RRHMA Tractors and Trains 2024 - Jeddo Coal Co. 85, NRE deadlines, ATSF 537, UP 6936/3985 & More! Badgerland Rail Videos 2026-09-21 | RRHMA Tractors and Trains 2024 - Jeddo Coal Co. 85, NRE deadlines, ATSF 537, UP 6936/3985 & More!
Milwaukee Road 261 Fall Colors Excursion 10/10/2015 - BNSF Hinckley Sub in MN/WI Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-10-10 | I had thought about going to see/ride the Harvest BBQ Express this year, but it ended up not working out logistically with some other things I had going on. So this excursion 10 years ago OTD is the last time I've seen Milwaukee Road 261. The big Northern puts on a good show steaming between the Twin Cities and Twin Ports on this round trip over ex-Great Northern and Soo Line trackage.
Fall Colors Railfanning Along the Mississippi River 10/9/2020 Part 2 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-10-10 | I set up at and around Lynxville, WI on the BNSF Aurora Sub for the rest of the afternoon and caught several more trains, including a few led by SD70ACes.
Fall Colors Railfanning Along the Mississippi River 10/9/2020 Part 1 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-10-09 | A look back to a fall Mississippi River trip 5 years ago OTD. Includes a jaunt across to Marquette, IA to catch an empty CP coal train (from the Columbia plant in Wisconsin) with UP power heading south.Then back across the river to Prairie du Chien where I immediately missed three trains while trying to make a food/gas/restroom pit stop. Finally I found a nice location near a bridge over a creek and caught three westbounds including a manifest with NS power and the local heading to La Crosse.
CP Watertown Sub 10/7/2020 Part 2 - EB Mixed Freight 288 w/CM&Q AC4400CW Chase Continues + 281 w/KCS Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-10-07 | After 288 with the CM&Q 1006 second out finally departed Portage East, I gave chase for two more runbys. I heard some scanner chatter indicating westbound manifest 281 was approaching, but with daylight rapidly fading I opted to head to the Portage Amtrak station, where it would stop for a crew change. It had a Kansas City Southern ES44AC leading; with the announcement of the pending "CPKC" merger almost six months off yet, KCS power was a rare treat on this line.
CP Watertown Sub 10/7/2020 Part 1 - EB Mixed Freight 288 w/CM&Q AC4400CW Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-10-07 | Went out to get eastbound manifest 288 on the Canadian Pacific mainline on this day 5 years ago, when I got word that it had Central Maine & Quebec Railway AC4400CW No. 1006. second out. CP had just acquired the CM&Q a few months earlier. CMQ itself had only started up in 2014 to operate the former lines of the defunct Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway, which went bankrupt in the aftermath of the 2013 oil train disaster at Lac-Mégantic, QC, CA.We see the train arrive into the west end of Portage, with a Union Pacific GE leader as well as one mid-train. They take headroom on the siding out the east end of town to do their switching, and spend quite a bit of time doing this. Meanwhile, the local freight train on the Madison branch line arrives back to town with its standard pair of GP20C-ECOs.
Railfanning the CP 10/5/2020 Part 2 - Evening Rush at Portage West w/SD60-3, Heritage SD70ACU + More Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-10-05 | The evening shadows grew long as I waited for 281 to do its switching in the yard at Portage.Meanwhile, eastbound mixed freight 288 arrived with a BNSF Tier 4 leader and CP 7017, one of the Heritage scheme SD70ACUs, as the rear end distributed power unit. Meanwhile, westbound oil train 587 with a BNSF GE-UP EMD combo had pulled up and was holding the main waiting for 288 to clear. Behind them were two westbound manifests including the aforementioned 281.0:00 Intro0:10 EB manifest 288 approaches Portage West5:40 Oil train 587 departs Portage West w/BNSF and UP power9:34 WB manifest 281 at Portage West, 51 loads x 51 MTs12:07 WB manifest 287 at Portage West w/CSX leader
Railfanning the CP Mainline 10/5/2020 Part 1 - SD60-3 Leads Manifest, Amtrak 7 + More Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-10-05 | Went out this day 5 years ago mainly to get westbound mixed freight train 281, which had CP 6306, a rebuilt ex-Soo Line SD60 in the reintroduced CP "Golden Beaver" paint scheme, in the lead.0:00 Intro0:10 Westbound autorack/intermodal 199 at Columbus3:53 281 at Columbus5:27 Local freight train G64 coming into Portage6:27 281 following G64 into Portage10:54 Westbound oil train 587 fueling at Portage East11:04 Amtrak 7, westbound Empire Builder leaving Portage
CP Watertown Sub 10/4/2020 - Westbound Manifest 281 + Westbound Amtrak Empire Builder w/PV Cars Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-10-04 | Headed trackside at Columbus, WI on this day 5 years ago mainly to get Amtrak train No. 7, the westbound _Empire Builder_ because it would have three pieces of private varnish on the end. The last of these was the 1949 Budd observation car "Dagny Taggart," named for the railroad tycoon protagonist in _Atlas Shrugged_ . I wanted to catch this because this was rumored to be the car's last run on Amtrak, before being relegated to dinner charter service at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum.Before No. 7, we see westbound mixed freight train 281 with three GEs (one mid-train), including a BNSF unit second out.
