Mid-Continent’s crossing shanty is looking better than ever. Earlier this year, Mid-Continent’s superintendent of buildings & grounds was approached by Jeremy Peplinski. 15, with a proposal to rehabilitate the crossing shanty as his Eagle Scout service project though the Glacier’s Edge Boy Scout Council. Crossing shanties were the precursor to modern railroad crossing lights and gates and were located at busy road crossings. Each time a train approached a flagman would stop any automobile, horse-drawn and pedestrian traffic. The shanty provided shelter for the flagman between the passing of trains. Mid-Continent’s crossing shanty was flooded in 2008 by the nearby Baraboo River and while remaining usable, it had been lifted from its foundation and the understructure had sustained damage. It was also in need of general maintenance. Over the course of late July and early August, Jeremy, along with fellow scouts and Mid-Continent volunteers pitched in to make the project both quick and very successful. Museum visitors will now find a pristine-looking crossing shanty next to the museum water tower. The shanty is often manned by volunteers during Mid-Continent’s busy autumn and winter time special events to add an extra level of safety for our museum visitors as they pass from the depot/platform area to the Coach Shed on the south side of the roadway. A big thank you goes out to Jeremy, the Boy Scouts, and all involved!
Posted on: Wed, 20 Aug 2014 23:05:00 +0000
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