Milwaukee Road depot moving date is announced as foundation work nears finish

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

The American Passenger Train History Museum announced on its Facebook page Monday evening that dates have been set for the process of moving the Milwaukee Road depot to its new location.

“On Wednesday, Oct. 6th, Thein Structural Moving plans on moving the depot from its current location to the north side of the railroad tracks near the intersection of 11th Avenue and D Street,” the post said.

“Here the building will sit until Friday, Oct. 8th, while preparations are made at the new depot site.”

On Friday, Oct. 8, the depot will cross the Canadian National Railway tracks and begin its journey down 11th Avenue until it is in line with the new foundation and will be parked for the weekend.

“The final move will occur on Monday, Oct. 11th, when the building will be rolled from 11th Avenue onto the new foundation,” the Facebook post said.

“After arrival on the new site, the building will be adjusted to its final elevation and the foundation wall will be extended to meet the bottom of the depot, cementing it in its new permanent home,” it said.

The post said the dates still need approval from the City Council and could change because of weather, “the latter being more of a concern than the former.”

Concrete foundation work at the new site was hoped to be finished this week.

A crew from Quality Concrete poured the foundations for the baggage room Monday afternoon with help from a concrete boom truck from Nolt’s Custom Concrete.

The main basement foundation has been poured, sealed and soil backfilled around it.

The new foundation is being built at 1010 North Grand Avenue.

An American Passenger Train History Museum Facebook page post said a GoFundMe site has been established to make it easier for people to donate to the museum relocation and renovation project.

“We’ve had some additional costs due to having to find a new contractor, so we are looking to raise $10,000,” the post said, referring to the need to find a new concrete contractor after one originally selected decided the job was beyond his capabilities.

“This money will go to supplement the cost increases due to the contractor issues,” the Facebook post said. “Should there be any more cost changes, this campaign will help cover those too.”

The post said that if any funds in the current campaign are left after the cost of the move and installation of the depot on its new foundation, that money will be transferred to the second phase of the project, renovating the building.

The cost to move the building was originally estimated at about $350,000, and a little more than that has been raised so far.

The cost of the renovation could be $750,000, but Bob Moen, president of the American Passenger Train History Museum, has said that many more grants are available to to help renovate a historic building than to move it.

Thein Moving, of Clara City, Minnesota, has already raised the depot and it is sitting on huge steel beams supported by wooden cribbing. Once it is ready to be moved, 10 multi-wheeled dollies will be placed under the beams to transport the depot to its new home.

The new foundation is being built at 1010 North Grand Avenue, next to the Shankland Office building, itself a restored train depot.

Anyone who wants to donate to the Milwaukee Road Depot relocation project can go to the GoFundMe site at https://gofund.me/6df1d7d7, or send a check to The American Passenger Train History Museum at P.O. Box 683, Charles City, Iowa 50616.