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12/30/2024
 
 
 
 
 
By:Tom Beckett
Dates:1/1/1980 - 1/31/2012
Album Info:US operations mf CP lines in the US midwest, including predecessors SOO, MILW, DME, ICE.
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Old roundhouse
Title:  Old roundhouse
Description:  I found the MILW yard and roundhouse while passing through Mason City. There was a lot of power there, including a MILW Hiawatha SD 40-2, which unfortunately was not where I could get a good photo. Still, the facilities here harken to another era, with the roundhouse still in service, and the spreader at far left.
Photo Date:  6/22/1987  Upload Date: 5/7/2015 2:41:57 PM
Location:  Mason City, IA
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  SOO 6604(SD40-2) SOO 6601(SD40-2) SOO 4648(GP40)
Views:  722   Comments: 0
Local power
Title:  Local power
Description:  A three unit set of "bandit patch" ex MILW units has dropped its train at Austin and is done for the day.
Photo Date:  6/22/1987  Upload Date: 5/7/2015 2:38:20 PM
Location:  Austin, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard,Action
Locomotives:  SOO 2009(GP40) SOO 4509(GP38-2) SOO 4504(GP38-2)
Views:  953   Comments: 0
Coming through the corn
Title:  Coming through the corn
Description:  The eastbound local is surrounded by miles of corn as it heads toward Albert Lea.
Photo Date:  6/22/1987  Upload Date: 5/7/2015 2:36:23 PM
Location:  Austin, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  SOO 4451(GP38-2) MILW 2037(GP40) SOO 4422(GP38-2)
Views:  438   Comments: 0
Rolling east
Title:  Rolling east
Description:  This local heading east from Austin to Albert Lea looked a little better than its westbound counterpart, having a pair of SOO units bracketing the lone bandit patch ex MILW unit. It also had a SOO caboose trailing its 7 cars.
Photo Date:  6/22/1987  Upload Date: 5/7/2015 2:34:54 PM
Location:  Austin, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  SOO 4451(GP38-2) MILW 2037(GP40) SOO 4422(GP38-2)
Views:  534   Comments: 0
Pulling into town
Title:  Pulling into town
Description:  A local on the ex MILW line from Albert Lea to Austin arrives at Austin behind a set of patch painted MILW units. SOO had taken over the Milauke Road two years earlier, and had done a good job thus far on painting out the MILW markings, not so good on full repaints.
Photo Date:  6/22/1987  Upload Date: 5/7/2015 2:32:36 PM
Location:  Austin, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  SOO 4504(GP38-2) SOO 4509(GP38-2) SOO 2009(GP40)
Views:  688   Comments: 0
Long look
Title:  Long look
Description:  WAMCA rolls slowly toward Mason City as seen across a wide cornfield.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/15/2015 3:49:20 AM
Location:  Otisco, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  DME 549(SD10) DME 6613(SD9)
Views:  294   Comments: 0
Out in the field
Title:  Out in the field
Description:  WAMCA rolls 40 cars south at the breakneck speed of 10 MPH as it makes its way through the fields of southern Minnesota behind classic power.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/11/2015 3:30:19 AM
Location:  Otisco, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  DME 549(SD10) DME 6613(SD9)
Views:  447   Comments: 0
Leaving the yard
Title:  Leaving the yard
Description:  DM&E train WAMCA, a Waseca-Mason City IA job, is leaving the Waseca yard early in the morning for its 10 MPH jaunt to Mason City.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/7/2015 2:50:52 PM
Location:  Waseca, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard,Action
Locomotives:  DME 549(SD10) DME 6613(SD9)
Views:  410   Comments: 0
Getting underway
Title:  Getting underway
Description:  WAMCA gets started with its 40 car train for Mason City.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/7/2015 2:53:45 PM
Location:  Waseca, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard,Action
Locomotives:  DME 549(SD10) DME 6613(SD9)
Views:  301   Comments: 0
New paint
Title:  New paint
Description:  DM&E had only recently been spun off from the CNW, and most of its power at that point was still in CNW green and yellow. This unit was one of the first repaints into this attractive blue and yellow, inspired by the Swedish flag, perhaps inspired by the heritage of many of the people who settled Minnesota and South Dakota, the roads primary service area.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/7/2015 2:55:56 PM
