Railfanning the Upper Midwest in Film 50's & 60's

The concept for this compilation started with just four clips from an Ebay purchase and some FM's switching in Milwaukee from Walt Berko, then just kind of accumulated from there. It details an imaginary trip from Detroit, north through both parts of Michigan, west to Duluth, then southwest to St Paul, Omaha and then returning east to the Milwaukee/Chicago area. Pesonal favorites include the Chief Wawatam ferry, the single RDC fleets of the DSS&A and Missabe, a Rock Island E6, the Empire Builder and North Coast Limited, a fleet of Zephyrs including a shovelnose, UP "big blow" turbines, the aforementioned FM's, a CNW AS616 before repowering, a North Shore "Electroliner" and a South Shore "Little Joe" on the streets of Michigan City. Thanks again to Walt Berko and the Prelinger Archive for the bulk of this material. Enjoy!

[@paulbergen9114]

Was about to hit the sack when this blow out presentation pops up. The RDCs were fantastic as well as the DSSA RS1 set plus the glossy Huron Cement Laker. I especially enjoyed the MILW yard scenes brimming with activity the way it was growing up there. For 32 minutes all was well with the world again

[@mathuetax]

10:47 Neat to see Saint Paul Union Depot!

[@anb740]

And the current younger crowd wonders why the rest of us don’t get overly excited over a consist full of widecab GEs. THIS is why! Great stuff of a bygone era. Can’t beat the “purr” of a Baldwin switcher throttling up!

[@fmnut]

This is why I have given up going out to railfan. Too many nosy neighbors ready to call the cops on you for "suspicious activity", too many hostile train crews that have been irritated by irresponsible foamers, too little variety in passing trains on the main line, a sterile wayside environment bereft of towers, stations, and distinctive signal systems, too many shortlines being gobbled up by shortline "empires" and losing their individuality in spirit and motive power. This is why I have dedicated my railfan time to seeking out material from the "golden age" and adding appropriate sound. I cannot abide old films set to 1940's swing music or ragtime, it just rubs me the wrong way.

[@terryboyer1342]

@@fmnut And PSR sucks!

[@fmnut]

@@terryboyer1342 what is PSR?

[@terryboyer1342]

@@fmnut Precision Scheduled Railroading. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precision_railroading

[@fmnut]

@@terryboyer1342 should have guessed that. Not Perimeter Surveillance Radar, Posthumous Sperm Retrieval, Psycho-Social Rehabilitation, Physicians for Social Responsibility,, or Panel Self Refresh. I agree, PSR sucks.

[@bobozo389]

This has to be one of the most awesome rail fan videos I have seen in a while. Of coarse, I've been in Michigan my whole 58 years!

[@miker2002]

This is incredible, from the time my Dad was just getting into railfanning and photography. Thank you for sharing!

[@vicodumb]

Who in the heck would give this footage a down vote? Just wonderful. Thank you.

[@franks471]

it has to be a dislike bot. This is just historical video, no opinions. I mean, why search for it and watch it then? right?

[@ottosaxo]

That's a delight, showing engines in living pictures I haven't even seen in photos so far.

[@YourPalAndrew]

This may be the only DSS&A footage I've ever seen!

[@tracyriddle2010]

Excellent!

[@handlzus7018]

great video, variety of locales and railroads is outstanding.........

[@tombarnes7196]

Fantastic!!!

[@crsrdash-840b5]

Love seeing those Alco, Fairbank Morse, Baldwin and cabooses on trains.

[@iusetano]

Fantastic!!! I loved watching this video. Thank you for sharing.

[@AndreiTupolev]

Detroit when it was still habitable... Glorious views of the Lakers, the train ferry and the passenger steamer, all looking clearly coal fired

[@VojtovySumavskeVlakyCZ]

Wonderful video like and subscribed from Czech Republic

[@christophergilbransen1373]

Spectacular upload! Thanks, I really enjoy your stuff

[@littlebitseaton2925]

Great video that brings back lots of memories.

