Mid-Continent Railway Museum

Mid-Continent Railway Museum The official website of Mid-Continent Railway Museum is www.midcontinent.org WHAT IS MID-CONTINENT? We will do our best to accurately portray this Golden Age.
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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 with operating trains, educational exhibits, and displays of restored rolling stock. Mid-Continent has operated at North Freedom, Wisconsin since 1963. VISION STATEMENT

The Mid-Continent Railway Historical Societ

y sees itself as a place where visitors can learn of a time when the railroad station was the social and communication center of every small town. People came to the station to meet folks who came from faraway places, or to journey to those places. The mail, packages, newspapers, and goods came by rail, or were shipped by rail. The railroad and its telegraph were the nucleus that tied a small community to every place in the entire country. Everyone depended on the railroad for transportation, information, and the shipment of goods and mail. MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to educate the public by recreating as accurately as possible the Golden Years of Railroads, from the Civil War days until after World War II, by operating a living railroad with vintage equipment from those times. We will collect, preserve, restore, and operate artifacts from those times so as to inform the public about the development of railroading from wooden equipment to steel, and from steam power to internal combustion. We will give our visitors a firsthand experience on this equipment. COMMENT POLICY

We welcome you and your comments to the page for Mid-Continent Railway Museum. This site intends to inform and engage with the fans, friends, family members, and other interested persons of Mid-Continent Railway Museum. You are encouraged to submit comments, questions, and concerns, but please note this is a moderated online discussion site and not a public forum. Once posted, Mid-Continent Railway Museum reserves the right to delete submissions that contain vulgar language, personal attacks of any kind, or comments we deem to be offensive, disparaging or malicious toward Mid-Continent Railway Museum, our staff, volunteers, visitors, supporters or others. Further, Mid-Continent Railway Museum also reserves the right to delete comments that:

Contain spam, advertising, solicitations or include links to other sites;
Are clearly off topic or disruptive;
Are obscene, vulgar, or sexually explicit. This includes masked words (***), acronyms, and abbreviations;
Are chain letters, pyramid schemes, or fraudulent or deceptive messages;
Promote particular services, products, or political organizations or campaigns;
Infringe on copyrights or trademarks;
Advocate illegal activity;
Violate any policies of Mid-Continent Railway Museum. Please note that the comments expressed on this site do not reflect the opinions and official position of Mid-Continent Railway Museum.

06/17/2026

🚨 It’s C&NW #1385 Wednesday! 🚨

Work on our historic Chicago and North Western #1385 steam locomotive has been continuing steadily. This week, #1385 Project Manager, Mike Wahl, gives us a small update on one of the tasks performed during a volunteer work session this past weekend.

If you would like to check out all of our past " #1385 Wednesday" videos in one place, they have been uploaded to our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVZSE-Fz_9cMzkLPGbY7bDdHiRsrs9-u3

If you missed the announcement, we received two $50,000 matching grants to finish up the restoration of #1385. All donations from this point on will be applied to the first matching grant, once it has been met, all donations will proceed to go toward the second matching grant.

If you would like to help us complete the matching funds, there are a few different ways that you can donate listed below.

• Donate online: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PG2UBGDPR4GNU&fbclid=IwY2xjawOB2DlleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFsNklBTWdSUTlEVFRpaGRic3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHvNwZNIOImlv0bi-bkR5Zm5asIctLh2MPqgI-Poiqtt_nvGBeb4TMIAVlHEg_aem_WkbdXCC9BUDoKcXLY1LU8g

• Donate by phone through our museum’s office: 608-522-4261

• Mail your donation: Mid-Continent Railway Museum, P.O. Box 358, North Freedom, WI 53951 (Write “ #1385 Fund” in the memo line.)

Mid-Continent Railway Museum is pleased to announce that the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) has awarded MCRM...
06/16/2026

Mid-Continent Railway Museum is pleased to announce that the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) has awarded MCRM a $5,000 Heritage Grant to help upholster the seat cushions for Lake Superior & Ishpeming coach No. 64.