Location:  Waseca, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  DME 549(SD10)
Views:  354   Comments: 1
Mankato bound
Title:  Mankato bound
Description:  One of the main intechange points with the CNW was at Makato, about 25 miles to the west. This train, WAMAA, is rolling 31 cars there behind an interesting set of power, including one of the MILW only SDL39s. We see it here getting unnderway from Waseca.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/7/2015 2:58:34 PM
Location:  Waseca, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  DME 550(SD10) SOO 584(SDL39) DME 6618(SD7R)
Views:  765   Comments: 0
SDL39
Title:  SDL39
Description:  Milwaukee Road ordered these SDL39s, a version of EMDs 39 line on pared down C trucks, designed to lighten the axle load on the light rail branch lines in the system. MILW got ten of them, the only such order in the US. They wound up on DM&E at start up. I was lucky to catch one in the yard at Waseca. It would go out shortly on a train to Mankato.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/7/2015 3:02:34 PM
Location:  Waseca, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  SOO 584(SDL39) DME 550(SD10)
Views:  929   Comments: 0
Ready
Title:  Ready
Description:  My notes don't show a symbol for this train, but it had the power on and was ready to go somewhere. The power is typical of the hand me down diesels DM&E started with, and it was good to see all these first generation units working, many still in full CNW paint.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/7/2015 3:06:11 PM
Location:  Waseca, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories: 
Locomotives:  DME 6602(SD9) DME 6613(SD9) DME 6614(SD9)
Views:  413   Comments: 0
On deck
Title:  On deck
Description:  These two SDs will shortly be put on a train and head out. Lots of these early SDs on hand at Waseca. Note the CNW box car in the background to the right of 6602. Interesting lettering.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/7/2015 3:11:29 PM
Location:  Waseca, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  DME 6602(SD9) DME 6614(SD9)
Views:  537   Comments: 0
WAMAA power
Title:  WAMAA power
Description:  A shot of the power that will shorly take WAMAA to Mankato. Have a better shot from the other side.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/7/2015 3:13:24 PM
Location:  Waseca, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  DME 6618(SD7R) SOO 584(SDL39) DME 550(SD10)
Views:  624   Comments: 0
In the corn
Title:  In the corn
Description:  WAMCA has just left Waseca yard and is parting the sea of corn as it rolls slowly toward Mason City behind what was then one of a very few-if notthe only-DM&E painted unit.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/11/2015 3:33:56 AM
Location:  Waseca, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  DME 549(SD10) DME 6613(SD9)
Views:  435   Comments: 0
What a set of power
Title:  What a set of power
Description:  This 31 car WAMAA has a power set you wont find anywhere today. It was pretty wild even then. The second unit is the real find. Only ten SDL39s were built, all for MILW. It was a slimmed down version of the SD 39, designed for light rail on prairie branch lines. Here its stretching its legs a little on this run to Mankato.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/11/2015 3:38:18 AM
Location:  Janesville, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  DME 550(SD10) SOO 584(SDL39) DME 6618(SD7R)
Views:  609   Comments: 0
Rolling right along
Title:  Rolling right along
Description:  Unlike the line to Mason City, the line to Mankato was in somewhat better shape. Chasing on then two lane US 14 was a bit of a challenge in traffic, but I was still able to get a couple of shots before the construction forced a detour. This one shows the train stretched out as it rolls through the farmland just out of the yard in Waseca
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/11/2015 3:41:59 AM
Location:  Waseca, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  DME 550(SD10) SOO 584(SDL39) DME 6618(SD7R)
Views:  707   Comments: 1
Great mix
Title:  Great mix
Description:  This set of power was getting prepped to go out to Mankato on WAMAA. What a set: an SD 9, SDL 39 and MILW rebuild SD 10.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/7/2015 3:15:09 PM