[@franciscampagna2711]

Wow, just wow. I missed most of this. Thank you.

[@markthomas6436]

Thanks for the nostalgia trip, Fmnut. Appreciate your efforts!

[@renegadetenor]

Best compilation ever...I just can't believe all the stuff I just barely missed by being born too late. I would trade my whole life, for one summer in the fifties.

[@poodlesgalore2327]

Love the Detroit and Mackinac RR RS2 near the beginning. I used to wave at the engineer on #646 when I was a kid living in AuSable in the 1960’s.

[@silurian9420]

Wonderful video when trains were trains - Many thanks for posting.

[@peterhanahoe4913]

Tremendous stuff, really enjoyed that.

[@patricknoveski6409]

Fm, I can't believe the great clips you've got on here. The old Alco high hood. Now this. Amazing! Keep em coming.

[@andyj74]

Thanks for posting!!

[@PhilThomasTrains]

Really enjoyed this from beginning to end. A superb variety of scenes there. Exemplary sound as well. Top job! :-)

[@fmnut]

As a fellow editor your comment means a lot. Thanks. The fast runbys are easy, I've got loads of sound clips for that. It's the slower moves or when the loco is drifting downgrade that are harder to match with appropriate sound. I'm just lucky I got out there to shoot all the rare power while it was still running. I sometimes cheat and use sounds from Europe and the UK when appropriate. A 158 can sound a lot like an RDC in the right conditions!

[@ralfoide]

Thanks for taking the time to video edit and post this. Excellent dubbing makes a whole difference on an already amazing video content. All great stuff in there, from RDC, to RS, F Units, and even GTEL.

[@allegheny48]

An excellent potpourri of railroading in the upper Midwest. Good to see all the passenger trains and some steam. That triple stack lake boat shown at 1:32 might have been the Greater Detroit one of the largest and most luxurious passenger boats on the Great Lakes. Thanks for all your efforts and, as always, the added sound effects are spot on.

[@chris928901]

You have some of the best RR content on KZbin!

[@fmnut]

Thanks. Thanks also to the guys who originally shot this stuff and those who made it available for editing.

[@erie910]

Great views! Nice to see the RS2's/RS3's.

[@lakesuperiorvideos]

Great Collection and editing

[@Robbi496]

Awesome stuff! I missed this because i was too young!

[@johndonovan5752]

Thanks very much! I spent three years in Milwaukee, long after the North Shore had ceased operations.

[@J3scribe]

That was epic! Seeing GTELs in Omaha was quite the treat, given that they were built for the Wasatch Range and Sherman Hill. The Burlington sure did know how to put on a show! Especially interesting was to see the Nebraska Zephyr tacked onto a consist of mixed passenger cars in Galesburg, IL. The NZ can be found today at the Illinois Railway Museum powered by E6A Silver Pilot.

[@HoosierDaddy_]

Very good!

[@petemiksich5760]

The Milwaukee liked their C-Liners. They even dressed them up for the ball.

[@xfiles-thetruthisoutthere8038]

AMAZING ! 👽

[@derrickwong5337]

This is amazing!

[@cartersol38]

Such great footage! Thank you for sharing the memories.

[@derrickwong5337]

@@cartersol38 You're welcome 😁!

[@judpowell1756]

26:50 Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee interurban at South Upton IL

[@AndreiTupolev]

And at the end: street running with electric hauled freights? How awesome.

[@leehuff2330]

4:35. Those Ann Arbor geeps riding on Alco type B trucks.

[@fmnut]

Yes, EMD offered a trade-in program specifically aimed at owners of Alco FA/FB type units for both models GP30 and GP35 that "recycled" the trucks. GM&O, Soo Line, and Southern all had Geeps on "Alco" (technically GSC swing bolster) trucks in addition to the Ann Arbor. Milwaukee also had "Alco" trucks under their GP30's, but they came from under Alco RS series units that had their trucks swapped for Blunt switcher trucks from retired S-2's.

