Wisconsin Central, Vol. 1 - Featuring WC SD45, SDL39, GP35, GP40, and SW1500 Locomotives

In this video, C. Vision Productions takes you back to 1991 to experience classic railroad action on the Wisconsin Central from the camera of Dan Hadley. We'll see trains on WC's Chicago, Superior, Minneapolis, Bradley, Pembine, and Soo Subs. In addition to train operations, we'll get an inside look at the railroad's Customer Service Center and dispatching office in Stevens Point. After that, we fast forward to 2002 to view a few trains shortly after the CN takeover of Wisconsin Central. We'll begin our coverage of the WC on the Chicago Sub south of Fond du Lac. This section of track is home to the well-known Byron Hill. Next, we take a journey along the original Soo Line main to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The Bradley, Pembine, and Soo Subs are all covered in this segment. We then cover the Superior and Minneapolis Subs before heading to Stevens Point. To round out our show, we see a few trains in the Canadian National era on the Whitehall, Superior, and Valley Subs. WC's SD45 fleet looks and sounds great, with the locomotives wearing both Burlington Northern green and WC maroon and gold. Other locomotive models seen include GP35, GP35M, GP38-2, GP40, SW1500, and the rare SDL39 units.
Copyright 1991/2002, Dan Hadley and C. Vision Productions
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[@JH-qi7fz]

Fantastic footage! It's great seeing the Wisconsin Central again in all its glory. Too bad CN ever got their hands on it.

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you very much! The WC is sorely missed.

[@orbitsrailfanvids]

@@CVisionProductions1Gone but not forgotten. CN at least played a part in preserving it's history by adding a WC scheme to it's heritage fleet.

[@gregginter5867]

It’s so odd that both Canadian RRs are an integral part of American rail transportation,!

[@414RadioTech]

​@@CVisionProductions1I really hope to see vol 2 come out on here soon if possible please.

[@Eolafan1008]

I have always considered the WC to be the very best regional rail road I’ve ever seen.

[@CVisionProductions1]

The Wisconsin Central was an impressive operation by any measure. And it sure was fun to watch. The WC was everything a regional railroad should be, and more. Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@Matthebrat1014]

I use to watch the Wisconsin Centrals in Lomira Wi I could walk right outside my house and watch them.. I was 6yrs old when I saw my first Wisconsin Central train, and continued watching them for 15 LONG YEARS until 2004.. I miss the Ol Days

[@CVisionProductions1]

We’re glad that you have those great memories of the WC. Hopefully this video brought you back, so to speak. Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@tommyhunter1817]

Miss these days. I saw a three loco lash up of WC SD45’s on CSX here in north Georgia in 2001. I knew I should have taken a picture of them. Gone forever.

[@CVisionProductions1]

Those WC units really did make some extensive southeastern tours, didn’t they? On both NS and CSX. Just as you saw, they would often run in matched sets. Pretty cool. And yes, it’s always hard to look back at the things we should have photographed or videotaped, but didn’t. We’ve all been there. Anyway, thank you for the comment, and for watching the video.

[@85bbenjaminfan]

Ah, childhood! I have many fond memories of that mast red and yellow livery. I grew up close to the Soo sub in a little former Air Force base called Kincheloe. I went to church in a small village called Kinross, and the Wisconsin Central tracks ran pretty much across the street, parallel to Mackinac Trail. My household would frequent going to Sault Sainte Marie, so gettting to see those railroad bridges next to the International Bridge was always a treat, and even more so when a train was crossing. Lots of nostalgia for those days!

[@CVisionProductions1]

You grew up in a beautiful area! And yes, we are familiar with Kinross. The town was named after Kinross, Scotland, correct? Thank you for sharing your memories with us. We’re all about nostalgia here at C. Vision.

[@bnrailfannz8262]

Thoroughly enjoyed this video also. Loved the SD45 's .I had the chance to move from here (NZ) to drive for the WC in '96 when Ed Burkhart was recruiting Kiwi drivers, unfortunately my wife didnt want to move to the other side of the Earth. Yep 😁I hear you🙄. Parted company afew years later

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you very much! And yes, we remember several gentleman from New Zealand showing up in Wisconsin to run trains for Mr. Burkhardt. Fascinating story, it all was. Thank you for sharing, and for taking the time to watch the video.

[@bnrailfannz8262]

@@CVisionProductions1 There are two left from the 12 that went to WC, and are presently working for CN. The others left for greener ? pastures

[@CVisionProductions1]

Good to know! We were unsure how many had stayed with CN. Thank you again for the information, sir.