Constructed in 1910 by Hicks Locomotive & Car Works, for the Munising Railway, this wooden coach is among the few surviving passenger cars produced by Hicks. The car is currently undergoing restoration to its original appearance, including Tuscan Red exterior paint, a varnished oak interior, and red plush seating that reflects the craftsmanship and character of an era when rail travel played a vital role in the development of the nation.

This generous grant brings us much closer to restoring and preserving this car so we can continue sharing its story with future generations.

Thank you, NRHS, for your commitment to preserving railroad heritage!

Mid-Continent Railway Museum is seeking to raise $5,000 in matching funds and an additional $30,000 to upholster all seat cushions for the LS&I coach No. 64. Those who wish to support this effort may donate online, via the USPS or by contacting MCRM directly.

• Donate online: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=KS5LZBPPSQFRS
• Donate by phone through our museum’s office: 608-522-4261
• Mail your donation: Mid-Continent Railway Museum, P.O. Box 358, North Freedom, WI 53951 (Write “LS&I #64” in the memo line.)

We thank you for your consideration and your continued support!

- MCRM Restoration Department

06/10/2026

🚨 It’s C&NW #1385 Wednesday! 🚨

This week, we’re taking a look at a few small, but important pieces on our historic steam locomotive. Join Mid-Continent member’s, Colin O’Brien and Jeff Haertlein, as they discuss Chicago and North Western #1385’s class lamps and tender lamps, as well as the difference between class lamps, marker lamps and lanterns. 💡

🟥 We are currently at 35.5% out of our $300,000 goal! Thank you all for your continued support!

If you missed the announcement, we received two $50,000 matching grants to finish up the restoration of #1385. All donations from this point on will be applied to the first matching grant, once it has been met, all donations will proceed to go toward the second matching grant.

If you would like to help us complete the matching funds, there are a few different ways that you can donate listed below.

• Donate online: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PG2UBGDPR4GNU&fbclid=IwY2xjawOB2DlleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFsNklBTWdSUTlEVFRpaGRic3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHvNwZNIOImlv0bi-bkR5Zm5asIctLh2MPqgI-Poiqtt_nvGBeb4TMIAVlHEg_aem_WkbdXCC9BUDoKcXLY1LU8g

• Donate by phone through our museum’s office: 608-522-4261

• Mail your donation: Mid-Continent Railway Museum, P.O. Box 358, North Freedom, WI 53951 (Write “ #1385 Fund” in the memo line.)

"All Hands On Deck" Volunteer Session @ Mid-Continent Railway Museum located at E8948 Museum Road North Freedom, WI 5395...
06/05/2026

"All Hands On Deck" Volunteer Session @ Mid-Continent Railway Museum located at E8948 Museum Road North Freedom, WI 53951. 🔨

Ready to make a big impact in just a few days? Join Mid-Continent Railway Museum’s Restoration Department for our annual “All Hands On Deck” volunteer session on June 24th–28th, 2026. This weeklong event sees 20+ volunteers come together each day to help make significant restoration progress on our wooden rail cars in the Car Shop.

Volunteers of all skill levels are welcome! This year's projects include:

• DSS&A DULUTH: Siding installation and interior woodwork.
• LS&I #64: Painting and woodwork.
• C&NW Narrow Gauge Combine #1099: Woodwork.
• C&NW Narrow Gauge Boxcar #10: Painting.

The session begins at 9:00 AM on June 24th and runs through June 28th, with workdays typically ending at 5:00 PM. The following days after June 24th begin at 8:30 AM. Please plan on bringing your own lunch if you're attending on June 24th; after that, breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided for all volunteers. We'll also have evening activities planned after dinner each work day.

This is a flexible work session and you can join us for one, a few, or all days of the event!

If you'd like to participate, please RSVP in advance by emailing [email protected] and let us know which dates you'll be attending.

Come lend a hand, meet fellow volunteers, and help us make tremendous progress preserving railroad history!

06/03/2026

🚨 It’s C&NW #1385 Wednesday! 🚨

Today we have a fundraising update for Chicago and North Western #1385! As of this week, we have reached $106,522 or 35.5% of our $300,000 goal! Thank you all for your continued support of this restoration!