Riding the Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway 9/20/2025 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-10-01 | On a weekend trip to Colorado Springs for a family event, we took time to ride the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway. This is one of only three operating cog or "rack" railroads in the United States, and by far the longest at 8.9 miles.We were on the 2:40 PM service in the 1988 diesel-hydraulic railcar set No. 25 with Engineer Cameron. We had gotten the uphill engineer's view seats; unfortunately rain showers moved in shortly before departure and the lack of a windshield wiper on our side meant a lot of my video was obscured by droplets on the glass. As we arrived at the summit, it actually started snowing, with a stiff wind and a temperature around 30 degrees (it had been in the 70s in Colorado Springs)! At least the sky cleared up for the downhill trip, affording some great views above the tree line.We meet the descending No. 29, one of the newer (2021) trainsets, at Minnehaha Siding, and its sister No. 27 at Windy Point Siding. Then No. 29 holds for us at Windy Point as we start our descent.
WSOR MP15ACs Lead Road Freight T006 Out of Madison 9/19/2015 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-09-19 | In 2008, the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad bought six ex-Milwaukee Road/Soo Line MP15AC switcher locomotives, which seemed ideally suited for the extensive yard and branch line work on the system. Their time on the railroad would prove short, however as Watco (which bought the railroad in 2012) saw fit to reassign them to some of their other railroad properties. On this day 10 years ago was the last time I saw any of them leading a train, and it happened to be a road freight, T006 (Madison-Janesville).We see two runbys, one in the Isthmus of Madison and one at South Towne Drive, accelerating to track speed. MP15ACs 1503 and 1506 are in front of 30th Anniversary SD40-2 4030.
CP Watertown/Tomah Subs 9/15/2015 - NS 1070 Wabash Heritage SD70ACe Leads Oil Empties + 2 More Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-09-16 | An outing to the Canadian Pacific mainline in Wisconsin OTD ten years ago to catch westbound empty oil train 581 led by Norfolk Southern's Wabash heritage scheme unit, SD70ACe No. 1070.We see three runbys of that, interspersed with eastbound intermodal train 198 and coal train 813 with Union Pacific power.
WSOR T003 at Janesville 9/14/2020, WAMX 4174-4182 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-09-14 | Five years ago, before the takeover of the yellow SD60Ms the following summer, the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad still looked much the same as it had for the prior 15 years or so. Only new numbers with small "WAMX" stencils on the red and gray SD40-2s hinted that anything significant had changed.On the way home from shooting the UP local in Loves Park/Rockford, IL, I stopped off at the Wisconsin and Southern yard in Janesville just as the power for that day's train T003, Janesville-Horicon, was heading from the fueling track to collect their train in the yard.We see them depart town, with the WSOR 503196 breast cancer awareness boxcar in the train at 5:12. I was hoping to get a runby at speed at M-H Town Line Rd., but they stopped to collect a string of covered hoppers from the west end of the siding there.
UP Y-BE51 Loves Park Local Street Running in Rockford, IL 9/14/2020 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-09-14 | On this day five years ago we catch Union Pacific's local freight train Y-BE51 out of Belvidere, IL working on a small surviving segment of the old C&NW Kenosha Division or "KD Line" which once connected Kenosha, WI to Rockford, IL. Most of it was abandoned in 1939.They serve two customers in Loves Park, IL. This day's trip swapped out a single tank car at Rock Valley Oil & Chemical. The power was GP40-2 UP 5245 and GP60 UP 1038. The line has a several block section of street running down Madison Street in Rockford.
CP Watertown Sub 9/1/2020 - CP 7016 Heritage SD70ACU Leads 288 + 3 More Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-09-02 | A few hours at Richwood, WI just west of Watertown on the Canadian Pacific Watertown Subdivision. Mainly went to get eastbound mixed freight train 288 which was reported to have SD70ACU CP 7016 in the block lettering heritage scheme leading, with sister 7051 in the standard red "Golden Beaver" scheme mid-train.0:00 Intro0:10 Westbound mixed freight 281 w/CP 8053 AC4400CWM leading4:08 Westbound Amtrak Empire Builder5:16 Eastbound mixed freight 288 w/CP 7016 heritage SD70ACU leading10:41 Local G64 westbound returning to Portage with a pair of GP20C-ECOs
1,000 Subscriber Special: One Hour of Empire Builders Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-09-01 | For 45 years (from the end of the _North Coast Hiawatha_ in 1979 until the startup of the _Borealis_ in 2024), Amtrak's _Empire Builder_ was the only regular passenger train operating in Wisconsin west of Milwaukee.When I took up railfan-photography/videography in 2007, the train was a favorite target. All of these clips were taken on the Canadian Pacific Watertown and Tomah Subdivisions in Wisconsin, spanning from March of 2007 to February of 2010. Most are the eastbound (No. 8) but some are the westbound (No. 7). Many were taken by my dad. He was still working at the time, as a traveling customer service rep for a trucking company. He would often eat his lunch by the tracks and take video of whatever came by, which frequently included No. 8 with its mid-day schedule across Wisconsin.
