Question for Wisconsin & Southern fans

[mloik]

Hello all,

While looking at the August Walther's catalog, I noticed the fine print on the cover: "Is it the 30s or the 90s? Former C&NW 4-6-0 #1385 works freight on the Wisconsin & Southern near Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in 1992". The photo is a close up of 1385, so I can't see any freight cars.

This struck me as odd: was this regular service or some kind of one-time event? Anyone know of any stories on the web about this?

Many thanks in advance,
Michael

[Wdlgln005]

In 1992, this was a one time event. I'd have to check the North Freedom museum website to be sure. Seems to me, #1385 may have been rebuilt atthat time. It would be available for a break-in to do some freight duty. I can remember #1385 coming to Chicago and hooking up with some C&NW commuters to provide some short train rides, similar to the Thomas program. As the last C&NW operating engine, it spent some time moving around the system in a "prosperity special". Trains should have other photos of #1385 moving the Circus Train from the CW museum in Baraboo.

Both museum sites are worth the visit to the Dells region of Wisconsin.

[mloik]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Wdlgln005

In 1992, this was a one time event. I'd have to check the North Freedom museum website to be sure. Seems to me, #1385 may have been rebuilt atthat time. It would be available for a break-in to do some freight duty. I can remember #1385 coming to Chicago and hooking up with some C&NW commuters to provide some short train rides, similar to the Thomas program. As the last C&NW operating engine, it spent some time moving around the system in a "prosperity special". Trains should have other photos of #1385 moving the Circus Train from the CW museum in Baraboo.

Both museum sites are worth the visit to the Dells region of Wisconsin.

Wdlgln005,

Many thanks. Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly do you mean by "available for a break-in..."?

And, do you have the URL for the North Freedom Museum website?

Regards,
Michael

[CG9602]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mloik

And, do you have the URL for the North Freedom Museum website?

Regards,
Michael

http://www.midcontinent.org/

CNW # 1385 is currently out-of-commission, unfortunately.

[Gluefinger]

QUOTE: Many thanks. Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly do you mean by "available for a break-in..."?

A breakin run is after the unit has some servicing done and they run it to make sure all the kinks have been worked out.

[nanaimo73]

1385 did a 16 day 1,000 mile tour of Wisconsin during June and July of 1992 over the WSOR, Wisconsin Central and the WICT.

[Noah Hofrichter]

Mid Continent is a good place to visit, but unfortunately all their steam is out of commision pending fedrally mandated upgrades. Every once and a while one hears a supposed Date for getting there steam back up, but then that day comes and goes. Hopefully sometime soon though, it's been years since I've ridden behind steam. It is a good ride though as it is right now, if you don't mind riding behind a deisel(which I don't).

I've just been reading an article in an old Trains, and nanaimo73 is right, it was a trip run over the CNW to Madsion(simply a positioning move) and then over the WICT, WSOR, and WC to the Wausau area. It mainly carried freight. This all happened on June 21 & 22 of 1992. Then on the 25-28, she carried excursions over the WC from Wausau North to Merrill. Then on the 29th she went back to the WSOR and Horicon WI, where she hauled excursions from Ganville to the North side of Milwaukee. And Finally on July 6th, she returned to North Freedom.

The 1385 had traveled all around Wisconsin a few years earlier, touring mainly the CNW lines around Wisconsin and Northern Illinois.

I hope this has been useful,
Noah

[dknelson]

What I recollect is that the 1385 was on the WSOR property at Horicon for some passenger excursions -- which I remember well and which I photographed -- and that during the week the RR needed the power and simply used the steam locomotive for some local freight service out of Horicon WI. It was not publicized at all, but it would not surprise me to learn that Bob Gallegos of Walthers learned of the move in time and got shots. That may well be a Bob Gallegos photo on that Walthers brochure.

I once talked to a BN engineer who had worked for the CB&Q and during the mid 1960s, he told me, the Burlington was so short of power in Galesburg that they took their excursion 2-8-2 the 4960 out of the roundhouse and used it one day for the local freight to Peoria and back. Again totally unpublicized and unphotographed. Jim Boyd wrote a piece about the time they were short of power and took an old Doodlebug out of the roundhouse and used it for the local freight to Peoria and back -- and I think there were photos of that incident.
Dave Nelson

[mloik]

Hey everyone,

Thanks for all the replies. Very interesting.

Michael