210, 70 Ton, was built by General Electric in December 1946, #28566, as Calumet & Hecla, Inc 210.   It was sold to Marquette & Huron Mountain in May 1972 but it remained the original lettering and number.  It was then sold as CWRR 210 in 1981 and sold as Whitewater Valley RR 210 in 1985.

735, H12-44, was built by Fairbanks Morse in March 1952, #12L566, as Chicago Milwaukee St Paul & Pacific 2305, Class 12F-S. It was renumbered 735 in 1959 and sold to CWRR as 735 in August 1982.

769, H10-44u, was built by Fairbanks Morse in April 1946, #L1013, as Chicago Milwaukee St Paul & Pacific 1811, Class 10F-S. It was renumbered 769 in 1959 and rebuilt as 1200 HP in 1962. It was retired in May 1980 and sold to CWRR as 769 in June 1983.

781, H10-44u, was built by Fairbanks Morse in March 1950, #10L328, as CMStP&P 1823, Class 10F-S. It was renumbered 781 in 1959 and rebuilt as 1200 HP in 1962. It was sold to the CWRR as 781 in April 1983, and acquired for preservation when the Central Wisconsin was abandoned.

2321, Class 12F-S, was built in January 1955, #12L956, as CMStP&P 2321, Class 12-S. It was renumbered 706 in 1959 and retired in March 1981.  It was sold as Central Wisconsin RR 1200 and sold to Miller Compressing Co.  It was sold as Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum 9733.

202, SW7, was built by Electro-Motive in March 1950, #10295, as Chesapeake & Ohio 5236, Class SE-12.  It was reclassified Class SW-7 in 1964 and sold as CM&N 202.  It was then sold as Wisconsin & Calumet RR 202 and resold as  Chicago-Chemung RR 202 in 1987.

1, 20 Ton, was built by Vulcan in February 1942, #4354, as Corps of Engineers 2093.  It became United States Army 7714 and sold as CL&LCo 1.  It was sold as Otter Tail Power Co 1 and then Langren Grain Co 1.  It became Cargill Seed Sales 1 in 1985.

19-200 was built by Heisler. Further information would be welcome.

Switching was also done by steam cranes such as this one built by American Crane.

"Foster's and Nobody Elses" was started as a tramway in 1878 and rebuilt as a steam railway in 1882 as the Chicago Fairchild & Eau Claire from Fairchild to the Eau Claire River, about 15 miles. The entire operation was owned by the Foster family, who owned lumbering operations in the area. It apparently was not considered a common carrier and ceased operation in 1896. In 1897 the line was reorganized as the F&NE, a common carrier. In 1898 the line was extended to Greenwood, an additional 8 miles. By 1900 another 7 miles was opened. In 1906 construction began again and the line was completed to Owen, a total of 38 miles. In 1912 construction began on another line from Fairchild. It reached Cleghorn in 1914 which became the western terminal when the final 13 miles to Caryville were never completed. From this time, the line began a downward spiral since the hardwood along the line was gone. Agricultural products became the primary business of the railroad. During WW1 it was taken over by the USRA as the smallest road under government control. After the road was returned in 1919, the economic problems continued. In 1920 it was leased to the Central Wisconsin Ry, a new company formed by patrons along the line. In 1924 the lease was cancelled and the operation reverted to the F&NE. In 1925 the Fosters sold the company to a group of Chicago businessmen. The new group presided over the demise of the railroad. Engines and rolling stock were gradually sold off and the Cleghorn line was abandoned in 1926. In 1929 all operations were suspended and final abandonment took place on October 30, 1930.

7 was built by Taunton in July 1870, #501, as St Paul & Sioux City 11 "Medelia". It became Chicago St Paul Minneapolis & Omaha 211 in 1880 and F&NE 7 in 1898. It was scrapped in 1918.

12 was built by Vulcan in February 1916, #2535. In 1925 it was sold to Birmingham Rail & Locomotive, who rebuilt it and sold it to Laona & Northern as 4, Class MT, on September 21, 1926.

When the line was abandoned, the Tioga station was moved to a farm until 1967 when Adrienne McCombe purchased it and returned it to Tioga. By 1981 the station and the local general store were restored thanks to Mrs. McCombe.

One of the largest stations was Greenwood which was the northern terminal from 1898 to 1900.

6, 45 Ton, was built by Davenport in February 1942, #2374, as Milan Ordnance Depot 1. It later became U S Army 7220 and later U S Air Force 7220. It was sold the H&NE as 6 in 1947.

They had a flanger which appears to have been home built.

Their office and depot was plain. I can think of no other description.

18 was built by Alco in 1910, #46941, as Lake Superior & Ishpeming 18, Class SC-4.  It was sold to Marquette & Huron Mountain RR as 18, Class SC-4, and was then sold to Ishpeming Steel Co in January 1985.  It was then sold to LSSA as 18 and then to Grand Canyon Ry as 18 in 1989.

The other L&N was built in 1902 between Laona and Laona Junction and was owned by Connor Land & Lumber Co. It is still operating steam excursion service.