CP Watertown/Tomah Subs 9/1/2015 - Chasing WB Mixed Freight Train 287 w/KCS Southern Belle SD70ACe Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-09-01 | Heard that this westbound manifest along the Canadian Pacific Chicago-Twin Cities mainline had Kansas City Southern SD70ACe 4125 leading it (along with an ex-N&W SD40-2 second out) on this fine late summer day 10 years ago OTD.Years before the "CPKC" merger, KCS power (especially EMDs in the "Southern Belle" paint scheme) was a rare treat along this line.My dad also happened to be out this day, to my east in Fall River. He caught the first runby of 287, along with the local train G64 led by CP 3019 (a rare catch for us of any of the GMD-built CP GP38ACs while they were still in the Multimark scheme). Then I caught Amtrak No. 8, the eastbound _Empire Builder_ and three more runbys of 287.0:00 Intro0:10 G64 at Fall River w/CP 3019-SOO 4405 (taken by my dad)0:26 287 at Fall River (taken by my dad)6:00 Amtrak No. 8 at Wauona Trail in Portage6:49 287 at Wauona Trail (gets overtaken by CP hi-rail on the main)9:50 287 at Lewiston (between Portage and Wis. Dells)10:32 287 at Bowman Road in Wisconsin Dells
CP 7014 Script Heritage SD70ACU Leads Eastbound Freight Train + CSX, BNSF, Amtrak 8/28/2020 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-08-28 | Several trains with some interesting motive power on the Canadian Pacific mainline across Wisconsin on this fine late summer day 5 years ago.0:00 Intro0:10 Eastbound mixed freight 470 at Wisconsin Dells with CP 7014 leading2:17 Eastbound ethanol train 686 at east end Portage with GE/EMD rebuilds3:38 Eastbound mixed freight 288 east of Rio with two CSX motors plus BNSF 7695 "Golden Swoosh"5:04 470 coming into west end Portage7:05 470 doing its work in Portage Yard8:13 Westbound Amtrak Empire Builder coming into Portage9:07 470 departs Portage continuing east
WSOR GP38s Switching Lycon on Reactivated Ex-C&NW Rails in Oregon, WI 8/26/2015 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-08-26 | For nearly eighteen years after the last Union Pacific train out of Madison in October 1996, the ex-C&NW rails in the village of Oregon, Wisconsin were rusty, overgrown and silent. However that is far from the case here as the clatter of crossing bells, the growl of EMD 645s, and the shriek of flanges on rails permeate a late summer afternoon. The line was rehabbed and reopened in the fall of 2014 so the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad could deliver loads of aggregate for a newly opened Lycon ready-mix plant.I caught three trains on the line in the first month, including the ceremonial first one and a ballast train. This one, 10 months later and 10 years ago OTD, was my first one since then. This also ended up being the last time I caught any of the original eight (non-Dash 2) WSOR GP38s in action before they were all reassigned or retired by Watco, which had acquired the railroad at the start of 2012.0:00 Intro0:10 Light power after spotting empties south (timetable east) of Netherwood Rd.0:55 Pulling ahead with the loads3:17 Shoving in and spotting the loads7:17 Departing with the empties back to Madison
Omaha Zoo Railroad 119 & 395-104 Operating at the Henry Doorly Zoo 8/23/2025 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-08-26 | The Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, NE has a huge and diverse collection of animals on exhibit, but the main attraction for me was the "Iron Horses."The 30" gauge Omaha Zoo Railroad has two fine specimens in regular service. One is a replica of the Union Pacific 119, the 4-4-0 which represented UP at the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad in May, 1869. UP funded the construction of the Zoo Railroad in 1968.The other is an Austrian-built 1890 0-6-2T, numbered 395-104 and named "Riva." It was a gorgeous weather Saturday, probably the last before school starts back up, and every seat was filled at each station stop. Both locomotives provide some great stack talk as they tackle the multiple steep hills along the route. We also get a glimpse of the two wigwag crossing signals (one working, one not) they have along the line.
Railfanning the WSOR Around Janesville/Milton 8/23/2015 - 4078 Light Power, Coal Hopper Storage Pull Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-08-23 | On this date 10 years ago I went out to railfan the Wisconsin and Southern in the Janesville area.First, I heard a yard job getting track on the Fox Lake Sub from Bardwell (junction with the old R&SW division line which serves as the branch line to Elkhorn) back to Janesville. This turned out to be WSOR 4078 running light engine. 4078 is one of the four ex-C&O/Utah Railway SD40M-2s (rebuilt from SD40s) that in the Watco era were eventually renumbered WAMX 4189-4192.Then I heard that another train was approaching Milton on the line from Waukesha. I assumed this was the regular Horicon-Janesville freight T004, but it turned out to be a train of over 100 empty WPSX coal hoppers that had been pulled from storage on the line between Elkhart Lake and Plymouth!