Location:  Waseca, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  DME 6618(SD7R) SOO 584(SDL39) DME 550(SD10)
Views:  813   Comments: 0
DM&E 549
Title:  DM&E 549
Description:  DM&E 549, an ex MILW SD10, and DM&E 6617, an ex CNW SD 18, lead a freight south on the recently acquired CNW line from Waseca Minn south.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 3/22/2011 1:45:15 AM
Location:  Otisco, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  DME 549(SD10) DME 6617(SD7R)
Views:  682   Comments: 0
Cant find a lashup like this anymore
Title:  Cant find a lashup like this anymore
Description:  A mix of hand me down units, including a rare(only 10 built) SDL 39 powers westbound train WAMAA on the DM&E
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 8/7/2011 12:27:47 AM
Location:  Mankato, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  DME 550(SD10) DME 6618(SD7R)
Views:  890   Comments: 0
Jusu got here
Title:  Jusu got here
Description:  I had just arrived at St Paul and got out of the car at Hoffman Av as this untouched MILW unit rolled up leading a westbound.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/10/2015 2:42:54 AM
Location:  Saint Paul, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Signal,Action
Locomotives:  MILW 172(SD40-2) SOO 765(SD40-2)
Views:  476   Comments: 1
MPs in the yard
Title:  MPs in the yard
Description:  Milwaukee yad a sizeable fleet of MP 15s, most of which went into SOO, and a few which got the candy apple red treatment. Some still work for CP. Two of them are pulling out a cut at Pigs Eye yard, seen from adjacent US 10/61.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/10/2015 2:54:33 AM
Location:  Saint Paul, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard,Action
Locomotives:  MILW 468(MP15AC) MILW 467(MP15AC)
Views:  330   Comments: 0
Wokring hard
Title:  Wokring hard
Description:  The MP 15s working Pigs eye are smoking pretty good as they pull a cut of cars out of the yard.
Photo Date:  6/23/1987  Upload Date: 5/10/2015 3:05:50 AM
Location:  Saint Paul, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard,Action
Locomotives:  MILW 486(MP15AC) MILW 487(MP15AC)
Views:  738   Comments: 0
Switching pigs
Title:  Switching pigs
Description:  Pig flats, anyway. MILW 2037 was holding down the local work out of Pigs Eye this day, going here and there through Hoffman Av. At this moment, its working some trailer flats in the yard down near the river, and will shortly take some to the yard.
Photo Date:  6/24/1987  Upload Date: 5/10/2015 2:35:19 AM
Location:  Saint Paul, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Yard,Action
Locomotives:  MILW 2037(GP40)
Views:  235   Comments: 0
Along the bluff
Title:  Along the bluff
Description:  This SOO 113 car westbound was rolling along Daytons Bluff as it passed the Hoffman Av interlocking.
Photo Date:  6/24/1987  Upload Date: 5/10/2015 3:11:34 AM
Location:  Saint Paul, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Signal,Action
Locomotives:  MILW 2019(GP40) SOO 2058(GP40) SOO 4440(GP38-2) SOO 6303(SD40-2) SOO 738(SD40)
Views:  664   Comments: 0
Local goind west
Title:  Local goind west
Description:  MILW 2037 is once again passing Hoffman Av as it makes its way over to St Paul with 21 cars.
Photo Date:  6/24/1987  Upload Date: 5/10/2015 3:13:18 AM
Location:  Saint Paul, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  MILW 2037(GP40)
Views:  189   Comments: 0
Ford Hauler
Title:  Ford Hauler
Description:  One of the more notable assignments in the Twin Cities area was the Ford Hauler, which worked the Ford St Paul Assembly plant a couple of times daily. The morning job i| coming around the bend from St Paul Union Depot with 51 cars, the St Paul skyline as a backdrop.
Photo Date:  6/24/1987  Upload Date: 5/10/2015 3:47:22 AM
Location:  Saint Paul, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  MILW 467(MP15AC) MILW 475(MP15AC)
Views:  405   Comments: 3
One of each
Title:  One of each
Description:  During the transition period where SOO was assimilating the Milwaukee, it was possible to see a mix of power. Here we have a patch painted MILW unit, and untouched MILW unit with a SOO unit trailing. In another few years, CP will absorb SOO fully, and the process will start again. This 71 car eastbound was rolling under Daytons Bluff at Hoffman Av.
