The city of FDL is still “debating”(trying to get the state or CN to pay) about the cross-under(Pioneer Rd. would go under the CN tracks, whereas the Hwy. 151 bypass goes over the CN about 3 miles south).
While CN may be cutting back on train ops out of Shops, the shops themselves are still busy repairing system cars. Shops Yard still makes up freight trains north and south bound, and I don’t think that’s gonna change.
BTW, a group of workers from Friar Tucks won the Powerball jackpot a few months back, about $1 million split between 17 people…[banghead]
Just so everyone on the forum knows, if you wanna win the lottery, you go to FDL to buy your ticket. This is about the 5th time I’ve heard of someone hittin’ the payoff in Fondy. When I worked at G&L there in town, a school teacher and his fiancee won the $110 million lottery. And even better, after they split the dough they suddenly decided they weren’t ready to commit to marriage. Now that’s a happy ending. [:D]
Yes, but in CNW’s time, and before FRV got bought by WC, the Soo-then-WC had their own main through town (albeit street-running at 10 MPH). I sure miss seeing those WC SD45 green beenies rolling across Algoma Blvd.
I lived right between those tracks when the SOO/MILW/WC and CNW/FRV had their tracks go thru town. As in less than 3 blocks from each! Made for some hard decisions…CNW SD40-2s or WC SD45…which to watch?
Now that’s living! In college, comin’ out of Mable Murphy’s on more than one occasion I’d see WC freights creeping down their main with those alternating ditch lights on. In my well-served condition, those hood units looked like a UFO comin’ down the street.
Now you did it - another question: I never saw the MILW operating in Oshkosh. I know their line entered Oshkosh from the southwest (Ripon - Pickett - Oshkosh). So the MILW operated over the SOO northward?
Yes it did. It followed the same trackage (to my knowledge) as what I saw the WC on. I have pictures of MILW engines (they could have been sold to SOO or whatever) but they sure said MILWAUKEE ROAD on the side. If you know the city I lived near the corner of Grand and Tennesee so I just shot pedaled my behind off going back and forth. I can recall watching rolling meets on the siding that used to be just north of New York Ave. Once I realized that both lines came together north of town I’d pedal to Murdock ave or even by Park View HC to watch the trains barrel north and south.
Don’t ask how many pics I have…I was 10! If I knew then what I know now…man…[banghead]…I’d have used a roll of film per week!
I’m the same way about not having a camera when I was that age - only it’d have been Decatur, IN during visits to see the grandparents. The Erie Lackawanna’s main, and the Nickel Plate’s Clover Leaf sub down 10th St., and the Penn Central’s Ft. Wayne - Richmond line down Jefferson St., all visible from grandma’s house. Oh the memories.
Had the FRV been able to maintain it, or if WC had bothered to do so, they could’ve used the CNW’s old Hortonville-Oshkosh trackage as another route through town. It diverged from the CNW main on the north side over there by Harrison & Nicolet, paralleled the Fox River, went right past the apartments where I lived from '90-'93 by Oshkosh Ave. (Hwy. 21), went behind Rockwell Corp., passed-through the campus and rejoined the CNW’s main downtown. That was a poorly-maintained branch with a lot of street-crossings, but it would’ve provided another way to avoid waiting for the main as you describe. Maybe the grade-crossings and that track being so decrepit just didn’t make sense.
OK Dan - you’re the one to blame for this: I’m goin’ out to Oshkosh. I’ll hunt for the WSOR’s HOK job, then I’ll sight-see along the WC/CN along old Hwy. 45 between Oshkosh and North FDL before heading up to Nakashima’s in Appleton for the best Japanese hibachi quisine on Earth.
I’ll save Friar Tuck’s for the next day after I hike the Oshkosh-Hortonville bike trail. From there it’s up to Neenah-Menasha, then Appleton to see what’s shakin’ on the CN there before heading back.
Now you did it - another question: I never saw the MILW operating in Oshkosh. I know their line entered Oshkosh from the southwest (Ripon - Pickett - Oshkosh). So the MILW operated over the SOO northward?
The Milwaukee Road entered Oshkosh from the southwest side of town at a northeasterly angle- it crossed Hwy 41 (until 1999) then paralleled Osborn Avenue before interlocking with the SOO at the approach of their Fox River bridge just past Ohio St. At the bridge the MILW diverged- one line crossed the SOO and followed the Fox over a few blocks before terminating at the CNW yard, the other line connected with the SOO and the MILW used the bridge and a short section of the SOO main to reach some other industries on the north side of town. Technically though accorinding to MILW timetables the MILW ended at the interlocking with the SOO- the diamond was gone by the early 80s pre-WC days. The MILW stopped operating to Oshkosh in 1980- so I’d guess any of the MILW units seen in town in the mid to late 80s were those the SOO acquired in 1985 (and I know a good number of MILW junkers were transferred to the Lake States just before the lines were sold to the WC in 1987 as well.)