Iowa Northern Railway Oelwein Local 8/17/2025 - HLCX 3886 + F40 Slug Set, CN Safety Inspection Car! Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-08-22 | I wasn't really expecting the Iowa Northern local freight train to Oelwein to run on a Sunday when I was there for Hub City Railroad Days, but it did! Here we see them pull through the old Chicago Great Western yard, past the Hub City Heritage Museum's ex-Minnesota Transfer Ry. ALCo S1, to make a pickup at Transco Railway Products. They make a few switching moves next to the museum's partially operational CGW FP7 116A, then pull to the edge of town to air test and then depart along the stub of the old CGW Kansas City line toward Fairbank/Waterloo.IANR became a subsidiary of Canadian National earlier this year. A lot of CN power has already appeared on the ex-Rock Island former "main" line, but on the Oelwein branch their ex-Amtrak F40PHs rebuilt for freight service, often paired with slugs as here, are still a common sight.As a bonus, one of the things they picked up from the yard before leaving was the CN Safety Inspection boxcar CNIS 412062.
Me on the hand pump cart at Hub City Railroad Days 2025 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-08-22 | Me trying out the old pump cart (hand car) at Hub City Heritage Railroad Days in Oelwein, IA. These are what maintenance of way crews used to patrol their sections and haul materials in the days before motor cars (speeders) and now hi-rails.
EMD 567B F-Unit Startup - CGW 116A, Hub City Heritage Railroad Days, Oelwein, IA 8/17/2025 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-08-22 | The Chicago Great Western EMD FP7A No. 116A is one of three diesel locomotives at the small but interesting Hub City Heritage Corporation Railroad Museum in Oelwein, IA. Its 1,500 HP EMD 567B prime mover was restored to operation about ten years ago. They run it for the public during their "Railroad Days" event each summer. The man who started it up seen at 2:51 is @ianr2003.Some of the exterior accoutrements such as the headlight, numberboard lights, and single-note horn (probably a Leslie A-200) also work. However the locomotive is still missing some critical components to be fully operational, such as traction motors.Oelwein was known as "Hub City" due to its location at the junction of CGW's two main lines, Chicago-Twin Cities and Chicago-Kansas City. When the Chicago & Northwestern purchased the CGW in 1968, it eventually abandoned most of the ex-CGW trackage. Oelwein now sits at the end of a branch line from Waterloo (part of the old Kansas City line) operated by the Iowa Northern Railway (a subsidiary of CN since earlier this year). A couple of customers are served on a stub of the old Twin Cities line near State Highway 3, and Transco Railway Products repairs railcars using a portion of the old CGW shops complex.
Railfanning the CP at Portage, WI 8/20-21, 2020 - CP 7018 Heritage Unit + SP Patch AC4400CW - Twice! Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-08-20 | On this day five years ago, saw a heads up that SD70ACU CP 7018 in the block lettering version of the maroon and gray heritage scheme was leading eastbound mixed freight train 470, with patched Southern Pacific AC4400CW UP 6310 as rear end DPU.Then the next day, it led mixed freight 281 west with 6310 mid-train. We also see the local train G64 with a GP20C-ECO on both days, and an eastbound oil train with Kansas City Southern power. In this era before the "CPKC" merger was even announced (although I'm sure behind-the-scenes talks were already underway at the time), KCS power was a rare treat on this line. Railfans "out of the loop" such as myself thought nothing of the gradual increase in its prevalence, other than to take advantage of it while we could.
Southern Ry. 401 Operating at Monticello Railway Museum on One STEAMY August Day 8/16/2025 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-08-20 | I'm always looking to add new operational steam locomotives to my photographic/video roster, and one I hadn't seen before was Southern Railway 401, a 1907 Baldwin 2-8-0 Consolidation type at the Monticello Railway Museum in Monticello, IL. I made the four-hour (each way) drive from Madison, Wisconsin on August 16, the Saturday of one of the weekends it was scheduled to operate this summer.The event went ahead as planned despite temperatures soaring to near 100 degrees Fahrenheit with a heat index near 110. Normally I kind of envy the crews in the cab of steam locomotives, not so much on this day as it had to be absolutely brutal in there especially during the station stopovers with no breeze.The museum excursions operate mostly on a section of ex-Illinois Central trackage between Monticello and White Heath, with the museum property located between the two. The trains arrive to the "Nelson's Crossing" depot (moved from De Land, IL) using the parallel ex-Illinois Terminal right-of-way, then depart by shoving out and crossing over, heading south to Monticello proper, stopping over at the depot in downtown Monticello, then shoving to just short of White Heath before returning.Of note, the crossing at the entrance to the museum's parking lot has a US&S Co. "teardrop" crossing bell. This is the first time I've heard/recorded one of these bells in action.
