Classic Trains – September 2019

58 CLASSIC TRAINS FALL 2019

photograph its rare Vulcan and Whitcomb
diesels, both of which survive.
Farther south, we paralleled the ob-
scure C&NW branch from Pulaski
through Laona to Scott Lake (some of
which would become now-defunct short
line Nicolet Badger Northern), apparently
worked by a local out of Green Bay up
one day and back the next. Near Lake-
wood, to our astonishment here came the
train, trundling out of the woods in the
gathering dusk with H16-66 1901 in
charge. We were 50 miles short of Pulaski
and 65 from Green Bay for this nice con-
clusion to the day’s action.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
First on our agenda this sunny morn-
ing was C&NW train 214, the Peninsula

400 , which made a daily Ishpeming–Chi-

cago round trip. We shot it at the depot,

and after a 20-minute stop to change

crews and add cars, it departed on time at

8:30 behind an E8 and F7 duo with eight

bi-level coaches and a false-roof diner.

Although C&NW still fielded other

Green Bay–Chicago passenger trains, via

both the Lake Shore (Manitowoc) and

Fox Valley (Appleton) routes, the Penin-

sula 400 was the only one we’d see here.

C&NW’s yard and a roundhouse shop

were at the city’s north edge. Many of the

H16-66s were based here, plus some FM

switchers, but we also saw Alco S1 1204

and some EMD re-engined Baldwin

road-switchers.

At the Milwaukee’s yard and shop,

H10-44 743 and EMD SW1 968 were

working, with H10-44 774 parked. This

line was MILW’s Superior Division. In

from Milwaukee was an A-B-A set of FM

C-Liners, with cab units 24C and 23A;

MILW had six such trios. Only one daily

freight in each direction ran north of

Green Bay to Channing. We were told

that H16-44s worked from Channing

west to Ontonagon, on Lake Superior.

The overnight Copper Country was the

division’s only passenger service, and car-

ried a Chicago–Green Bay Flexi-Van con-

tainer car of mail.

Our main target was the all-Alco

Green Bay & Western, which extended

214 miles west to Winona, Minn. Its Nor-

wood Yard, shop, and roundhouse were

nestled in a residential neighborhood

north of the MILW yard. We rated

The southbound C&NW Peninsula 400, with an F7 and E8 leading 11 cars, crosses the Fox River bridge at Green Bay to begin September 5.

Marinette, Tomahawk & Western 90, an ex-Minneapolis & St. Louis

NW1, works in the rain at a Tomahawk paper mill on September 3.

A self-timer portrait before leaving the lake. From left: Roger Meade,

Charlie Mote, author Dave Ingles, Jay Weber, and Jerry Pinkepank.