4, Class MT, was built by Vulcan in February 1916, #2535, as Fairchild & North-Eastern 12. In 1925 it was sold to Birmingham Rail & Locomotive, who rebuilt it and sold it to L&N as 4, Class MT, on September 21, 1926.

103, 65 Ton, was built by Whitcomb in September 1944, #60503, as U S Army 8497. It was acquired by L&N as government surplus after WWII. It later became Nicolet Badger Northern 103 in 1984.

6 was built by Baldwin in May 1916, #43340.  It was transferred as Ontonagon RR 6 in 1928 and became Huss Lumber Co 6 in 1932.  It became Huss-Ontonogon Pulp & Paper Co 6 in 1955.  The company was sold as Hoerner Boxes Inc in November 1962 and consolidated with Hoerner-Waldorf Co in June 1966.

On the far north side of Milwaukee, where the belt line is joined by the Fox Valley line of the Chicago & North Western is Granville. Here was a small station which kept getting run into since it was located at a jog in Highway 100, the highway around Milwaukee. One of the main industries a half-century ago was the Moss Tie Company. One day I caught their 2 Spot which was a narrow gauge Davenport. They say that the 1 Spot was a mule, but I can't verify that. I would imagine that this is all long gone.

Andrew Roach sent us the following updated information. The Moss Tie Co. was bought by Kerr-McGee and closed around 1978. It is now a Super Fund site with a 26 million price tag to clean up. Kerr-McGee said they could not clean it up and gave Milwaukee county several acres of land there for a park. The C&NW built an auto unloading ramp there in the early 80's. Now the feds want Kerr-McGee, Milwaukee County, and the CNW/UP to help clean up the land ground water and possibly reroute a river there.

Brian Rumary adds the following from England. The system was 2 foot gauge. He lists two Davenport locos for the site. One was an 18 tonner, #3062 built in December, 1947, for this location. It went to Moss-American at Avoca, PA in December, 1976. The other locomotive was a 20 tonner. It is uncertain, but it was possible built in December, 1947, #3084, for National Pole & Timber Co. of Minneapolis, MN. It went to Moss-American, Meridian, MS, also in December, 1976. This is probably the locomotive in the photo. Since both locomotives left in December, 1976, it would seem this was the likely date for closure of the place.

10, S2, was built by Alco in August 1942, #69905, as Wisconsin Central RR 2103, Class D-21.. It later became Soo Line RR 2103 in 1961 and was sold to NPCo as 10 in September 1965. They scrapped it in 1972.

62, NW2, was built by Electro-Motive on September 16, 1948, #5761, as Detroit Toledo & Ironton 914.  It was sold as Mississippi Export RR as 62 in September 1961 and sold to George R Silcott in March 1966.  It was sold as Marinette Tomahawk & Western 62 and resold as NBNR 62.

103, 65 Ton, was built by Whitcomb in September 1944, #60503, as U S Army 8497. It was sold as government surplus after WWII by Laona & Northern 103. It later became NBNR 103 in 1984.

Oconto Co.

10 was built by Lima October 1, 1923, #3240.  It was scrapped in 1943.

Sharon Decker of the Illinois Prairie Railroad Foundation loaned us a copy of the December 1966 "Engineers and Engines" magazine which is primarily concerned with threshing engines and the like. One picture from the magazine was this two foot gauge locomotive which the article says was at Threshermans Park, near Edgerton. Then we got another picture taken 35 years later from Todd Ligman.

A second Henschel has also been acquired.

This lumber operation was in far northern Wisconsin. We have no roster information on 7.

In 1938 this railroad was abandoned. It operated between Menominee, Michigan, and Iron Mountain, Michigan, but most of the trackage was in Wisconsin. You would have to look at a map to see how this can be practical. In 1932, they had 4 locomotives, 114 freight cars, 1 passenger car, and 1 service car. Total mileage was 79.33 miles operated. 

Mike Kehoe has supplied a photo of the 4 spot courtesy of a friend.

527 was built by Baldwin in 1920, #53537.  It was sold in 1937 to Rock Island Southern as 527 and retired in 1953.

600 was built by Baldwin in October 1922, #55722.  It was sold in 1937.

423, F7A, was built in October 1949, #8556, as Chicago & North Western 4076-A. It was rebuilt for suburban service in April 1961 and renumbered 423 in 1972. It was leased to New Jersey Transit as 423 in 1983, It was sold officially on January 8, 1985.  It was sold as WGN 423 in 2001.

852, SW1, was built by Electro-Motive  in March 1940, #1042, as Chicago Milwaukee St Paul & Pacific 1616, Class DE-6.  It was reclassified Class 6E-S and renumbered 950 in 1959 and 862 in January 1973.  It was retired in May 1980 and sold to Independent Locomotive Co in January 1983.  It was sold as Pillsbury Co 862 and became Peavey Grain Co 862.  It was sold as WGN 862 in 1998.

The God of glory thunders.

In His temple they all cry "Glory".

Psalm 29:9