BNSF Empty Grainer Over Wisconsin and Southern 8/11/2015 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-08-11 | A chase of one of the relatively high number of these trains that ran 10 years ago. These empty grain trains came off the BNSF Aurora Sub at Crawford (Prairie du Chien), bound for loading at the Gavilon (now DeLong Company) elevator in Avalon. This one has a quartet of fairly clean BNSF GEs (including some of the then-new ES44C4s) in a 2x2 distributed power configuration.We chase it from Arena to Black Earth, then break off as I had some chores to attend to at home. I waited for the 10 MPH train to catch up, then it was an easy jaunt out the door for one more runby as it crossed the causeway over Monona Bay.
When They Still Ran With SD40-2s: Wisconsin and Southern Train T004 Milton - Janesville 8/4/2015 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-08-04 | A look back to 10 years ago on this date, we catch Wisconsin and Southern Railroad's freight train T004 (Horicon-Janesville) as it rumbles into Milton and after a little switching work there, continues to Janesville where it stops again to switch the east (geographically southwest) end of the then-recently completed siding located between M-H Town Line Rd. and Rotamer Rd. Leading the train this day was WSOR 4002, one of the original group of six ex-Rock Island SD40-2s acquired by the railroad in 2002. Also in the consist were WSOR 4079 (SD40M-2, built as a C&O SD40) and 4053 ("Grow Wisconsin" Map scheme).In the mid-2020s these trains are now nearly always led by the SD60Ms which began arriving on the scene in the spring of 2021, as they all have PTC, the only SD40-2 that does is WAMX 4173 (formerly WSOR 4004).
Railfanning in a 1957 Thunderbird - WAMX 3928/WSOR 3801 on One-Car Local Milton-Janesville 8/1/2015 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-08-01 | 10 years ago OTD I was with my dad coming back from a car show in his 1957 Ford Thunderbird, when we chanced upon a one-car Wisconsin & Southern local freight train departing Milton. This was the third time I'd caught 3928 leading post-35th Anniversary repaint, and the second to last time I caught any of the original WSOR 38XX non-Dash 2 GP38s on a train.Unfortunately the video isn't the best since I only had my handheld Canon T1i DSLR with its 720p Quicktime video mode, plus it was having some exposure/shutter issues and that darn postal truck pulled right up to the crossing at the last moment; then the rest of the runbys were from the shadow side.
CP Watertown Sub 7/31/2020 Part 2 - SD70ACU Leads EB, SD40-2s Grinding it Out on The Main & More! Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-07-31 | While waiting for the ballast train 8WWA to finish loading, we head back to the Watertown Sub main at Reeseville, WI and catch an eastbound grain train with a BNSF leader, followed by eastbound manifest 288 which has SD70ACU CP 7001, which led the previous day's 281 west, in the lead. Then is Amtrak No. 7, the westbound Empire Builder. After this we move a little bit west of town for 281, followed by the payoff as 8WWA heads west with the loads, CP 6069 in the lead and the pair of SD40-2s working hard!
CP Watertown Sub 7/31/2020 Part 1 - Ballast Train 8WWA w/Pair of GMD SD40-2s Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-07-31 | On a gorgeous summer day five years ago OTD, we chase a Canadian Pacific ballast train with a pair of CP SD40-2s in the Multimark or "Pac-Man" scheme along the branch line from Watertown to the Michels Materials transload site or "Pit" located between Hubbleton and Waterloo.
CP Watertown/Tomah Subs Around Portage 7/30/2020 - First Outing w/New Camcorder Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-07-31 | Five years ago OTD was my first time out with the Canon VIXIA HF G60 I bought to replace the VIXIA HF G10 I'd been using since 2013. The camera is 4K capable, however, for the first three years of owning it I only used its high-bitrate 1080p HD mode due to storage space and editing computer power limitations.First up is the M&P Sub (Madison branch) local coming back into Portage with a pair of GP20C-ECOs. Then, eastbound manifest 288 takes headroom to make its set-out in the yard, with a BNSF unit in the consist.Finally, we see westbound manifest 281 with SD70ACu CP 7001 leading. They set out a unit in the yard and then continue west.
Two CP Tomah Sub Trains 7/30/2015 - DM&E 6088 Leads Eastbound Manifest w/NS, CP, KCS Units Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-07-30 | Just two trains on this day 10 years ago. The reason I was out was eastbound manifest 470 with Dakota, Minneosta and Eastern SD40-3 (ex-CP SD40) 6088 leading a colorful consist that also included a CP SD40-2 and a gray Kansas City Southern SD70ACe (years before the CPKC merger, KCS power was relatively rare on this line).I think this was also the very last time I caught a six-axle unit in the DM&E or IC&E blue and gold scheme leading a train. In hindsight it's beyond me why I didn't chase it for more shots, seeing as it was taking to Lewiston Siding to meet westbound manifest 281. The only thing I can't think of is I hadn't heard what 281's lead unit was, and was hoping it had something good. Had I known it just a GEVO one-unit wonder, I surely wouldn't have bothered with it. Darn.
