Alco Diesel Locomotive Updates: Milwaukee Road #988 and MCRY #7

Mid-Continent Railway Museum is home to numerous locomotives produced by the American Locomotive Company (Alco), including two diesels. One of those diesels is Milwaukee Road #988, an RSC-2 model built in 1947 which is undergoing repairs to return it to operational condition.

Milwaukee Road #988

Since our last update, Mid-Continent Railway Museum’s contractor working on the repair and reassembly of the trucks (i.e. wheel assemblies) of #988 has reported numerous areas of progress on the project!

– All coil springs have been installed into the locomotive trucks. As of now, they are only loosely installed to allow work on the center jaws. The center jaws are the last puzzle piece when it comes to the installation of the coil springs/equalizer assembly since some pieces need to be welded in.

– All gear cases have come back from the shop. This means they have been cleaned and painted and are ready for installation.

– Support bearings for the traction motors are set to arrive at the contractor’s shop and will be installed soon.

– The contractor is still waiting on a few bushings to be produced that will allow them to finish up some of the levers that are still in need of them within the trucks.

– When completed, the truck and traction motors will be shipped to Mid-Continent. Cranes will be needed to lift the locomotive and allow the overhauled trucks to be rolled under it. When completed, it will be a major project milestone and will also allow #988 to be moved around Mid-Continent’s railyard. Currently, #988 is mostly immobile, parked in front of the Engine House. The ability to move the locomotive again will provide improved access into the Engine House building for both the #988 and other locomotive maintenance projects.

To support this and other tasks in the effort to return Milwaukee Road #988 to operational condition, please consider donating online: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=WLZV2BB33YR2S

MCRY #7

Mid-Continent’s other Alco locomotive, MCRY #7, had been out of service for several years but has made a triumphant return in 2024, pulling Mid-Continent’s passenger trains on select dates during the 2024 season. A very limited number of cab rides will be available aboard this historic Alco locomotive on September 28 and 29. If you’re interested in booking a ride in this vintage Alco, visit our website to book a cab ride ticket: https://www.midcontinent.org/