Depot given one year reprieve; open to public July 4th

To The Press

The American Passenger Train History Museum announced that it has secured a one-year reprieve from demolition for the Milwaukee Road railroad depot at 13th Street and North Grand Avenue.

“Canadian Pacific Railroad has given us another year for fundraising to remove the depot from their property and transport it to the museum site at 11th and North Grand Avenue,” said Robert Moen, museum president and founder. “This gives us until the summer of 2020.”

Moen said fundraising has been an ongoing effort since last fall, and the group has raised more than $12,000 from individual donations.

“The funds are being held in an escrow account at First Security Bank until such time as we have enough to move the depot,” he said. “If we are not able to raise the funds in time, they will be returned or can be given to the museum per the givers wishes.

“We are just as interested in pledges, if people would prefer to donate in that way,” said Moen. Pledges or donations can be sent to the museum at Box 683, Charles City IA 50616.

The depot will be open for public inspection after the Charles City Independence Day parade on July 4th.

Museum volunteers will have booths at the depot and across from the park downtown where donations or pledges can be made.

“The museum also will have a float in the parade to draw attention to the depot and the need to save this important part of Charles City history,” Moen said.

“The bids we have received to move the depot indicate that it will cost $280,000 to 350,000,” Moen said. “That is for excavation, foundation and the actual move.

“We have found that there are limited grants available for moving, but there are many grants available for restoration once the depot is moved. So we really need donations from the community to make the move happen and save the building” Moen said.

The group’s plan is to make the depot into the entrance to the museum, which will display four famous passenger trains. Visitors will be able to walk through each train and find out what rail travel was like in the golden era of rail travel.

“Parents and grandparents with children will be the primary visitors,” Moen said. “This will be a tourism boost for Charles City, with 5,000 to 7,000 visitors a year spending $30 to $50 per person at restaurants, motels and other businesses.

“It will be the only railroad museum in the country which will display passenger trains, so it will be unique”, he said.

Museum volunteers continue to work on track and equipment restoration. Community members who are interested in volunteering and become more involved can contact Cody Ritter at 641-257-9115 or Robert Moen at 612-240-4407.