Whiskey River Railway Cab Ride & Shop Tour 2015 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-07-30 | Ten years ago this day, on a beautiful 7/29/2015, Badgerland Rail Videos (then known as HighIronofWisconsin Productions) got a private cab ride on the diesel locomotive at the 16" gauge Whiskey River Railway at the Little Amerricka Amusement Park in Marshall, WI; along with a tour of their roundhouse and the Merrick Light Railway Equipment Works shops.We get a look at the variety of fauna visible as the train passes through the farms beyond the park, including zebra, emu, llamas, numerous waterfowl, cranes, sheep and cattle. We peek inside No. 1996's diesel-hydraulic mechanism, and Engineer Mark gives us an overview of what it's like running the railroad on a day-to day basis.Inside the roundhouse we see the four steam locomotives, operated only on weekends in the summer and special events such as Pumpkin Train, and in the shops are multiple projects in various stages of completion.
CP Watertown Sub 7/28/2015 - RCP&E SD40-2s, Amtrak Empire Builder + More! Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-07-28 | Went out this day 10 years ago mainly to get eastbound mixed freight train CP 470, which reportedly had three SD40-2s for power, the first two being from the Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad. This G&W subsidiary had been started up the previous year to operate part of the former Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern system from Tracy, MN west. 470/471 were the trains from the RCP&E to and from Chicago via CP's Wisconsin mainline, but it was only for a short time that they had run-through RCP&E power.First up though, we catch a westbound grain train at Portage. We also see westbound intermodal train 199, which meets 470 just to the east, and Amtrak No. 8, the eastbound Empire Builder.
WSOR MT Grain Train w/BNSF Power & Loads Returning the Next Day 7/26-27/2015 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-07-26 | An empty grain train in a 1x3 distributed power setup on the WSOR Madison Subdivision ten years ago OTD. They came off the BNSF at Crawford (Prairie du Chien) and are bound for the Gavilon elevator at Avalon, just east of Janesville.They were loaded in less than a day and the next day we see them westbound at Old Middleton Road on the Prairie Sub (now in a 2x2 setup), but they stop just short of the next crossing west for a crew change.
WSOR L465 Arrives Back at the Madison Yard, WAMX 4223 7/24/2025 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-07-25 | After visiting family on Madison's east side last night, heard a horn blowing through the Isthmus and got to the E. Johnson St. crossing at the entrance to the yard just in time. I believe this is L465 with empties from Lycon in Middleton, and tanks from Future Foam.Power was WAMX 4223, one of several re-engined (to SD40-2 equivalent) former SD45s that Watco rosters, but the only one assigned to the WSOR system and given the red and gray paint.
CP Watertown/Tomah Subs 7/22/2015 - INCREDIBLE Variety, NS, Amtrak, Soo Line SD60, DM&E/CP SD40-2s! Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-07-22 | Prior to the CPKC merger, occasionally you would get a day like this on the Canadian Pacific Railway's ex-Milwaukee Road/Soo Line main line across Wisconsin between Chicago and the Twin Cities. Tremendous variety of paint schemes (including fallen flags and leasers) and diesel locomotive types from both major builders.I believe my initial reason for going trackside this day was a heads up that westbound train 281 had SOO 6053, the only active SD60 remaining in the Soo Line "Candy Apple Red" scheme (unfortunately quite faded) in the lead.However, immediately upon arrival I was surprised by eastbound mixed freight train 470 with a NS Dash 9 leading and three EMDs, including SOO 2010, a GP40 in the "Bandit" patch Milwaukee Road scheme, and HLCX 8143. I believe this was the last time I caught both a Bandit GP40 and a HLCX unit in motion on the CP/CPKC main.Then I got the train I came for, and it met an eastbound intermodal at Portage, allowing me to get it again at Wisconsin Dells. After the counterpart westbound intermodal and both Amtrak Empire Builders, came westbound empty ethanol train 687 with a CP SD40-2/NS SD60 combo. Following this was a light engine move of a BNSF C44-9W, running west as symbol 674 (normally, even numbers denote eastbounds), likely to collect a sand train at Oakdale. I heard on the scanner than a westbound welded rail train was going to duck in between them out of Kilbourn Siding (just west of Wisconsin Dells). I caught handheld video of this at Lyndon Station and it had Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern 6367 "City of New Ulm" long hood forward. I believe this was the last time I caught one of the DM&E 6300-series SD40-2s (ex-Milwaukee Road) in service.These all piled into Mile Creek Siding (just east of Mauston) to meet eastbound mixed freight train 280 with more NS power. 687 continued west, while the rail train tied down, requiring 674 to make a reverse move onto the main to continue west in 687's wake.0:00 Intro0:10 Eastbound manifest 470 at Columbus, NS 9815-CP 4437-SOO 2010-HLCX 81431:33 Westbound manifest 281 at Columbus, SOO 6053-CEFX 1018-NS 88673:08 281 arriving Portage (GoPro dash view)4:02 Eastbound intermodal train 198 at Lewiston5:30 281 again, at Wisconsin Dells7:54 Amtrak No. 8 eastbound Empire Builder at west end Portage8:37 Westbound intermodal 199 leaves Portage, CP 8846 with a P3 horn leads11:11 Amtrak No. 7 westbound Empire Builder at Lewiston11:36 Westbound ethanol empty 687 at Lewiston, CP 5908-NS 668613:00 674 at Lewiston, BNSF 4347 westbound light engine13:24 674 again just east of Wisconsin Dells13:49 Westbound rail train at Lyndon Station, DME 6367 (ex-Milwaukee Road SD40-2)15:31 Eastbound manifest 280 at Mile Creek, NS 7542-696816:55 687 departs Mile Creek after 280 clears19:01 674 follows 687 out of Mile Creek
Whiskey River Railway Day 2025 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-07-20 | We return to the 16" gauge Whiskey River Railway, located at the Little Amerricka Amusement Park in Marshall, WI, for the one day a year when they fire up all four of their steam locomotives (weather permitting and assuming no mechanical issues).This year they had the diesel fuel-fired 4-6-2s "Oakland Acorn" and "Melody Ranch Special" doubleheaded on the "freight train." This is the one we took a ride on, then get multiple runbys of all three trains at the "hill" where you can see the trains both on their way out and on their way back along the loop, with good stack talk as the returning trains make their way upgrade towards the tunnel. There's always a whistle salute, as well!Note the Acorn/Melody Ranch Special's train features the caboose from the defunct Arborway, T.T. (TreeTop) & NorthWestern in Steelville, Missouri.