[@marleycap6000]

This is outstanding and I absolutely love the sound quality and definition for the time it was made‼️the Wisconsin central is very interesting.im amazed at this footage

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you for appreciating the video quality! It was shot with professional equipment. We’re grateful to have access to this classic footage from Mr. Hadley.

[@DolenzFan5]

My uncle used to work for Wisconsin Central. He was the one who did all the financing for the company and when Canadian National took over. Name is Steve. He was given a jacket from the company and is something I own now.

[@CVisionProductions1]

Very cool! I bet you’ve heard some great stories from him. Thanks for sharing that.

[@orbitsrailfanvids]

So many WC boxcars too, still a real treat to see one on modern manifests, which isn't even that rare.

[@CVisionProductions1]

For sure! WC rolling stock is always a treat to see.

[@ghall7763]

It's so nice to see all the Cars without graffiti

[@freddykagin]

I love watching this train 🚂. I am from Wi. I know a lot about trains and I am learning more. I grew up with trains in my backyard. For many years. 😊

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thanks for watching, Freddy! We love trains in Wisconsin as well. Lots to see in the land of cheese.

[@gregginter5867]

😂😅…every view of WC consists are zipping right along! Cool!🎉❤

[@CVisionProductions1]

Oh, yes. The WC inherited some good track from the Soo Line. Much of the railroad was 40 mph or more. And WC engineers certainly weren’t afraid of using the eighth notch. Thank you, Greg!

[@alanwbelcher]

Thank you for sharing with us. It's nice to see a time when freight cars were colorful, weren't covered in graffiti and railroads still owned them.

[@CVisionProductions1]

Happy to hear that you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching.

[@freddykagin]

Beautiful Wi rail roads !!! I remember well. ❤😊🇺🇸👍

[@CVisionProductions1]

The Wisconsin Central was a great railroad! We’re happy to be able to share them with you. Bringing these old railroads back to life in our KZbin projects is a real joy for us as well.

[@GP30RDMT]

Deadheading on Amtrak right now, ear phones in, watching this great video. Thanks so much for uploading it. Killer. -Fr8engineer

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you for using your deadhead time to enjoy a C. Vision video! We are here when you need us.

[@kingoflovetrain6426]

Awesome Video!, Wisconsin is truly a Great State to watch trains with Wisconsin Central before CN Takeover and CN #3069 was painted in Wisconsin Central Heritage Unit

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you!!! And, we definitely agree with your statement. Wisconsin was, and still is, a great place to watch trains.

[@orbitsrailfanvids]

Thanks for all this vintage stuff. It really is some of my favorite railroad content.

[@CVisionProductions1]

It’s our pleasure to share it with you and the rest of our audience. Thank you for appreciating it.

[@ZJKFilms]

I had this on tape as a kid, although Pentrex released it as their Wisconsin Central VHS tape. Love seeing all the old video again, and the new “unearthed” stuff. Thank you CVision!!

[@CVisionProductions1]

You’re very welcome! One of the great things about rediscovering this footage is that we’ve been finding quite a few stellar unused scenes. It’s been our pleasure to share them with all of you.

[@tombarnes7196]

Thanks!

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you Tom!!!!

[@colinmulder6806]

I woke up early this morning & came across this. Once again, you folks & Dan Hadley has impressed me with another round of RAW classic footage from the early 90's of railroading. This time focusing on my #1 favorite regional railroad who basically changed the way how all freight railroads do business. When my dad came across this video upon it's release, I was automatically hooked on WC'S operations & the SUPERB country it's subdivisions passes through. I once again need to find a way of getting a hold of Mr.Hadley to see if he can release this hidden 90's footage on a VHS tape of his own separate from the one he did for PENTREX. P.S. If this is only Vol.1, I anticipate what have planned in store for Vol.2. Undoubtedly it'll be just as SUPERB as this.

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you, Colin! We have quite a bit more WC footage in the archives coming your way soon. Also, we have to hand it to Mr. Hadley. He really did a fantastic job documenting the Wisconsin Central. It was great to find unused scenes in the raw footage as well. And it was nice to be able to add location graphics to some of the scenes that didn’t have them in the original video. Aerial maps helped immensely. Some of the locations were difficult to figure out, but we think we got them all. Thanks again for the nice comment.

[@colinmulder6806]

@@CVisionProductions1 Thus proving once again If somehow I manage to get a hold of Mr. Hadley, I need to ask him if he manage to produce copies of his classic 90'S raw footage material onto VHS tapes separate from the ones he did for PENTREX. If so, I'd like a copy of each. Especially raw 90'S footage centering around Wisconsin Central for not only they'd make SUPERB additions to my video collection, I'd also like to help commemorate their anniversaries of being tapped all those years ago. Not to mention my dad & older brother also hooked on WC'S operations after watching the first one produced, undoubtedly they'd be thrilled to see never before seen footage of their favorite regional railroad that wasn't released to the public all those years ago.

