↓
 

Mid-Continent Railway Museum

North Freedom, Wis.

Text: Mid-Continent Railway Museum. A historical and educational experience. Images of railway cars, people, and Mid-Continent logo.
  • 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

Tag Archives: River

Baraboo River Bridge Reopens After 10 Years

Mid-Continent Railway Museum Posted on July 10, 2018 by Jeffrey LentzJuly 10, 2018

Mid-Continent celebrates the reopening of an old bridge and opportunities it presents

NORTH FREEDOM – Mid-Continent Railway Museum celebrated the reopening of a museum-owned railroad bridge over the Baraboo River on Saturday, July 7th with a “ribbon busting” ceremony. Cheers and applause broke out from the crowd of around 40 dignitaries and guests as the first train to cross the bridge in over a decade burst through the ceremonial ribbon and proceeded into the North Freedom station.

The bridge, like most of the Mid-Continent property, was hard-hit by the record flooding of the Baraboo River in June 2008. The bridge was almost entirely submerged before the floodwaters subsided. The already 79-year-old bridge remained standing but had become structurally compromised and was no longer safe for trains to cross. It remained that way for the last decade as museum leaders sought ways to fund its repair.

In late 2017 all the pieces finally came together. A $600,000 grant was received by the Wagner Foundation, a major supporter of the museum’s ongoing effort to return steam locomotive #1385 to working condition by 2019. The Sauk County Economic Development Committee also approved a grant for $77,000 in economic development funds to cover the rest needed to begin repairs. By January 2018, work crews had arrived and began driving new pilings into the bedrock to give the now 89-year-old bridge a new, sturdy foundation. Contractors completed work on the bridge in late June.

The ability to cross the bridge, located adjacent to the museum’s North Freedom depot, provides Mid-Continent greater flexibility for staging its trains. It also restores the museum’s connection to the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad line between Reedsburg and Madison. The potential of being able to take the museum’s historic trains beyond the museum’s 3.7-mile North Freedom branchline to other Sauk County communities and Devil’s Lake State Park is an exciting prospect for train lovers and fans of the museum.

Tagged Baraboo, bridge, Cutting, Reopened, Ribbon, River
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
↑