In addition, we're putting the finishing touches on a new video going out next week. We’ll be shining a light on a couple of small, but fascinating features on #1385. 💡

Leave your guesses below and stay tuned!

___________________________________________________________________________________

If you missed the announcement, we received two $50,000 matching grants to finish up the restoration of #1385. All donations from this point on will be applied to the first matching grant, once it has been met, all donations will proceed to go toward the second matching grant.

If you would like to help us complete the matching funds, there are a few different ways that you can donate listed below. Thank you for your consideration and your continued support!

• Donate online: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PG2UBGDPR4GNU&fbclid=IwY2xjawOB2DlleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFsNklBTWdSUTlEVFRpaGRic3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHvNwZNIOImlv0bi-bkR5Zm5asIctLh2MPqgI-Poiqtt_nvGBeb4TMIAVlHEg_aem_WkbdXCC9BUDoKcXLY1LU8g

• Donate by phone through our museum’s office: 608-522-4261

• Mail your donation: Mid-Continent Railway Museum, P.O. Box 358, North Freedom, WI 53951 (Write “ #1385 Fund” in the memo line.)

This past weekend, Mid-Continent Railway Museum welcomed its 2 millionth passenger! 🎉During our 3:00 PM departure on Sat...
06/01/2026

This past weekend, Mid-Continent Railway Museum welcomed its 2 millionth passenger! 🎉

During our 3:00 PM departure on Saturday, May 30, passengers gathered at the end of the line for a special announcement. There, we revealed that Jacob S. of Madison, WI, was our 2 millionth passenger, marking a historic milestone for the museum!

To celebrate, we held a small ceremony where museum President, Andy Spinelli, presented Jacob with a commemorative plaque.

Thank you to everyone who has ridden with us over the years. This would not have been possible without all of you. Here's to the next million!

đź“… 2026 Summer Schedule đź“…
▪ Weekends: May 16–September 27, 2026.
▪ Tuesday–Friday: June 16–September 4, plus Memorial Day & Labor Day.
▪ Museum Grounds Open: 9:30 AM–5:00 PM.
â–Ş Train Departures: 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM & 3:00 PM.

Location:
E8948 Museum Road, North Freedom, WI, United States, 53951

Purchase tickets online via the link: https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/midcontinent/items/?flow=350891&fbclid=IwY2xjawSKsXtleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFLUFRnb3p6eXhvS3pTbVBXc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHkigHmpFISMk9847iYcN0wyGh1OFfQ3304o7WzU9BMVnSlxqW_wg4NYK26-q_aem_ToqnVmgORLs5X5pnjQeFUw&full-items=yes&back=https://www.midcontinent.org/&g4=yes

Big news from Mid-Continent Railway Museum! 🎉This weekend marks an incredible milestone for all of us here at Mid-Contin...
05/28/2026

Big news from Mid-Continent Railway Museum! 🎉

This weekend marks an incredible milestone for all of us here at Mid-Continent Railway Museum. We are expecting to welcome our 2 MILLIONTH passenger here in North Freedom, WI!

For generations, families, railfans, history lovers, and curious first-time visitors have climbed aboard our vintage rail cars to experience the sights, sounds, and stories of the golden age of railroading. Reaching 2 million passengers is more than just a number to us. This milestone represents decades of memories made and the continued support of our amazing community, volunteers, members, and guests from around the world.

If you’ve ever thought about visiting, this weekend is the perfect time to join the celebration! Come ride the rails with us, explore our historic collection, and have the chance to become our lucky 2 millionth passenger!

Thank you for helping make this milestone possible. Here’s to the next million adventures down the line!

If you would like to reserve your tickets, you can do so online using the link: https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/midcontinent/items/?flow=350891&full-items=yes&back=https://www.midcontinent.org/&g4=yes

📍Museum Address: E8948 Museum Road, North Freedom, WI 53951

đź“… 2026 Summer Schedule
▪ Weekends: May 16–September 27, 2026.
▪ Tuesday–Friday: June 16–September 4, plus Memorial Day & Labor Day.

