Ex-C&NW Tracks Around Madison

Two future railfan-photographers take a stroll down what at the time was still the Chicago & Northwestern's line from Madison to Reedsburg. No trains came by; unfortunately or fortunately depending on whether or not we'd have been paying attention in time to get out of the way, and whether Mom would have bothered to get a shot without us posed in front of it.

Union Pacific ballast train in the WSOR's Johnson Street yard at Madison.

WSOR's spiffy looking Operation Lifesaver SD20 waits to pull some empty ex-D&RGW coal hoppers lonf-hood forward out of the Johnson St. yard.

These two ballast hoppers, along with most of the cars from the outbound Watertown sub train on Friday 12/29 were back in the yard.

No. 2055 idles in the yard with a single covered hopper. Within ten minutes of this picture, a crew would board and head north on the Reedsburg sub.

Crossing the Commercial Ave. grade crossing.

The short local continues north on the Reedsburg sub toward the Sherman Avenue grade crossing.

The Sunday MALPM power gets ready to couple back up to its train after switching some cars in Dane.

Crossing Military Road.

This secluded crossing near the Maple Bluff subdivision on Madison's north side features a couple of neat Griswold signals.

Crossing Forster Drive.

In the distance, one of WSOR's GP38s switches cars near the north end of the yard.

Now the GP38 has lined up on the same track as the SD20s.

With several ethanol plants, a cement plant, and many similar industries on-line, covered hoppers are one of the most common types of rolling stock to be found on WSOR trains.

I decided to get a shot of WSOR's shoving platform/transfer caboose while I had the opportunity.

Not sure if WSOR leases this MCRY equipment, or what, but it's here.

A third SD20 parked about midway between the Johnson St. and Commercial Ave. ends of the yard did not appear to be participating in the evening's railroading activities.

A crew finally boards the pair of SD20s that had been sitting near the south end of the yard.

A crewman lines the switch so the locomotives can pull on to the main and run around the cars that had been coupled to them.

The switchman is back on board and the crew is ready to take over the yard switching from the Geep that was working earlier.

The skunks start to roll down the siding

The crew rolls onto the main with the skunks as the evening light fades, causing my camera flash to kick in.

Now looking south from the north end of the yard, the crew has uncoupled the 2052 from the 2055 and is using it to switch the cars.

Perry-Judd's is one of several industries that receives cars along the Baraboo Industrial Lead.

A side view of the two boxcars parked outside on the spur.

This boxcar's paint job has been augmented with some colorful graffiti.

The Perry-Judd's spur continues right into the building.

The Thursday MALPM (technically M3) approaches the County Highway M crossing leaving Madison.

The County M crossing features full-barrier gates that totally prevent automobiles from entering the crossing when the gate is down.

Call time for this crew is 15:00 (3:00 PM) with a normal departure from the yard in the 3:45-4:00 range. Thds picture was taken 10 minutes short of 7 o'clock!

At the time, 3808 carried a rather sick sounding Leslie RV3L.

WSOR's neat Operation Lifesaver SD20 was the second locomotive on today's train-the first time I've ever seen this unit in action!