Railfanning Eastern Wisconsin 1992-93

Videos from the corridor between Byron Hill in the south and Green Bay in the north from 1992 and 1993. Railroads include the Wisconsin Central, Fox River Valley, Escanaba & Lake Superior and a few snapshots of the Green Bay & Western. These videos document the Oshkosh/Fond du Lac area before WC took over the FRV and made extensive changes and abandoned the former SOO street running and swing bridge in Oshkosh.

[@69bee440]

Boy this brings back memories. I worked on the FRVR from 91 until the end in 93.

[@CTTrains193]

Wow that first clip is where the mountain bay trail is now!

[@Bhil3]

Wow, what a cool video. I used to hang out and watch trains on the end of Broadway in Green Bay at the end of what was then the Chicago and Northwestern yard. And there was the Milwaukee Road and Green Bay and Western.

[@goldenjimbo007]

Love the clips of the street running on Division St. in Oshkosh!

[@tylerkasuboski3366]

No doubt!!!! That was wild when those huge frieghts used to come barreling through people's front yards with the street parallel! Love the wig-wag footage from Murdock St. in Oshkosh also. I miss that line.

[@rkproductions1141]

thanks for posting this I love FRV and ELS WC

[@paulharris3354]

Loved it-thanks for posting!

[@markwilliams5811]

Need I say any more? Awesome Show! Great filming!!

[@MrHooves89]

great video! thanks for sharing.

[@jamesc.3191]

Hello Fmnut! My Name Is Jackson Contrucci! I Am From Louisville And I Love Trains! Any Kind! Thanks For Posting This Video From 1992-1993.

[@stevensolway1054]

Hi on Oct. 1. 2021 from Green Bay, GO PACKERS,LOL!!!! In the beginning you got the old Bay Window caboose of the Milwaukee Road, 992124, which was used on many of the yard jobs. Sure wish it back here at the NRRM to give rides with their other cabooses around their circular track. Also I was the official tour guide and full time paid employee from 1984 to 1989, and the NRRM was still using their little 20 tonner Plymouth from W.P.S. and the 1956 AEROTRAIN coaches used by RockIsland until donated here in 1966, thus these coaches were still used for passengers even after 20 years. But then for a few years they also used the other Red Plymouth named MISS BUDWEISER from the Busch malt processing plant in Manitowoc that was donated in 1981; plus the wooden coach 62 from the LS&I RR in Marquette donated in 1961. But in 1986 the museum fired its mechanic who was a real retired railroad man, and the WPS 702 broke down with nobody to fix it. So they used the Red Ms Bud again. Then like a miracle, another large diesel was donated from Owosso MI., in 1986 from the TSBY RR, ALCO 1953 S-3 CLASS NUMBER 10 that was originally built for the M&LS Shortline in the U.P.M. BUT... They also broke that diesel, and had it repainted into the false colors of the GBW with red body and Grey stripe, BUT... unfortunately, due to the bad type of paint it faded very fast in only a couple of years with ugly white streaks down the engine hood. But. just before that it was painted pitch ⚫◼black. BUT, in 1990 they hired a new manager who was very rude to volunteers, plus they scrapped the WPS 702 PLYMOUTH, AND 37 other pieces were both scrapped and destroyed, and others were sold to other place. This museum should have 93 pieces, which is so very close to 100 pieces which would be a Noble Goal!! But...they only have 57 pieces left. Meanwhile the I.R.M. in Union has nearly 460 pieces, including one of the FRVR/LSI/ATSF ALCO RSD15 ALLIGATOR LONG NOSED DIESELS THAT IS FULLY OPERATIONAL, along with steam, and electric traction on 4 mile long fast mainline. Meantime, the nrrm has actually been running in circles for the past 60 YEARS, going nowhere.

[@mrlionel1965]

Oh the memories. I live in Two Rivers, about 35 minutes south of Green Bay. Its great to see that old semaphore bridge that used to sit right off of Ashland Ave. Oh how I miss this stuff. It's sad to see how much has changed and is gone. Thanks so much for posting this.

[@fmnut]

You're welcome. I really used to love the Green Bay area for all the variety. Even after WC took over the GBW it was still interesting. I'm just glad I was able to get there a number of times when things were interesting.

