This great midsummer weather has all sorts of wonders to reveal. Monday, 7/22 a small group of volunteers met at SPEC Machine and assembled a few track panels leading out the shop door. From that process comes the old saw “If you build it they will come”.
Well, we built it and guess who came out the door? Our beloved 1385 is feeling sunshine for the first time in nearly 5 years. We will have more details and more pictures in the very near future.
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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
Mid-Continent Railway Museum is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, educational entity. All donations are tax-deductible.
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.
What’s that sound? That is the Barco M-23 Power Reverse Gear from C&NW #1385 following refurbishment.
What’s a power reverse gear? It is a pneumatic cylinder that is used to control the position of the valve gear on the locomotive. Not only does it control the direction of the locomotive’s movement but also how much power the locomotive can make.
When #1385 was built she rolled out of Schenectady with a manual reverse lever or “Johnson Bar.” As shown on the evaluation card, the power reverse gear was added in January of 1942 as one of the many improvements the C&NW made to the R-1 class, including our engine. The power reverse is a much safer way to make adjustments while the engine is in motion and allows for much finer adjustments at the same time.
Some refurbishment of the gear was necessary. That task was made much easier with the help of Dennis Daugherty sharing his vast reference library. Included was a 4-part text on Railway Locomotive Maintenance by F. E. Kardes from the 1940s. This text listed specific details on the Barco equipment, such as machining tolerances and setup details.
Once repairs were completed, the reverse cylinder was clamped to an assembly table and the reverse quadrant was clamped to the roll cage of the forklift. This was done in the same relative positions they will be in when installed on the locomotive. An air line was attached and the cylinder to allow the reverse gear to be put through its paces. We now have another piece of the #1385 puzzle ready for service and awaiting attachment to the boiler.
Mid-Continent Railway Museum volunteers gathered at SPEC Machine outside of Middleton, WI on Friday February 24th and Saturday February 25, 2023 to apply paint to numerous loose parts in preparation for installing the items onto the locomotive in the near future. Parts receiving primer and paint included the ashpan, brackets for the air tanks, bracket for the power reverse, sand dome parts, and numerous other components.
Turnout for both days of work sessions were great – almost too good on Saturday, making it necessary for some mandatory breaks while waiting for the paint to dry before adding additional coats.
A big thank you goes out to the volunteers that participated – a few of whom signed up for museum membership just to be able to attend this session. The work was organized and led by Pete Deets and Ed Ripp of the 1385 Task Force. They were joined by volunteers Chuck B., Ross S., Larry S., Richard C., David S., James W., Robert D., Brayden E., Joey R., Jim B., Andy S., Gary B., Rusty S., Ken E., and Jeff H.
Thanks also go out to our host, SPEC Machine for opening their shop to our volunteers to make this session possible.