[@CVisionProductions1]

As far as we know, there aren’t any VHS tapes of the raw footage out there. What remains of the raw footage is with us in our archives.

[@colinmulder6806]

@@CVisionProductions1 If that's true, Do you think you folks can produce this raw footage onto a couple of VHS tapes for me? I discovered you folks were still making VHS tapes up until 2009 & this will be an opportunity for you folks to show me you still have what it takes to produce incredible train programs onto VHS tapes. I ask of this favor not for profit but mainly for preservation, entertainment, & enjoyment for fellow railfans growing around 90'S railroading to rekindle found memories of those better times over & over again.

[@CVisionProductions1]

We’d love to, but C. Vision hasn’t released anything on VHS tapes for over 15 years. Sharing it here on KZbin will have to suffice. We appreciate the idea, Colin!

[@gordonkennaway3847]

Fantastic video, thanks for posting.

[@CVisionProductions1]

You’re welcome, Gordon. Thank you for watching.

[@dwkcamman611]

Awesome program!

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you very much!

[@josephmauricesornaretnam]

I really enjoyed watching this video . thanks c. vision productions for entertaining us with old glories .

[@CVisionProductions1]

You’re very welcome. There’s much more to come. Thank you for watching, and we’re glad that you enjoyed the video.

[@mjrodriguez8670]

Thanks for providing the video of the WC motive power! I liked the WC pant scheme!

[@CVisionProductions1]

You’re welcome, MJ! Thank you for the comment.

[@bnsd4015]

Man they are really ripping at 13:26! Amazing video as always, you guys never disappoint!

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you very much! And yes, adherence to the speed limit wasn’t always a major concern back then. Times have certainly changed!

[@smarquardt10]

Thank u thank u thank u for putting WC video on KZbin!!!! I have save this video!!!! Love it!!! And really do miss WC!!!!!

[@CVisionProductions1]

You’re welcome, Sean! Thank you for watching the video.

[@smarquardt10]

Hope to see more WC video soon!!! Love all the videos!!! Great job!!!!

[@CVisionProductions1]

You’re in luck! There will be more WC videos. They are on the list of upcoming projects. Stay tuned!

[@fakecumberland]

Love the old-school aspect of everything.

[@CVisionProductions1]

We do too, Curtis. It was a much more relaxed environment on the railroad back then. Thank you for your comment.

[@AMPProductionsVideo]

Great to see this video of WC in the early 90's Big Like👍👍#123

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you so much, AMP Productions!

[@wildbill9919]

Enjoyed the video. Was looking for WC 7525 but didn't see it. lt's at the IL Railway Museum.

[@CVisionProductions1]

Interesting you should mention that. At the time this video was shot, it carried road number WC 6539. That unit was seen several times in the video wearing BN green paint. Thank you for the comment!

[@jamestiroch2519]

Wisconsin Central vol 5 from Clear Block has that unit

[@pauljung7611]

cool

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you, Paul!

[@Nicola636128]

Outstanding video! The launch of the wagons in the freight yard at 46:00 is very interesting, an unusual operation... What are all those numbered plates attached to the blackboard?

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you very much! Those magnets with numbers on the whiteboard were locomotives. That’s how they kept track of them during the early days of the WC. Pretty interesting!

[@PatFrenchLeafsFan1]

So good that the Soo Michigan is in this. I was wondering if you happen to have footage of Soo, Ontario?

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you for watching. Unfortunately, nothing in Ontario. If footage surfaces, we will be sure to post it.

[@andrewstrains5717]

working on this in HO scale

[@CVisionProductions1]

Very cool! Sounds like a worthwhile project, for sure.

[@smarquardt10]

I am too!!!! Love WC

[@taylorbaggarleyunionpacifi3409]

Wisconsin central good railroad company waiting my sd45 units show up many others

[@CVisionProductions1]

Good choice for a locomotive! Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@taylorbaggarleyunionpacifi3409]

@@CVisionProductions1 your welcome

[@andrewcrumb8027]

Hey, C. Vision Productions, did you know that the town of Marietta, Ohio is the boyhood home of Dan Hadley? I learned that fact from the Pentrex program called "Street Running".

[@CVisionProductions1]

Hey there, Andrew! Yes, Dan is from Ohio. He is a valued member of the C. Vision team. Keep an eye out for more of his video in the future. As always, thank you for watching.

[@jamestiroch2519]

I swear alot of this footage was used in the Pentrex video "The Wisconsin Central" as alot of the footage looks very familiar.