[@scoobycarr5558]

Yep, the CNW once had two routes between Milwaukee and Green Bay - the "airline" route through West Bend, Oshkosh and Appleton and the route through Sheboygan and Manitowoc. The Sheboygan route had the Peninsula 400 while the "airline" route had the Flambeau 400. Both of these lines became one in Milwaukee and the CNW's passenger line ran along the lakefront to Chicago the land of Jennifer. The CNW's secondary to Chicago the land of Jennifer ran mostly parallel to the Milwaukee Road and handled the freights. Both these lines from Chicago the land of Jennifer and Milwaukee are now owned by Union Pacific, but the two lines north out of Milwaukee are no longer through routes to Green Bay - only CN's former Soo Line runs between Green Bay and Chicago the land of Jennifer.

[@scoobycarr5558]

As for coal train service to Green Bay via WPSX, Union Pacific must rely on trackage rights on CN from West Chicago on the former EJ&E to Mundelein then on CN's former Soo Line to Fond du Lac and Appleton and former CNW between Appleton and Green Bay. Had Union Pacific hung on the former CNW as a through route to Green Bay at Sheboygan and Manitowoc, UP would have routed their coal trains there instead of CN.

[@Notch8GEGaming]

The audio quality on this is amazing.

[@fmnut]

Thanks. The camera used was a Canon A1 Digital Hi8. I've had lots of compliments on the sound.

[@Notch8GEGaming]

@@fmnut I can see why. Sadly I was born in 1997 so I missed out.

[@johnbergstrom1494]

Those trainmasters! Those RS3s or whatever are really cool.

[@fmnut]

No Train Masters in this video. I think what you are calling TMs are actually ex Reserve Mining EMD SD9s. The RS Alcos are RS3ms, rebuilt by GBW with 2000HP 251 engines and lowered short hoods.

[@scoobycarr5558]

This is located near where my Mom's relatives Pat and Denny lived near the town of Winneconne about a half hours journey west of Oshkosh, and that was back around the summer of 1979

[@scoobycarr5558]

The train in the 1st minute is on tracks that are now part of a bike path

[@TrainsofNortheastWisconsin]

Do you have any c&nw trains that ran to new London from Appleton?

[@joeyperren9493]

does anybody have any videos of Central Wisconsin like Chili, Granton or Neillsville when the trains went through. would be nice to see, also around Greenwood Willard area. thanks. :-)

[@TrainsofNortheastWisconsin]

the signals at 44:23 were replaced a couple weeks ago due to the major I-41/441/10 project

[@caseyjones2818]

I have video from Shawano, North. Even some video of the 1003 North of Shawano

[@drewbanker2602]

Any footage along highway 10 or 57 kindle by Brillion? Those tracks are now bike paths. That was before my time and I wish I got to see what it looked like.

[@fmnut]

Nope, sorry.

[@c449watomic]

Do you have any shots of the Neenah Y from the early 90's. I am modeling the area in HO scale, Doty Island in Menasha and would love to get some shots of the paper mill that was there when I was rail fanning in the 90's. Did not think at the time that I should get shots of this mill and now it is gone forever

[@fmnut]

Sorry but no.

[@MustangsTrainsMowers]

I don’t remember the last time I saw a GP30.

[@JeremiahTrane]

Do you got any video of trains on the Shawano Sub north of Black Creek??

[@fmnut]

no, sorry

[@JeremiahTrane]

***** Okay. Thank you :)

[@Eric-un5ov]

In Kaukauna there was a line which is the Konkpot creek trail now. What ran on that line?

[@fmnut]

Eric I think it was a CNW line serving paper mills

[@Eric-un5ov]

We're those trains long or short

[@fmnut]

Eric short ones

[@Eric-un5ov]

When did those get pulled

[@fmnut]

Eric not sure, Eric

[@AleDLTrainsTravel]

A great document! Those were funny days for railfanning! I would like to find some locations in Google Earth. What are exactly the places seen in 19:48 and between 6:00 and 6:30? Thanks!

[@fmnut]

Ale Diaz Lopez 06:00 to 06:30 was Tavil crossing of the MILW and CNW lines from Milwaukee to Green Bay. 44.507312,-88.028394 19:48 was Hudson St crossing of the GBW and MILW. 44.521977,-88.045939

[@AleDLTrainsTravel]

Thanks, buddy!

[@Eric-un5ov]

Those wig wags on 46:06 were on Gertrude Street in Kaukauna. Those are now crossing gates

[@fmnut]

+Eric (ericondefense) Actually they were at Green St. (coordinates 44.286832, -88.272603) Google Earth shows the crossing has been removed completely. If you watch the video you can see I am much closer to the station than the crossing at Gertrude St.

