Midwest Central Railroad (MCRR) in Mount Pleasant is receiving a Washington County Riverboat Foundation (WCRF) grant of almost $14,000 to help with financial losses suffered due to COVID-19.

MCRR President Matt Crull says the WCRF funding allowed them to cover, in total, a one-year payment for turning an area of their south (rail) station into a museum. He says the grant will also go toward their budget deficit after losing almost $300,000 when the pandemic cancelled all of their regular fundraising events in 2020.

Despite the lost revenue, Crull says MCRR is not in dire straits, “Luckily, our organization was smart enough, about 20 years ago, we sold a bunch of equipment and other things that we socked enough money away to keep us afloat, for a rainy day fund.” 

However, Crull says he doesn’t think MCRR could survive another year without their regular income and, right now, they’re planning to hold all of their regular events in 2021.