[@williamroot3827]

Unbelievable!! That is the only depiction of the Detroit and Macinac passenger train I've ever seen anywhere. The South Shore "Shoreliner" RDC #500, In its short Ishpeming to St Ignace service is beyond rare.

[@fmnut]

Not to mention the Missabe RDC, also very rare on film.

[@frankely6378]

Love all of the turbines. Just be careful where you park them. Rumor has it they melted the asphalt on more than one overpass.

[@johnsobaszko1700]

Loved the DSS&A along Lake Superior.

[@fmnut]

See my DSS&A LS&I Marquette video for more scenes of the area.

[@TucsonBillD]

I spent a year in Marquette back in 1967-1968. It’s all gone now (except for what’s left of the LS&I).

[@fmnut]

@@TucsonBillD The UP of Michigan was one of my favorite places to railfan, especially the Marquette-Ishpeming-Escanaba triangle. I'm glad I was able to document the remaining rail activity in the 80's and 90's before the bottom dropped out.

[@fisherbridgeproductions]

Nice 👍

[@dougonodera8764]

Wow: Electroliners, Zephyrs, and a street-running Little Joe! How cool is that?! Thanks so much!

[@broncodaddy46507]

I used to work at the prison in Michigan City

[@billtimmons7071]

EMD's without Blomberg trucks ... kinda rare. I love the sound editing on this. Nicely done.

[@judpowell1756]

ALco trade ins.......MOP had some too

[@billtimmons7071]

@@judpowell1756 Cool ... thanks.

[@fmnut]

Yes, EMD offered a trade-in program specifically aimed at owners of Alco FA/FB type units for both models GP30 and GP35 that "recycled" the trucks. GM&O, Soo Line, MoPac and Southern all had Geeps on "Alco" (technically GSC swing bolster) trucks in addition to the Ann Arbor. Milwaukee also had "Alco" trucks under their GP30's, but they came from under Alco RS series units that had their trucks swapped for Blunt switcher trucks from retired S-2's.

[@ook2763]

Good that all this footage has been saved yet it deserves much better than just being put here without any explanatory comment or a vocal description of what is being shown here. Now this is just a number of short movies with no real beginning and no real end. I'd say this is a missed chance to describe this area much better!

[@fmnut]

I don't do narration, sorry. Many fans recognize the railroads, equipment and locations.

[@ook2763]

@@fmnut Thanks for your prompt reaction. I do hope you understand that I only dealt with what could have been made out of this footage, nothing personal.

[@rearspeaker6364]

that was the fastest baldwin road switcher i ever seen!! that explains the EMD repowering- that poor engine died right after filming this.

[@baldwinfairbanks8630]

At 24:41 FP7 97C eventually came to the Maryland Midland for use on their excursion trains before going to Steamtown.

[@deprecatedme]

Has anyone asked about the PINK passenger car on the NYC train at Englewood at 28:60 yet? 😆

[@fmnut]

It's a through sleeper off the RI/SP Golden State train. The original bright red is a bit faded and the film color shifted, so it looks a bit pink.

[@judpowell1756]

EMD GP 35's with trade in Alco AAR type B trucks at 4:22

[@OnlyTheEd]

That "Shovelnose" looks like "Rocketeer's" helmet.......in comics of old......

[@fmnut]

Both are products of 1930's styling, so the similarities are not surprising.

[@judpowell1756]

24:16 Fairbanks Morse C-Liner B unit

[@judpowell1756]

articulated Zephyr train set at 20:50

[@veronicaramos8542]

Me waiting for the emd f3 to show up:

[@Keikdv]

what was the set of coaches after 20:45 ? 1 wheelset supporting 2 coaches. Did it belong to the power unit at 21:47?

