| A CN through freight approaches the Winneconne Ave. overpass as it heads northeast through the former SOO yard at Neenah, WI on 24 Jun. '18. This view would have been prevented by the dominating silhouette of the original Neenah Foundry facility, later known as Plant 1, which stood here for over ¾’s of a century. Established in 1872 as Aylward Plow Works (a.k.a. Aylward & Sons) at 120 N. Lake St., they erected a new foundry at 500 W. Winneconne Ave. in 1918 “in a rural area of southwestern Neenah.” The name of Neenah Foundry was adopted in 1922. Expanded numerous times over the years, it became Plant 1 in 1960 when Plant 2 was constructed in the then rural area at the intersection of Byrd Ave. and the aptly named Aylward St. (followed by Plant 3 in 1967). Plant 1 was closed in 1994, the corporate overlords didn’t want to spend any money to update the plant. It stood abandoned for a while and was eventually demolished. The tan 4- or 5-story facility partially visible above the train is Kimberly-Clark Corp. (K-C) Neenah Nonwovens Facility, 1111 Henry St. It, and the hard-working Americans employed there, are currently being used as pawns by K-C to extort corporate welfare from the taxpayers of Wis. ("We intend to close this facility, unless you give us money.") The facility partially visible at right is used by Neenah Foundry. The gray building at left might be part of the former Val-Fab, Inc. facility, 210 Jackson St. Looking south from the remnant of the Winneconne Ave. grade crossing. |