The Mid-Continent Railway Museum is located in North Freedom, Wisc. just south-west of the Dells. It suffered severe flooding last year when the Baraboo River overflowed; the river runs right alongside the property. However, the museum appears to have recovered pretty well, and the grounds generally look great. You probably wouldn't notice any evidence of flooding if you weren't looking for it.
Mid-Continent has always been expert at passenger car restorations, particularly their fine collection of wooden cars. Most of the restored cars are effectively displayed in the coach shed, as seen here.We didn't have time to ride the train this time, but it's scenic and enjoyable.
Like IRM, MCRM has been unable to operate steam for a few years, but work is progressing. Meanwhile, some of them are nicely displayed outside near the depot.A visit to Mid-Continent is highly recommended if you're ever in the Dells area. And the website has lots of useful information.
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I was up there last week and rode the train on Saturday (8/1). After talking with one of the volunteers, it seems their steam restoration has taken an added blow by having much of their machinery flooded out as well. He agreed when I asked if the pace was "slower than usual".
The evidence of the flood is all but dissapeared. There is still an old wooden car askew in the shed behind the depot. It looks like it is being stubborn. But having seen the effects relatively recent after the flood (I helped clean out some journal boxes that were full of mud in July '08 with some guys from Minnesota), they have done a lot of work with little resources.
Being approx. 3 hour drive from IRM, this is a fantastic day trip. And you can always head over to Devil's Lake State Park and try to catch a ballast train snaking its way along the lake shore at the base of the east bluff on the old C&NW main to the Twin Cities.
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