WSOR does not operate any Geeps anymore. They retired GP7/9's #'s 4490-4495, the 400 series, and the 900 series. They no longer have the ex-SP GP35's, nor the ex-SOO Geeps that sat at Horicon. When I saw the deadline in 200(2?), the Soo Geeps and most of the GP35's were there. I say most, because at Ripon, there were GP35's switching an industry there.
I'll have to check the date, but a couple of years ago we were at Horicon, on our way home from Menomonee Falls, and there were 3 or 4 of the Geeps parked there, numbered 4490-4493. The day we saw them was the last day they were on the WSOR. Soon after they were painted blue, with "Betty" or "Beauty" grain on them.
When we saw them, they were sub-lettered for a leasing company.
I know that one of the 400's (493?) is now on a tourist railroad out east, with ex-Army S1 #7135. I don't recall the name of the railroad. It had some new paint on the nose and the end, but remains in most of it's WSOR paint.
Are you out there Noah? You could shead some light here where I can't.
Phil
Phil, you pretty much covered most of what I know too. I think the "400" locomotive you might be referring to though is actually a 750 series. The specific one you mention is the 752, which is now out at the Kiski Junction Railroad in PA. For their webpage, click here. The other two locomotives in this series were the 751 and the 753. The 753 went to IBCX, and the 751 is up in Taylor, Wisconsin at Badger Mining. They use it along with another older Geep to run down their several mile spur from the mine to the Ex-GBW main line.
The GP9s that Dale originally asked about were 4490-4494. They were all sold off back in around 2004 if I remember correctly. The 4490 and 4491 went to Balfour Beatty Rail, the 4492 and 4493 went to IBCX and still work at various granaries (I believe one, possible the 4493, still in untouched WSOR paint as of about a year or so ago), and the 4494 is reported as scrapped.
The WSOR went on a streamlining programing here over the past 3 or 4 years, and consequently the roster has in many ways become a little less interesting. Now the roster is soley GP38s, SD40s, SD20s, and two GP7Us (ATSF rebuilds). And of course the Two E9s are still around too. The one you linked to, Dale, is pretty much the most up to date roster I've seen. No more GP35s, GP18s, GP20s, GP9s, SW1200s, etc. Now of course though the entire roster is always kept in WSOR paint and kept relatively clean, which is nice too though.
Hope that helped,
Noah
Thanks Noah, thanks Phil.
C&NW bought over 100 Rock Island Geeps, and there does not seem to be many of them still around.
The 4490-94 might have left before 2004. I don't recall seeing any of those when I hired out in early 2004. 1202 left in late 2004, I believe going to IBCX.
Might be a little less interesting, but the reliability has improved by quite a bit. Very cold (sub-zero) temperatures can still bring grief, however.
Mike WSOR engineer | HO scale since 1988 | Visit our club www.WCGandyDancers.com
I'm still trying to find the DVD that has my photos on it. I believe the WSOR Geeps I saw in Horicon were in (fall or spring) of 2004. They were sub-lettered already for IBCX.
Thanks for the correction, Noah. Yes, they were numbered in the 700's. I remember seeing WSOR 752 and the Union Pacific passenger car "Echo Canyon" at Rugby Junction in December of 2001. It was the first train I ever took a photo of with a digital camera.
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