 and DM&IR C-74.

If you are available to help with this work session, please contact the office via inquiries@midcontinent.org or 608-522-4261.