🕤 Museum Grounds Open: 9:30 AM–5:00 PM

đźš‚ Train Departures: 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM & 3:00 PM

05/27/2026

🚨 It’s C&NW #1385 Wednesday! 🚨

This week, Chicago and North Western #1385 Project Manager, Mike Wahl, gives us an update on our steam locomotive’s restoration! Within the past couple weeks, we have test fired the locomotive 3 different times, set our safeties per FRA requirements, and made lots of progress in other areas.

**NOTE: #1385 is not moving under its own power yet. We are working with our contractors to finish up the crosshead slippers and piston valve rings before final installation of these parts are done and the valve timing can be performed.**

â–Ş Below is a $50,000 Matching Fund Update â–Ş
As of this week, we have reached $100,472 out of our $300,000 goal! Thank you all for your continued support!

• Donate online: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PG2UBGDPR4GNU&fbclid=IwY2xjawOB2DlleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFsNklBTWdSUTlEVFRpaGRic3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHvNwZNIOImlv0bi-bkR5Zm5asIctLh2MPqgI-Poiqtt_nvGBeb4TMIAVlHEg_aem_WkbdXCC9BUDoKcXLY1LU8g

• Donate by phone through our museum’s office: 608-522-4261

• Mail your donation: Mid-Continent Railway Museum, P.O. Box 358, North Freedom, WI 53951 (Write “ #1385 Fund” in the memo line.)

May 16th, 2026, marked 124 years since The Railroad Gazette reported in their May 16, 1902, edition that the East Jordan...
05/21/2026

May 16th, 2026, marked 124 years since The Railroad Gazette reported in their May 16, 1902, edition that the East Jordan and Southern Railroad had ordered a rebuilt passenger coach from the Hicks Locomotive & Car Works!

The car that was ordered was our EJ&S #2. At the time of delivery to the railroad, it was a full coach and was later converted to a combine by the EJ&S in 1919.

Prior to being sold to the EJ&S Railroad, the car was originally built in 1864 for the Grand Trunk Railway as their #112. The car was renumbered to #585 in November of 1885 and in 1889 the car was rebuilt at the Chicago & Grand Trunk, Gratiot Shops in Port Huron, Michigan.

East Jordan and Southern #2 is Mid-Continent’s oldest car. Its restoration began in 2015, spearheaded by volunteer and museum member, Pete B. Restoration of this car is set to wrap up later this year, and we're excited to share that you will be able to see this car in person! The East Jordan and Southern #2 will be featured in our 2026 Vintage Rail Car Tours on September 26th and 27th.

During this event, you will be able to get special access to the inside of 4 different railcars, including the EJ&S #2. Our knowledgeable restoration volunteers will be on hand to share stories, answer questions, and offer an in-depth look at the history and craftsmanship behind these pieces of history.

Tickets are on sale now! You can book online using the link: https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/midcontinent/items/?flow=1437499&fbclid=IwY2xjawR8TLlleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFRN0hOWTdVUDJIaTlsUUpmc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHriA56UlREjTh9wjbxWizVjScw4u9G5DwXi6_GwDxWWQbcjrnQyTWqCwD4cT_aem_PaXSZEuBUH4avhnR5UozUA&full-items=yes

Don’t miss your chance to see how far this project has come and witness the beauty of the East Jordan & Southern #2 up close. We can’t wait to welcome you aboard!

05/20/2026

During the Chicago and North Western Historical Society's visit, our KGBW #7 Alco S-1 (previously known as MCRY #7) assisted Chicago and North Western #1385 to the depot for some end-of-day photos. Please note that #1385 is not moving under its own power yet. We are working with our contractors to finish up the crosshead slippers and piston valve rings before final installation of these parts are done and the valve timing can be performed. đźš‚

In this video Mid-Continent Engineer, Greg V., whistled a grade crossing for our guests. Greg was a steam engineer and fireman aboard the locomotive when the #1385 was operational.

Address

E8948 Museum Road
North Freedom, WI
53951

Opening Hours

Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+16085224261

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