[@Eric-un5ov]

Oh. Why did they take that crossing out?

[@fmnut]

+Eric (ericondefense) to save on maintenance expenses and reduce liability. All railroads try to get rid of crossings whenever they can get the local community to agree to it.

[@Eric-un5ov]

Oh ok. Kaukauna had another railroad that was the Konkapot trail

[@dvferyance]

I like the old McDonald's sign.

[@CTTrains193]

Where was the clip at 18:00 taken?

[@fmnut]

Just off S. Broadway. The overpass is the Mason St. Bridge. If you are familiar with Green Bay, I was standing in the lot behind the Rockabilly's Saloon.

[@CTTrains193]

What is the street name on the second clip?

[@fmnut]

I think it's Pinecrest Rd.

[@Eric-un5ov]

Where did u catch the wc in 18:56

[@fmnut]

I believe it was at Cooper Rd. on the GBW between Seymour and Green Bay. WC had ex MILW trackage rights between Black Creek and Hudson St. The next scene is the same train on the connection from the GBW to the MILW/ELS at Hudson St. heading for the MILW yard.

[@Eric-un5ov]

If the trains were still running on Mason Street what would be running on it CN or ELS?

[@fmnut]

@@Eric-un5ov ELS

[@Eric-un5ov]

Idk if u remember on Fisk and Dousman street that traffic lights flashed red at that crossing

[@SCP344]

What line is this? (16:47)

[@fmnut]

CNW along North Lakeview Dr. near Suamico. This was still CNW at the time, reached by trackage rights over FRVR.

[@SCP344]

@@fmnut Gotcha, thanks for the information.

[@Eric-un5ov]

Do u have any shots from Pulaski of trains

[@fmnut]

no, sorry.

[@Eric-un5ov]

Ok. Some of those trains went through on Mason street

[@JeremiahTrane]

+Eric (ericondefense) I know where to find some pictures of the CNW on that line from Wausau to Green Bay...Hit me up if your interested in seeing them

[@Eric-un5ov]

I subscribed to your channel. Where can u find CNW from Wausau to Green Bay

[@JeremiahTrane]

+Eric (ericondefense) message me your email and I'll send you some shots

[@TrainsofNortheastWisconsin]

1:26 kinda looks like shawano sub in Appleton, can you verify that

[@fmnut]

Nope, it's at Glendale Ave northwest of Howard. Now a Rail Trail. 44.590168,-88.133173

[@TrainsofNortheastWisconsin]

+fmnut oh, do you have any videos of cn's shawano or new London subs?

[@fmnut]

+Pj L Sorry but no.

[@bashonwheels]

That without a doubt is the GB-Wausau line. Now it’s the Mountain Bay Trail. The train is crossing Velp Ave. and the ELS (ex MILW) GB-Ontonagon line in Howard.

[@Eric-un5ov]

21:45 where was that filmed

[@fmnut]

+Eric (ericondefense) 7th and State Sts. in Green Bay. The ratty looking yellow building to the right of the locos is now Earth Sense Energy Systems. The train is on the lead out of the former MILW yard heading towards the MILW bridge across the Fox River. At the time of the video the bridge had been removed and this track was only used for head room to switch the yard. It has now been completely obliterated according to Google Earth.

[@Eric-un5ov]

In 22:10 that was heading towards velp Ave. Why did they tear that line out?

[@fmnut]

+Eric (ericondefense) Once the WC had both the GBW and CNW in Green Bay they didn't need it anymore. Also it was high maintenance with all the crossings.

[@Eric-un5ov]

Were those long trains or short trains that ran through there

[@fmnut]

+Eric (ericondefense) Fairly short. Inter yard transfers and the boat trains to Kewaunee.

[@TrainsofNortheastWisconsin]

41:34 appleton?

[@fmnut]

12th and Morris Streets in Fond du Lac.

[@caseyvanboxtel2279]

45:28 is Appleton. Randall street near Ballard.

[@novastardom2689]

oh so the FRV did have engines other then those four long nose engines in the not so appealing paint scheme

[@fmnut]

Yes. 2 SD24's and 2 Geeps were painted red and yellow. The rest of their power wore the schemes of prior owners. The long nosed Alcos you mentioned were actually on the books as GBW engines but we're only used briefly by FRV and never by GBW.

[@novastardom2689]

did not favor the 2401 and 2402 (i believe they were called) they just, their horns always were creepy in my opinion

[@greenriverrailfan]

They some what look like the Rock Island paint scheme