This is dusk and a mixed freight train (far right) arrived and was a getting a crew change. Three locomotives lead it. There are also a couple of yard jobs sitting next waiting for the signals out of the yard.
Here is an up close and personnal look at the locomotives. The freight was lead by a U28B. There is also a GP38-2 next to it with a cut of cars. Then a set of light power next to that, A U30C and C30-7.
The crew members talk for a brief minute before resuming there duties. Trains left 10 minutes later.
I have a question about the MILW, did any of their locos get sold to the SOO Line at all? I’m at school in Winona, MN, and this weekend by the depot was what appeared to be an ex-MILW road SD loco patched up with the SOO under the window. Also was a freshly painted CP loco sitting there. Looks to be used for the local or something. I might walk over that way tomorrow if the weather is nice and snap a few pictures, if it’s still there that is. I wanted to get some pics this weekend, but didn’t notice it until yesterday afternoon.
Very nice pics, where exactly do you model with those MILW engines?
Ya, you saw a bandit locomotive. probably an old SD9 or SD7. The Milwaukee used a lot of them on there branch lines. You would find a lot of them on grain trains.
I model, at the moment, North and South Dakota. There is a lot of grain out there and I also model a portion of Iowa. I also have many facilities that deal with dry feed and dry packing of any type. Most of the power I have is Milwaukee Road but I also have a couple of UP and BN units. I have pictures of BN and UP locos running with the Milwaukee road. Plus the Milwaukee ran a lot of U-boats so most of the power is GE but I do have a few EMDs stuck in between. Later on though I want to model the Milwaukee’s Rocky Mountain Division. Where the elctrics ran.
I have a couple more shots to show. unfortunately the camera is slowly dieing but I will be getting a new one soon.
I decided to go and chase the freight train down the line a little to mile post 166.7 where the the crossover is located. the train took about 3 minutes for it to clear the crossover. The lead unit is a U28B, behind that, a U25B, and a U23B leading this lengthy mixed freight.
I decided to wait another half an hour but I didn’t see anything. I was putting the camera away when I heard the horn in the back ground. A couple minutes later these two GE U-boats roar around the corner with there train at mile post 166.7.
That would be what I saw, not the exact same loco, but very close. I may have to venture a walk to the depot tomorrow and see if it’s still sitting there. I’m guessing it won’t be, but if it’s nice out it won’t be all that bad. Also have to make a trip to the hobby shop in town and see what they have.
Nice Shots James! But, the bandit he saw is either a GP38-2 or a GP40, because thats the only bandits that the SOO has had since they got rid of the ex MILW SD40-2s in the late 80s. Only other ones out there are the few MP15ACs. The SD7s and 9s werent even patched by the SOO, just sold off or scrapped.
If I get over there and manage to get a picture or two if the Bandit is still there I will post the pictures. Looks like it’d be a fun little modeling project, especially with all the rust, basically looks like 1 color now.
That would indeed be the locomotive I saw in town this weekend. The first picture is the lash up I saw sitting by the depot. The second picture is a different locomotive than what I saw, but yes those were the locos that were in Winona all weekend.
I wasn’t able to go over to the depot and see if it was still there today, I’d imagine it wasn’t, might be back by now though. I was busy all afternoon with homework and such. At least I’ll be making a trip to the hobby shop tomorrow morning.