As for questionable things- it has always been a wonder of mine as to why the WC decided to abandon a good chunk of the CNW between Oshkosh and Neenah after they combined trackage in Oshkosh to get the SOO off the street. Instead of just having the siding on the north side of town by the depot there- I’d think it would do the CN a lot better to put in this big missing chunk of trackage, which would provide a lot more room to stage trains waiting to get across the draw in Oshkosh. I mean honestly- why keep the SOO and CNW south of town- but tear out the CNW north of town?? It makes no sense to me!
In a perfect world the CNW would have never made the mistake of selling this line to the FRV in the first place- or any of the other lines included in the FRV sale. The CNW forever regretted this t
I agree completely…but I’m sure there was a good reason (to someone!) at the time. I asked a MOW crew about that once and I was told that CN didn’t want to pay for 2 sets of gates so they ripped the track up.
Now you did it - another question: I never saw the MILW operating in Oshkosh. I know their line entered Oshkosh from the southwest (Ripon - Pickett - Oshkosh). So the MILW operated over the SOO northward?
The Milwaukee Road entered Oshkosh from the southwest side of town at a northeasterly angle- it crossed Hwy 41 (until 1999) then paralleled Osborn Avenue before interlocking with the SOO at the approach of their Fox River bridge just past Ohio St. At the bridge the MILW diverged- one line crossed the SOO and followed the Fox over a few blocks before terminating at the CNW yard, the other line connected with the SOO and the MILW used the bridge and a short section of the SOO main to reach some other industries on the north side of town. Technically though accorinding to MILW timetables the MILW ended at the interlocking with the SOO- the diamond was gone by the early 80s pre-WC days. The MILW stopped operating to Oshkosh in 1980- so I’d guess any of the MILW units seen in town in the mid to late 80s were those the SOO acquired in 1985 (and I know a good number of MILW junkers were transferred to the Lake States just before the lines were sold to the WC in 1987 as well.)
As for questionable things- it has always been a wonder of mine as to why the WC decided to abandon a good chunk of the CNW between Oshkosh and Neenah after they combined trackage in Oshkosh to get the SOO off the street. Instead of just having the siding on the north side of town by the depot there- I’d think it would do the CN a lot better to put in this big missing chunk of trackage, which would provide a lot more room to stage trains waiting to get across the draw in Oshkosh. I mean honestly- why keep the SOO and CNW south of town- but tear out the CNW north of town?? It makes no sense to me!
In a perfect world the CNW would have never made the mistake of selling this line to the FRV in the first place- or any of the other lines included in the FRV sale. The CN
As far as I know, CN does not have any Shops in Wausau anymore. As you might have known WC did expand the ex CNW South yard, and rerouted Junction street. But looking on Google, and mapquest, there is an unknown building behind the yard Office. Looking back on a photo I have of back in there, it does look like there is a small engine track there. They also use a spur back there to store locomotives for the A408 back to Stevens Point, if the train isn’t ready. So it is a possibility that CN still has some sort of shop facility back there. But I’m sure if they did any repairs there, they must be very minor. Some time I will have to pay more close attention next time I go railfanning in Wausau.
I wish I had had a better camera (and more time, and a vehicle would have helped too) for railfanning when I attended college in Oshkosh 1970-1974 – the final months of CNW passenger service, street running, lots of active industrial switching … sigh [sigh]
You got that right. If I hadn’t of been more worried about gettin’ some noogie, gettin’ bombed, and gettin’ out of school in 4 years with a Computer Sci degree (in that order - and surprising as it is all were accomplished), I’d have been out there with a camera too. What a great town for railroad action. I simply have to find a picture book that has some late-era photos of the MILW operating in Oshkosh (70’s to 1980). I’m hoping the Morning Sun book on MILW in Michigan & Wisconsin will have something on the Horicon - Ripon - Oshkosh segment.
Neenah is that way also. Here’s what I saw today:
-1 unit coal w/BNSF power @ Stroebe road still tied up,
-2 SB Manifest in yard waiting on crews,
-2 NB Manifest south of yard waiting for ???.
Every track and siding that can hold cars is holding them. The place is chock full. Meltdown somewhere?