The biggest expansion of indoor exhibit space at the Mid-Continent Railway Museum (North Freedom, WI) in 43 years is set to officially open on September 21, 2019. The Laurence Dorcy Building, also known as Coach Shed #2, will add 10,500 sq. ft. of indoor display space to the museum and it will hold ten pieces of rolling stock. Starting at 1:00 PM on September 21st, the new building will be opened up for visitors to explore and enjoy.

https://www.midcontinent.org/coach-shed-2-to-open-september-21st/ (link to the Museum’s announcement)

https://www.facebook.com/MidContinentRailwayMuseum/photos/pcb.2925881294094864/2925875917428735/?type=3&theater (MCRM’s Facebook)

Equipment placed on display in the Laurence Dorcy Building includes the following pieces:

Great Northern #A-22 Business car
Duluth South Shore & Atlantic #701 1st Class Coach
Montana Western #31Gas-electric self-powered railcar
Lake Superior & Ishpeming #22 Steam locomotive
Duluth South Shore & Atlantic #996 Gondola
Duluth Missabe & Iron Range #7122 Refrigerator car
Chicago & North Western #10802 Drovers caboose
Wisconsin Fish Commission #2 Fish car
Copper Range #60 Coach
Copper Range #25 Combination Baggage/Coach

With this new display building, 85% (22 of 26) of Mid-Continent’s premier collection of wooden passenger cars and steel cars with wood roofs are inside buildings and out of the elements.

In other news, Mid-Continent’s restoration shop has recently completed repainting and lettering of the Duluth South Shore & Atlantic box car #18052 and the Soo Line #99085 caboose. Both of these cars were on display during the recent Soo Line Historical & Technical Society Convention that visited Mid-Continent.

Bill Buhrmaster
MCRM
Restoration Department

Great news!

Very nice. But one question - Is there a sprinkler system or plan for one? I don't see evidence of one in the pic. It would be a real shame to lose such well restored and kept equipment if some idiot with a match came around.

I wish them well and it is great to see the new building.

I find that the village of North Freedom is a small community with about 700 population. The Town (or Village) appears to have a well equipped volunteer fire department. The Village has its own municipal water operation. But looking at Google Maps, I wonder if the town has water storage facilities to meet fire fighting needs besides what the fire trucks carry.

I also notice that Mid-Continent is outside the limits of the Village of North Freedom and across the Baraboo River from the village.

Bill -

The restorations of DSS&A box car #18052 and Soo Line caboose #99085 are fantastic! Hopefully Mid-Continent will also eventually find a place for them inside, out of the weather.

Les

I had the same thought.

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I visited the Mid-Continent Railway Museum last year for the first time. It's a very nice museum with some excellent restorations. I'm glad to see that they have another display shed.

In the description of the new shed it says the shed is above shed 1. Is there any chance that it's above the Baraboo River flood level? I have watched over the years their fight with flooding. Hopefully the equipment in this shed is something they can just leave in place without worry.

I agree that sprinklers are a necessity, not a luxury, but there may be two complicating factors for MCRM: 1. Do they have access to city water mains or are they relying on low-volume wells for their drinking water etc. needs; and 2. Will the buildings be heated, not a small expense for an upper midwestern winter.

The Western Railway Museum built a new steel frame carbarn about 10 years ago. It included sprinklers in a rural area. The weather is mild in this area so a dry system was not required. The building is six tracks wide and is 310 feet long. The building cost just over $1,000,000. The fire safety additives, including sprinklers, diesel pump and water tank cost around $1,000,000. The museum had the choice of covering twice as many cars or having fire sprinklers.

All new and updated buildings at Pennsylvania Trolley Museum are equipped with dry pipe sprinkler systems fed by the local municipal supply. Saving artifacts isn't enough, you have to protect them too.

A Video on the New Display Building was released earlier today.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXKRhpaba_I&feature=youtu.be

Bill Buhrmaster

No large wells or hook up to towns water supply at this time. The hook up has been talked about and looked into. A very expensive hookup that would have to cross the Baraboo River. MC will accept donations just earmark "for sprinkler system". The powers that be are aware of the need. Also there is no heat and very little work will be allowed in the building other than maybe cleaning, updating signage or touch up of something. This of course does not stop arson, lightening strike or careless workers or contractors. The good folks in the restoration dept who work on mostly wood cars are very safety conscious about fire prevention. No cutting or welding is done inside the restoration shop that I am aware of. That kind of work is taken outdoors. With very little too any work being done in the new building the risk is somewhat less. While sprinkler systems can save and definitely can help a situation they are not without problems nor are they a "failsafe". We would all like to see a sprinkler system in all of our buildings. As well as a roundhouse with operating turntable. Add your own wishes.

Curious does IRM have sprinklers in all their buildings? That extra expense is really quite extensive. Of course if it saves the collection well worth it. But still the money for installing sprinkler system has to come from somewhere. There is desire and then their is the reality of how much money you have available. With all the buildings IRM has that would add up to a whole bunch of money and a dept to keep up on inspections and maintenance. But all in all a great topic as fire could be a death blow to many organizations. Regards, John.

I used to work for a now-closed, large commercial printing company here in somewhat rural Pennsylvania. There was municipal water, but not of the volume necessary to provide adequate coverage of the over 750,000 sqft facility filled with combustible materials. So as David mentions, they had to build two large water tanks and the associated backup pump (I believe ours was natural gas powered), and the distribution piping system. I was associated with the maintenance department and there were weekly checks of all the standpipes of the system, as well as monthly running of the pump and other checks. Quite an expensive proposition with lots of upkeep required, but better than losing the plant to a fire.