Photo Date:  6/24/1987  Upload Date: 5/11/2015 3:01:46 AM
Location:  Saint Paul, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  SOO 2013(GP40) MILW 2061(GP40) SOO 4600(GP40)
Views:  568   Comments: 0
Headed down the river
Title:  Headed down the river
Description:  An eastbound 62 car grain train rolls through Hoffman Av as it makes its way toward the MILW main down th˜ west side of the Mississiippi
Photo Date:  6/24/1987  Upload Date: 5/10/2015 3:25:13 AM
Location:  Saint Paul, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Signal,Action
Locomotives:  SOO 2036(GP40) SOO 772(SD40-2) SOO 4405(GP38-2)
Views:  581   Comments: 1
Stuck
Title:  Stuck
Description:  I was approaching this grade crossing at the throat of the N Fond du Lac yard when the yard engine pulled out. Its a classic, a SOO GP 9 from way back. Some of the local kids also are taking in the action. Note the phone booth at left, and the SOO truck on the other side of the tracks.
Photo Date:  6/24/1987  Upload Date: 5/11/2015 3:20:04 AM
Location:  North Fond du Lac, WI
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Yard,Action
Locomotives:  SOO 4229(GP9)
Views:  369   Comments: 1
Lite power to Pigs Eye
Title:  Lite power to Pigs Eye
Description:  A set of light power roll through Hoffman Av making its way to Pigs Eye Yard for its next assignment.
Photo Date:  6/24/1987  Upload Date: 5/11/2015 2:58:32 AM
Location:  Saint Paul, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Signal,Action
Locomotives:  SOO 760(SD40-2) SOO 6305(SD40-2)
Views:  562   Comments: 1
Lucky 7s
Title:  Lucky 7s
Description:  SOO 777 was the leader on this 54 car westbound at Red Wing.
Photo Date:  6/24/1987  Upload Date: 5/11/2015 3:16:33 AM
Location:  Red Wing, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,Action
Locomotives:  SOO 777(SD40-2) SOO 6382(SD40-2) SOO 4428(GP38-2)
Views:  617   Comments: 2
Auto frames at Forest Hill
Title:  Auto frames at Forest Hill
Description:  A CP train of auto frames approaches Forest Hill tower as it head east from Clearing Yard
Photo Date:  1/14/1996  Upload Date: 7/29/2012 4:16:26 AM
Location:  Chicago, IL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Signal,Action
Locomotives:  SOO 758(SD40-2) HLCX 6211(SD40-2)
Views:  523   Comments: 0
Grain train west
Title:  Grain train west
Description:  Eight units led this train
Photo Date:  9/23/2011  Upload Date: 1/21/2012 2:01:27 AM
Location:  Pierre, SD
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  ICE 6448(SD40-2) ICE 6413(SD40-2) ICE 6421(SD40-2) ICE 6422(SD40-2) DME 6091(SD40-3) CITX 3053(SD40-2) DME 6088(SD40-3) ICE 4204(GP40-2)
Views:  650   Comments: 1
Westbound on the river
Title:  Westbound on the river
Description:  A westbound train led by a SOO unit passes Hoffman Av on its way ti Shoreham with 88 cars. The local is still working the yard in the background.
Photo Date:  5/10/2015  Upload Date: 5/10/2015 3:18:27 AM
Location:  Saint Paul, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  SOO 756(SD40) SOO 6304(SD40-2) MILW 2037(GP40)
Views:  511   Comments: 0
Ethanol
Title:  Ethanol
Description:  Where I live, on the KCS, tank trains are usually oil headed south to Gulf Coast refineries. Up here in corn country, its usually ethanol. There are a lot of plants here. This train that we see in its element was on what was once the C&NW, then became the DM&E, and now CP. Need a scorecard to tell the players!!
Photo Date:  9/30/2018  Upload Date: 11/8/2018 5:33:59 AM
Location:  Waseca, MN
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  UP 7439(AC45CCTE) NS 1003(SD70ACe)
Views:  126   Comments: 1
Big yard power
Title:  Big yard power
Description:  This CP ES44 was sitting in the yard at Marquette.
Photo Date:  10/5/2019  Upload Date: 11/5/2019 4:55:20 AM
Location:  Marquette, IA
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Roster,Track
Locomotives:  CP 8829(ES44AC)
Views:  127   Comments: 1


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