Mid Continent Railway Museum
North Feedom, WI

Aug. 14, 1971

Before leaving grad school in Rolla, MO, friend Bill Welch and I made a trip to WI and IL in search of steam and other railroading. We drove all night to North Freedom, WI and the Mid-Continent Rail Museum. This McCloud River steamer #9 and a gas electric were sitting outside of the engine house when we arrived.

Also sitting outside the engine house was this gas electric. From the Mid-Continent web site, "Montana Western #31 was completed on October 28, 1925 by the Electro-Motive Corporation of Cleveland, OH for Great Northern Railway as GN #2313. In 1940, the car was sold to Montana Western and became MW #31."

Out back of the engine house, we found CB&Q 4960. I first saw this engine in Hannibal, MO when it was still in excursion service for the Burlington. Today it is in excursion service for the Grand Canyon Railway in Arizona.

This New York Central 0-6-0 switcher sat at the far end of the string of steamers at North Freedom.

This Chicago Great Western former gas-electric was parked out behind the engine house.

Kewaunee Green Bay & Western #49 is seen sitting in front of C&NW #1385.

The C&NW #1385 is seen just outside of the engine house.

Central Illinois Public Works #6 is seen outside of the engine house in North Freedom.

We then caught Western Coke & Coal #1 preparing for a trip to the other end of the line with the passenger train.

The first photo shows D&R #9 returning from a passenger trip to the end of the line. It is then seen after it has run around the train which now has coupled to the train. D&R #9 then heads to the engine house, ending its day of operation.

We boarded the train to ride to the other end of the line behind D&R #9.

At the end of the line, I got this shot into the cab of Warren & Ouachita Valley #1, another former Arkansas locomotive.
We then see it coupling onto the caboose of its train to head back to North Freedom.

Western Coke & Coal #1 is seen passing our train with its bell ringing. It would be our power back to the station.

When we got back to the station, Warren & Ouachita Valley #1 is waiting to take another train to the end of the line.

Western Coke & Coke #1 is then seen heading toward the engine house so it can back down onto the passenger train.

After D&R #9 got back to the station at North Freedom, the engine was sent to the house. I never saw it operate again that day or later.

McCloud River #9 is seen steaming behind the Montana Western gas-electric.
And then it is seen trading places with Dardanelle & Russellville #9.

We next see Warren & Ouachita Valley #1 is seen at the station.
And then coupling to the passenger train on the siding.

We then repositioned ourselves at Summit along Ulrich Rd.

This train is powered by Western Coke & Coal.

Our next train was led by McCloud River #9.

Next we see the train pulled by Warren & Oauchita Valley #1.

We then got the Western Coke & Coal train returning.

The next train was headed by the Warren & Oauchita Valley engine.

We then gotanother Western Coke & Coal train.

McCloud River #9 is seen again heading to North Freedom.

Our last train was a double header with Warren & Ouachita Valley #1 leading Western Coke & Coal #1.

This site is designed and maintained by

Dr. S. Michael Condren