Can’t tell you for sure. It has been two years since I’ve been in the park and I don’t remember the engine number. For some reason, I want to say that the restored running engine is numbered 2710.Ran across it on the way back from Hayward last July. Unfortunately, I was driving and my wife’s photography, taken in great haste in all fairness to her , left the engine number blurry.
I have to say Susquehanna. I like the paint scheme(black and yellow) and the variety of engines. Also my grandfather worked for them up until 1959, so I’m happy to see them making a comeback of sorts.
The Susie ‘Q’ is a very colorful railroad. I enjoyed their presence when they took over the D&H run through trains through Allentown and Reading PA. Are they still operating their Alco’s? If so where do they normally operate?
I am becoming a fan of the I&M despite their dark blue (almost MoPac-like) diesels. They don’t run a lot of trains, but they seem to know how to run a railroad.
thanks for all the replys so far, just a note, IMRL seems to have a pretty loyal following, particularly since they haven’t been around all that long. I was kind’of figuring it would be all UP,BNSF,CSX,NS, etc., glad to see it’s not, come on KCS fans, where are 'ya? Just kidding, keep those replys comming!
I seem to be suffering from a case of CRS (Can’t remember stuff) when it comes to 27XX series locomotives. The more I try to correct myself, the more I screw up. I’m going to have to dig into some old books and back copies of magazines to figure it out. The old memory ain’t what it used to be.I did however, get to see that big black thing being put into Lakeside Park. Ron.
Man, I bet that was fun to watch! Did you get any photos? Or, were you too young to appreciate what you were seeing like I was when the SOO was hauling train loads of old engines to the scrap yard and I was too dumb to take any pictures with my Brownie camera.
Since you are familiar with the area you will probably be interested to know that the old Fox Valley tracks are being torn out and Johnson street is being converted into one huge overpass from Main street westward over the canal and train tracks. It is quite a project and a lot of houses disappeared in the process.
well, my favorite railroad is norfolk southern. but I am kind of partial to soo line because my granpa worked for them. but I kind of like cp. then I thought I might as well stick to a railway that I live close to. besides cp rail will most likely get to big for their own good.
Well, thanks to the Sept. 2001 issue of “Trains”, page 23, I guess my CRS isn’t as bad as I thought. It shows #2719 in excursion service at Ladysmith Wisconsin on June 17, 2001. According to Patrick Doran’s book “SOO LINE”, 2719 is an exception to the practice of numbering WC pacifics in the 2700’s and Soo pacifics in the 700’s. 2719 is actually a SOO loco.
I did take a few pictures of the loco being moved into Lakeside Park on my Brownie camera. So Far I haven’t been able to find them in several boxes of old pictures, but I think I still have them. Also, I think the park loco is numbered 2714.
That’s the first I’ve heard of the Johnson street project, sounds like a heck of a mess! I did work for the C&NW which later became the Fox Valley, for a short time in '66-67 and worked out of North Fond du Lac C&NW yard. I was so far down on the extra board that I couldn’t support a wife and new baby, which led me to go back into the military, which to make a long story short, is how this WC/SOO fan wound up in Great Falls, Montana. Ron.
Mine use to be Conrail but now that’s out of buisness so I like NS because I like their location.
Ron, Thanks for the Info. I haven’t seen the Sept issue yet.
the engine is the soo liine 2719 i have been on the engine and worked on it to restore it in the Altoona WI roundhouse the engine might be put back to display if the wc cn merger does take place
robert
Osceola WI
email me with any other ???
cheech_rob@yahoo.com
do you live by NS trakage?
Thanks for the response. We caught the engine on the way home from Hayward last july. Had just turned off of 63 on to 53 to Eau Claire when the road vanished in a cloud of smoke. Thought at first there was a fire until I caught the headlight coming through the smoke. Barely had time to grab the camera before we were alonside the train!
Florida East Coast would have to be my favorite railroad. I think that they are a good railroad both from a buisiness and railfan prespective. I I spend alot of time railfannig the FEC.
The Wisconsin & Southern, Because of the beautiful Red and Gray (and sometimes red and silver), color schemes. They have a pair of E8’s that pull the Great Circus Train every year from Baraboo Wis. to Milwaukee Wis. It’s really beautiful.
I would have to agree with the Wisconsin & Southern. I’m a big fan of small town midwest railroading, and here in Southwestern Wisconsin, this is the only active railroad left of a lot of facinating branches. Besides, they do LOTS of special passenger trains in the Madison area.
The Wisconsin Central is surprisingly busy, between originated traffic and CN haulage. It is fun to see foreign power on this line. During the Mississippi flood, I saw the entire repertoire of BNSF paint. Others include NS, W&LE, and. Wisconsin & Southern. There’s a good chance to catch something nearly anytime at Duplainville, just west of Milwaukee, where long passing sidings and a crossing with CP Rail’s main Chicago-Minneapolis line provide opportunities.
I like the Wisconsin Central. Their paint scheme is very nicely similar to the old Soo Line, their roster of lcomotives is interesting and they were accommodating of fan trips. I am also amazed by the number of small town depots still in place along the WC. I will be sorry to see them merged into CN next month. Dave
AMEN! VERY NICELY SAID. I couldn’t agree more. Have already heard that the CN will probably put the kabash on most, if not all, of the railfan trips.