I happened to stumble into an Amtrak detour while out railfanning today. Apparently the Kinnickinnic River bridge in Milwaukee, WI was completely out of service today, so Amtrak #8 had to detour over the Canadian National (former Wisconsin Central) today to get into Chicago.
Below are some photos of the Empire Builder making the back-up move from the CP mainline to the CN mainline at Duplainville.
Here Amtrak #8 approaches Duplainville Road and is slowing to stop.
A Cold Ride on a Cold Car, the conductor rides the rear of an Express Trax reefer as #8 backs through the interchange track onto Canadian National rails
The locomotives ease there way through the interchange tracks
Almost finished backing #8 has to clear the switch so a northbound CN train can come through.
Northbound CN Stack train crosses the diamond with the CP and is about to meet Amtrak #8 on its home rails.
Amtrak and CN meet at Duplainville, WI
With the CN train clear Amtrak Empire Builder starts to head south and rack up some “rare mileage”.
Apparently the KK River bridge is supposed to be opened tomorrow 12/11.
Hey, nice shots!!! Too bad I didn’t get to talk to you, at least I got a chance to meet with Jay, Matt, and (Corey?) before the detours started. (I was in the orange hooded sweatshirt.) I got several nice shots of a CP freight, #8, and a CN freight before heading out to Watertown for the Holiday Train, run by… my brother! [:D]
So, what’s been done to the bridge? A year or two ago, when Pat and I made the trip to Milwaukee, we were delayed just outside the station on the way home by problems with this bridge. I hope they’ve been solved.
Would have loved to see this train pounding over Deval!
I read that on the news wires about 2 weeks ago and they had reported that CP was going to replace the rails on the bridge and oh yeah nice shots I kinda wish I could have saw the train on detour. [:D][:D][tup][tup]
Nice Shots Keith!! I only wish I was a little closer, I would have liked to have caught that train myself. But thanks for getting me this close though pictures!
Nice pics. I live in Elm Grove now, but use to get around Duplainville when my father-in-law has the paper company west of the diamond. I drove out there a couple weeks ago, but could not settle on a place to park. Would you mind telling me where you parked? the tavern? Thanks…
I and several others parked in the business lot at Green Road and the CN tracks, but with it being a Saturday and several people standing around the crossing it was a “safety in numbers” situation.
My guess is that if you patronized the Tavern for food or a beverage (even a soft drink if that is your preference), you could park in their lot without any problem. Those who get over to that location more often might offer other suggestions.
Thanks for the nice comment about the pictures. I really got LUCKY though, my original plan was to try and find the CNW unit trio, when I found out they were gone, I decided to head out to Duplainville. I got there about 2 minutes before Amtrak arrived and had no idea #8 was going to detour.
As far was what they were doing to the bridge, I believe they were replacing the rails on the bridge, when I was going home I went right past the bridge and there was a crane on each track, unfortunately I couldn’t get any pictures.
For parking at Duplainville Road, most railfans park on the road alongside the CP tracks. If you see a silver Trailblazer parked there thats me.
Thanks for the replies… I know this is a bit OT, but while I got you on the line, so to speak… I am just getting going (again) on this railfanning thing. Got a scanner, been listening to UP, CN, CP from my home (it’s cold!). CP (south track) runs off my back yard. The scanner sure doesn’t help with CP - I rarely hear any hints of trains buzzing thru - they’re just there all of a sudden. Signals help, of course. BTW, listening to dispatchers, I hear mention of main 1 and main 2. I thought I had it figured out, but now I don’t think so. How does one determine track 1 from track 2?
I’d like to get some pics of yards and operations as well as some road shots. In this Milwaukee area, are there any places I should avoid because of tight restrictions? Like the Muskego yard for example. I don’t suppose one can wander around down there taking pictures, huh?
Main 1 is the track on the north (or east, if you’re near the north-south geographic orientation), and Main 2 is on the south.
As far as getting pictures, stay on public property as much as possible. If you do end up on private property, and are asked to leave, cooperate and leave courteously. (It should go without saying, but unfortunately…)
As far as getting yard shots. Butler Yard (UP) can be seen from Hampton Ave bridge. However the new bridge has fences up on both sides, but their is a road that runs alongside the yard on the east side. Mitchell Yard (UP) can be shot from the 35th Street bridge which has a sidewalk on it. For the CP in the Menonomee Valley I found that one of the vantage points for shooting the yard is the Potowatomi Bingo Parking structure. Since the parking is free I just drive to the top level and shoot from there. Just recently they enlarged the structure and made it higher.
Actually the tracks that #8 usually runs on are CP former SOO, former Milwaukee Road. The tracks it had to detour onto are Canadian National, former Wisconsin Central, former Soo Line. Quite a heritage there.
Your right about the ‘rare mileage’ bit. An intercity passenger hasn’t rode WC route since the overnight Laker was discontinued in the mid-or-late-1960’s!
