Odd spotting tonight in Chicago

[CDean1262]

  Saw an odd sight tonight in Chicago -  as I was going northbound on the Stevenson Expressway @ Cicero, there was a Canadian National freight waiting for the signal just east of Cicero -had 2 BL2's behind the road power - Janesville and Southeastern 56 and Bangor & Aroostock(sic?) 52. Haven't found much recent history in tonight's search about these two, but curious as to where they might be going. Even circled back around to take a second look, but couldn't see if they were actually running or just dead in transit. 

[MJChittick]

CDean1262

  Saw an odd sight tonight in Chicago -  as I was going northbound on the Stevenson Expressway @ Cicero, there was a Canadian National freight waiting for the signal just east of Cicero -had 2 BL2's behind the road power - Janesville and Southeastern 56 and Bangor & Aroostock(sic?) 52. Haven't found much recent history in tonight's search about these two, but curious as to where they might be going. Even circled back around to take a second look, but couldn't see if they were actually running or just dead in transit. 

This move was detailed in the following "Trains News Wire" article:

Unusual diesels to join Iowa Pacific fleet

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Published: Wednesday, November 11, 2009

A pair of EMD BL2 diesels pass through Waukesha, Wis., today, on their way to Arizona Eastern Railroad. Photo by: TRAINS: Andy Cummings CHICAGO - A variety of motive power ranging from E8s to SD9043MACs is headed for Iowa Pacific Holdings short lines, President Ed Ellis told TRAINS News Wire today. In addition, the company is lining up several dome cars, some of which will serve on the Denver to Winter Park, Colo., Ski Train, which Iowa Pacific plans to restore to service. Ellis said his company is selling 10 B39-8 diesels currently serving on Iowa Pacific's Permian Basin Railways. Taking their place will be 10 SD9043MAC locomotives from CIT group, to be split between Arizona Eastern and San Luis & Rio Grande. Additionally, two rare Electro-Motive BL2 diesels are on their way to Arizona Eastern for service on a local where the SD90MACs will be undesirable. The company is also in the process of purchasing four ex-Chicago & North Western E8 diesels, of which at least one will serve on the Ski Train when it's restored. For his passenger services, Ellis is also acquiring four full-length dome cars that had recently served on excursion trains for Holland America in Alaska. Three are ex-Santa Fe; one is ex-Great Northern. Of the four, two are slated to serve on the Ski Train, one on the San Luis & Rio Grande, and one at Mount Hood Railroad in Oregon. The pair of BL2s will be serviced at Permian Basin's Bixby, Ariz., shops, for 30 to 60 days after their arrival before being pressed into service. The pair passed from Fond du Lac, Wis., to the Chicago area today, and are slated for interchange to Union Pacific at East St. Louis, Ill

[mudchicken]

The mongeese would be welcome just about anywhere on a shortline.....guess I'll send sympathy in advance cards to the two roadmasters that will deal with those bigger SD90MAC's when they get off the main and into the lighter rail backtracks with tighter switch curvature.

[Dakguy201]

A couple of years ago those locomotives were on (what I thought of as) the unrestored deadline at the National Railroad Museum at Green Bay.

 

I suppose it is a good thing that they are going somewhere thnat they will get some TLC.

[eolafan]

The last time I saw these two BL2's was about six to eight years back and they were then stored next to the WSOR (formerly MILW) roundhouse in Janesville along with a couple (perhaps three) Wisconsin and Calumet F3 units.  The BL2's then went to Green Bay to the museum mentioned...now they have resurfaced....which is great to see.

[route_rock]

  Thats awesome! Kind of eclectic but still. I think MC has a great point. Time to send eympathy cards to the roadmasters on those lines lol.

 

  I remember when I was a kid with a 4X8 layout and I wanted a bigboy,a Allegheny,a DD40 oh and some other huge power. Just cause it looked "cool".Is that what Ed is doing here?I wouldnt want to run them anywhere but on a mainline.But to each his own I guess.

[WSOR 3801]

 The BL2s were part of the Glenn Monhart fleet, which also included ACL 503 (E3) and various F units.  He also owned the roundhouse in Janesville, WI.  Most if the engines were used by the Wisconsin and Calumet (WICT) at one time or another.  Ed Ellis was one of the mangers of the WICT.  Upon Glenn's death, the collection was scattered.  Some of the F-units have wound up on the ELS.  ACL 503 has gone to a museum somewhere in ACL territory. 

[PennsyQ2]

  Living in Janesville, I remember the 52 being repainted into Monhart's modified IC scheme and being displayed outside the roundhouse.  It spent a couple of years pulling freight for WICT in the early '90's and it may even have been leased to WSOR for a brief period after the takeover.  It was also displayed at the EMD 75th Anniversary celebration in LaGrange in 1997, along with the ACL 501 (there was a 503 too, but it was an E-6).  I happened to catch the two being towed out of town for that display behind a couple of the WSOR's SD-20's.  I never saw the 56 run and always assumed that Monhart kept it as a "parts house" for the 52, but maybe there's enough there to make it operational again.  It's great to think that someone will get the old gals running again rather that sitting and rotting in Green Bay where I last saw them.  Oh, BTW, the 501 now resides at the North Carolina Transportation Museum at the former Southern shops in Salisbury, NC.  It last appeared at the Union Station 100th anniversary party last year in DC.