Mid-Continent Railway Museum 7/18/2015 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-07-18 | A visit to the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom, Wisconsin OTD ten years ago. Volunteers had Polson Logging Co./AKA Saginaw Timber Co. No. 2, a 1912 Baldwin 2-8-2, outside the shops working on it. No. 2 had been the last locomotive to operate in regular steam service at the museum, going silent after the Snow Train event in the year 2000. I rode behind it in 1994, at the age of eight.At the time it was thought that No. 2, and with it, the museum, would be back in steam within the next year or two. However, the then-owner (since passed on) and the museum board were unable to come to terms for a new operating lease agreement (unlike most of the other locomotives, such as its better-known stable-mate Chicago and North Western No. 1385, No. 2 was not directly owned by the museum). The locomotive did indeed make its return to steam operations in 2017, but on the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad.That was all yet to come to pass here on this summer day as crews use the museum's 1943 GE 45-tonner No. 4 to tweak No. 2's positioning outside the shop. Sadly this 3/4 turn of its drivers is the only footage I have of No. 2 in motion. Then No. 4 pulls away and the 1954 Baldwin RS-4-TC No. 1256 emerges from the sheds to take the first run of the daily passenger train. Of note, on this day the train featured the 1915 C&NW combine No. 7409 and 1929 observation/lounge car No. 440, shortly before its repaint to match 7409's yellow and green. Also in the consist is the 1914 Soo Line diner/lounge No. 2017. A "typical" daily consist is just three of the 1914 DLW coaches.
Wisconsin and Southern Business Train w/ WAMX 3928 35th Anniversary GP39-2, WSOR 101 E9A 7/15/2015 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-07-15 | After getting back from my trip to the CP Watertown Sub on this summer afternoon 10 years ago OTD, I got word that a Wisconsin and Southern business extra was running to Milton and back. Got them on the return trip coming back into Madison. The E-unit 101 and business cars had just returned after several years being used on other Watco railroad properties, and I believe this was the first and perhaps only time they were used on the WSOR system after coming back. This was certainly the last time I ever caught them in motion, although unfortunately they had then-recently painted 35th Anniversary GP39-2 WAMX 3928 leading instead of 101.
CP Watertown Sub 7/15/15 - NS 8102 PRR Heritage Unit on Oil Train, Paired Soo Line GP38-2s on Local! Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-07-15 | Headed to the Canadian Pacific Watertown Sub OTD 10 years ago on a heads up that NS 8102, the PRR heritage unit, was leading an eastbound oil train.After this, I caught two more trains including the local with SOO 4405 and 4448. I do believe this was the last time I ever caught unrepainted Soo Line GP38-2s paired together.
C&NW 1385 Homeward Bound on the WSOR Reedsburg Sub Behind WAMX 5907 7/10/2025 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-07-15 | Thursday, July 10 was the day. After being trucked out of SPEC Machine and hoisted onto a flatcar at the lumber spur in Middleton, Wisconsin, the restored 1907 R-1 4-6-0 Chicago and North Western No. 1385 was towed back to its home base at the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom for finishing touches to have it back in steam for 2026, after 28 years out of action.As an aside, this was also the first time I've gotten in a decent chase of any of WSOR's ex-NS GP59s, painted and brought to the system in 2023, leading a move.
A Few Hours at Rochelle 10 Years Ago w/UP, BNSF, CSX 7/13/2015 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-07-13 | My last trip to Rochelle Railroad Park before it became a horn quiet zone, and while the old signal bridges were still in service (but their replacements were going up). I only spent a couple hours there as I was actually in northern Illinois for an unrelated errand. Highlights include a loaded rail train on the UP, CSX power on the BNSF and consecutive UP trains (in opposite directions) led by sequentially numbered SD70ACes.
