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The Midwest Central Railroad, Steam Locomotives Galore!

The Midwest Central Railroad, located in Mount Pleasant, Iowa is often forgotten about due to its small size and isolated location. However, the railroad might be small but it packs quite an assortment of steam locomotives including an operating geared Shay, a 0-4-0 Henschel, two 2-6-0 Baldwins, and a 0-4-0 saddle tank! The little railroad has also been around for over 40 years now and although it does not operate on much track plays host to thousands of riders annually.

To give a brief history of Iowa's railroading history, it has its beginnings dating back to 1853 when the Mississippi & Missouri was chartered to build a line between Davenport, Iowa City, and Muscatin which was completed in 1855 (this line would become part of Rock Island’s east-west main line). In the following years, Iowa would become home to most of the West’s best-remembered Class I railroads from the Rock Island and Milwaukee Road to the Chicago & North Western and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy. Others include the Santa Fe (whose Transcon line clips the southeastern corner of the state for 17 miles), Illinois Central, Chicago Great Western, and the Wabash.

The Midwest Central Railroad dates back to 1959 when a group of railfans called the Midwest Old Threshers wanted to start a tourist railroad operated with steam locomotives. Not particularly wanting the railroad to be part of the Midwest Old Threshers group they started a new organization the Midwest Central Railroad to operate their new collection of historic steamers.

Over the years the railroad continued to add steam locomotives to their roster. Amazingly, for such a small operation, they currently have a fleet that rivals any other tourist railroad in the country! Below is a current roster of steam locomotives the MCRR operates:

· Shay #9 - A former West Side Lumber Company is a three-truck Shay built by Lima Locomotive Works.

· Baldwin #6 - A former Surry Sussex & Southampton Railway 2-6-0 Mogul built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works.

· Baldwin #2 - A former New Berlin & Winfield Railroad 2-6-0 Mogul built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works.

· Henschel #16 - This foreign locomotive, an 0-4-0 type, was built by Henschel & Sons of Kassel, West Germany.

Along with these operating steam locomotives the Midwest Central Railroad also runs two former industrial swichers, a 1923 Ford Model T, and 1930 Ford Model A that can operate on rails. All four have been restored and currently operate alongside the steam locomotives.

While the Midwest Central Railroad only operates over one mile of homebuilt track around McMillan Park in Mount Pleasant the short jaunt does not seem to matter to visitors who return annually (between 35,000 to 40,000, a remarkable number for such a small operation) to see the steam locomotives in action and ride behind them.

Aside from riding the train this small group of railfans can always use help so if you are interested a donation of money or your time volunteering (they are currently working to restore a number of different projects) is very much welcomed. In any event, if you are ever in southeastern Iowa consider stopping by to see this very unique tourist railroad; I know they’ll appreciate the visit!

For more information on tourist railroads like the Midwest Central Railroad you might want to consider the book Tourist Trains Guidebook from the editors of Kalmbach Publishing's Trains magazine. Given excellent reviews by readers this guidebook covers nearly all of the tourist railroads and museums (over 400) operating in the country in fine detail with accompanying reviews about each. So, if you’re interested in locating a tourist train or railroad near you, or simply want to know more about a particular one, you will certainly not be disappointed in Trains’ guidebook to tourist railroads and museums. In any event, if you're interested in perhaps purchasing this book please visit the link below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.

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