[@fmnut]

The articulated trainset is the Nebraska Zephyr set. It was originally pulled by a shovelnose single unit. In later years, it was coupled behind conventional equipment hauled by standard diesels. It is preserved at the Illinois Railway Museum along with a stainless steel E5 for power as the original power car was long since scrapped. Here's a video of the preserved set on tour: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z6msnYCMgd2UhLs The unit at 21:47 is the power car for the General Pershing Zephyr, which had conventional non-articulated cars. In later years it was separated from its coaches (which were retired) and used on secondary runs as it was underpowered for the heavier cars that came into use. It is preserved at the Museum of Transportation in St Louis, MO.

[@warriorstar2517]

Was this film shot with sound or was it all edited in at some point? Either way, it's a stellar specimen of years gone by.

[@fmnut]

Film was silent, sound added in. Thanks

[@pattym9182]

@@fmnut So wait, was the sound for these recorded separately? I know SOME cameras could record both video and sound back then, just usually on 2 different mediums that had 2 different machines (for lack of a better word at the moment) for playing them and you had to manually synchronize them when watching. Or did you actually grab sound from other videos and match them up to each train? Either way, this is LOVELY to watch.

[@fmnut]

@@pattym9182 None of the sound was recorded simultaneously with the filming. All of the sounds were dubbed in from various sources, such as my own videos, old VHS tapes, digital sound effects and the excellent Arkay records of various diesel sounds.

[@Martin98Baumann]

I asked the passenger car group at io: It is a ROCK ISLAND Golden State Car possibly Golden Dial

[@fmnut]

Yes! That just clicked in my memory. Thank you!

[@Pensyfan19]

Absolutely amazing footage! Is that a mixed train at 7:47, and if so, what railroad is it for? Also, is that a C&O Budd RDC at 6:26?

[@fmnut]

7:47 Not a mixed train, it shows MW camp cars attached to the rear of a regular freight. The RDC at 6:26 is the Duluth South Shore & Atlantic's sole example. It ran from Ishpeming to St. Ignace & return, but patronage was low so the train was discontinued and the car sold to Canadian Pacific.

[@Pensyfan19]

@@fmnut Ok. Thank you for the history!

[@OnlyTheEd]

Ahhhh UP gas/turbines......well.....at least one of them......

[@Martin98Baumann]

Excellent collection. What is the passenger car at 28:55 ? Looks like an experimental of some sort?

[@fmnut]

It's not experimental. It's a 4-4-2 Pullman sleeper from one of the western roads on a run through to/from the east coast. I can't identify the paint scheme, maybe someone else can help. The little windows above the main windows are peekouts for upper berth passengers.

[@ryanfrogz]

Do you have any other old footage from the St. Paul area?

[@fmnut]

See my Twin Cities to the Northwest video.

[@iB0WL]

Who's footage was used during the Duluth segment? I want to see more of that! Long live the DMIR!!

[@fmnut]

The Missabe RDC was on a longer clip from the Prelinger Archives, original filmer not credited. It was very dark, I had to do a lot of software magic to make it watchable. The remainder not seen here will be the subject of a forthcoming production.

[@SamLovesTrains]

How do you find these clips on eBay?

[@fmnut]

I buy the original film, then do a digital transfer. Search for 8mm or Super 8

[@nancyhaun]

Wonderful! Wonder if the Saginaw Depot is still there?

[@fmnut]

Yes, derelict and boarded up, just like a lot of the rest of the city.

[@nancyhaun]

@@fmnut Sorry to hear that!

[@terryboyer1342]

@@fmnut Ain't that the truth. I'm from Saginaw. Used to be a great place to live.

[@danielward7230]

The yard in Saginaw is now the home of the Lake State Railway, selected as short line railroad of the year 2018, by Railway Age.

[@terryboyer1342]

@@danielward7230 LSR is a great short line. But I sure miss the C&O!

[@TweezersUnlimited]

18:57 11:41 23:30

[@jdriley24]

1st thought: cool, old trains and cars! 2nd thought: lots of pollution

[@franks471]

3rd thought: character :)

[@andyharman3022]

So that's what trains looked like before they got covered in graffiti. A reminder from the past, when people took pride in their country.