Branch Line Blueberry With a Classic Train Horn! HLCX 6334 on WSOR L465 7/9/2025 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-07-12 | I was out along the WSOR Prairie Sub in Middleton on Wednesday, July 9 to see if I could catch a highly anticipated movement of a special load, no luck *that* day (teaser!) but I did get wind that the regular local freight train L465 was approaching.Power was HLCX (Helm Financial Leasing) 6334, built in 1966 as a Southern Pacific SD40. It still retains its SP-style headlight, and has a haunting-sounding horn which I believe is a Prime PM920, a Leslie RS3L sound-alike, although it may be the Leslie. These horns, once very common on large railroads such as Chicago and North Western, Burlington Northern, Milwaukee Road, Santa Fe and many others, have become scare even on regionals such as WSOR.6334 has been on the WSOR system since 2017. It is now also one of if not the only six-axle units on the railroad with a "real" bell, since Watco installed e-bells on nearly all the red and gray fleet in late spring 2022.We get runbys of the train at Rocky Dell Road west of Middleton, Cross Plains, Scherbel Road west of Cross Plains, Black Earth with the sound of a WRRS "mini" crossing bell (one of few still in service of another thing that used to be common around here!), and Lake Marion in Mazomanie. The video ends as they head to switch a plastics company in Mazomanie.
Railfanning the CP at Portage ft. Fresh Painted Beaver Red & Military Tribute SD70ACUs! 7/10/2020 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-07-10 | Three trains on the Canadian Pacific in the vicinity of Portage, WI five years ago OTD. First up, westbound intermodal/autorack train 199.Then, eastbound mixed freight 288 meets my main objective for the day, westbound 281, on the fly. The latter train has six units up front led by SD70ACU (rebuilt SD9043MAC) CP 7037, still in relatively fresh and clean "Beaver Red" paint. Sister 7057 is also in consist, along with 7020 in the "temperate climate" NATO Green tribue scheme.7057 and 7020 are set out in the yard, and roll onto the servicing tracks, while 7037 backs onto the rest of the train.
Busy Day on the WSOR Prairie Sub Ft. Freshly Painted WAMX 3928 7/7/2015 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-07-07 | Kansas-based Watco Companies acquired the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad from former owner/CEO Bill Gardner effective at the beginning of 2012, but did not make any changes to the locomotive roster until two years later. In 2014 they brought in two ex-D&H/Union Pacific GP39-2s in patched UP paint. One of these, 3928, received a special red and gray WSOR scheme to commemorate the railroad's 35th Anniversary in June 2015. I caught it leading for the first time on July 7th, 10 years ago OTD.The locomotive is assigned to job L465 and the crew has a short day, just picking up four tanks from the Middleton industrial park and back to the yard at Madison. Shortly after they clear up, T007 is ready to head out the line with the usual long hood forward SD40-2.
WAMX 6024 (Painted SD60M) Leads Five-Unit WSOR T004 at Milton 7/5/2025 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-07-06 | Went to get yesterday's Wisconsin and Southern train T004 when I learned it was led by a repainted SD60M that I hadn't gotten leading before. All five units are in the red and gray, which has been hard to come by over the last few years with the ten SD60Ms running around in patched UP yellow.WAMX 6024 (SD60M)WAMX 4173 (SD40-2)WAMX 6023 (SD60M)WAMX 4180 (SD40-2)WAMX 3891 (GP38-2)We see them at Vickerman Road, then they make a quick switch at the Milton industrial park, setting out a few covered hoppers. Then they roll through the wye toward Janesville.
CP 281 Westbound Mixed Freight Train w/Six Locomotives, SD60 Leader at Columbus and Portage 7/5/2015 Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-07-05 | Went trackside on the CP Watertown Sub on this day 10 years ago to get westbound manifest 281 which had a six-pack fronted by an ex-Soo Line SD60. CP 6255 is the former SOO 6055, rebuilt/repainted/renumbered at CAD Rail in 2012. Behind are five more units, three GE, two EMD, all in CP red.
WSOR T007 Going Through Shorewood Hills 7/2/2015 - Great EMD Throttle-Up Sound & K5LA Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-07-02 | WSOR 4001 (since renumbered WAMX 4170 and in the 40th Anniversary scheme after 2020) is solo long-hood-forward on the Prairie du Chien line, reaching the end of Madison yard limits and throttling up through the Shorewood Hills neighborhood just west of the UW campus. 10 years ago OTD.
Two Eastbound 80s on the CP Watertown Sub 6/30/2015 - IC&E SD40-2, SOO SD60, Conrail Heritage Badgerland Rail Videos 2025-06-30 | Went trackside on this day 10 years ago mainly to get NS 8098, the Conrail heritage unit, on eastbound CP oil train 580, even though it was a "trail fail."However ahead of them was eastbound mixed freight 280 with an Iowa, Chicago and Eastern SD40-2 (ICE 6216) leading an unrepainted Soo Line SD60 (6027). I believe this may have been the last time I saw a locomotive with full IC&E paint and lettering leading a train.