[@CVisionProductions1]

You are correct, James. We are now in possession of the raw footage from that show. The videographer who shot it retained the rights to the original footage, and he was kind enough to share it with us.

[@jamestiroch2519]

@C Vision Productions when will the DVD come out 😀 I would totally buy it, already have all 25 commercially available DVDs about the WC, wouldn't mind owning more since I have watched them all several times

[@CVisionProductions1]

We appreciate that! However, this video will stay exclusively on KZbin.

[@gregginter5867]

Since CN take-over, has it invested in track repair/improvements?

[@CVisionProductions1]

Yes, sir. The CN has been keeping up with track maintenance on the former WC system.

[@PatFrenchLeafsFan1]

Any more from Soo, Michigan?

[@CVisionProductions1]

Nothing at this time. Thank you for watching.

[@alexpaumen3937]

WC sure ran their trains fast! Apparently they downrated the horsepower of their SD45s to 3200 hp rather than 3600 hp to prevent crankshaft issues.

[@CVisionProductions1]

Thank you for the information, Alex. We’ve heard that some of WC’s SD45s were derated to 3200 or 3450 hp. We also seem to recall that many of the former BN units arrived on the property at 3200 horsepower.

[@alexpaumen3937]

@@CVisionProductions1 They had an insane diversity in horns. Including a Nathan M5 on 6499!

[@CVisionProductions1]

Absolutely! One has to wonder where that M5 came from…

[@TNS17]

can anybody see what numbers were on the mn&s boxcar at 13:36

[@railhawkracer1911]

Can we get some videos from the Ashland sub?

[@CVisionProductions1]

Absolutely! Our next WC video will include footage from the Ashland Sub. We appreciate the request.

[@matthewrinehart9514]

Did WC ever get any former C&nw SD45s?

[@CVisionProductions1]

Actually, yes. The 6632 and 6633 were briefly CNW units. They were in a group of former Burlington Northern SD45s purchased by the CNW in the 1980s.

[@RonLangley-tj5dd]

hey uh that the #3 still old burlington northern rr logo

[@CVisionProductions1]

Those green WC SD45s could have easily been mistaken for Burlington Northern units, that’s for sure. Additionally, some of the patch jobs weren’t very effective… Thank you for watching the video.

[@RonLangley-tj5dd]

@@CVisionProductions1 no prob your welcome

[@user-bd6on5ol1y]

Топ

[@JeremiahTrane]

Wasn't this a Pentrex video at one point?

[@CVisionProductions1]

A lot of the same footage was used. There are quite a few new scenes in this video, however. Thank you for watching!

[@JeremiahTrane]

@@CVisionProductions1 To bad ya guys didnt keep the part where it was shot from Point up to Wausau and then up to Tomahawk

[@CVisionProductions1]

We have good news for you. That footage will most likely be in the next volume of WC coverage. Stay tuned!

[@JeremiahTrane]

@@CVisionProductions1 Do you guys know when the next volume of WC coverage be out?

[@CVisionProductions1]

Hello again. Probably by the end of the year. We’ve got a lot of projects to get through, but it’s definitely on the list.

[@tombarnes7196]

Is very frustrating to watch CP, CN cherry-pick some of the best RRs while the US roads seem to either be helpless or clueless. CP goes Pacific to Atlantic, Canada to Panama! Wake up, y'all! The Canadians are having your breakfast, lunch and dinner!

[@CVisionProductions1]

We’ve lost some good US railroads, haven’t we? If only we could go back to the days of smaller class ones, more competition, and greater variety. Thank you for the comment, Tom. We appreciate you watching.

[@Chris-hz1fi]

When train passes another i see the crew of tje one train standing outside ...do ctews have to be out of the engine while anotjer passes by ??

[@CVisionProductions1]

We appreciate you asking that question. On many railroads, crews stopped at meeting points are required to complete an inspection of passing trains from the ground. This allows them to spot any possible defects on the opposing train.

[@Chris-hz1fi]

@@CVisionProductions1 ahhh ok thank you

[@CVisionProductions1]

You’re welcome.

[@Chris-hz1fi]

I was very fortunate growing up in eastern oklahoma i was tbere tp see mkt mopac santa fe frisco and burlington northern all before the mergers . I wish i had pics or video grom then

[@CVisionProductions1]

We’re happy that you got to experience them! Those were awesome railroads…

[@414RadioTech]

Next time try to put out volume 2 of the WC Waukesha subdivision in there too

[@CVisionProductions1]

Hello. The WC Chicago Sub is featured in this video. There may be a little more included in future videos.

[@414RadioTech]

@@CVisionProductions1 hopefully soon will see some more WC action on the Waukesha subdivision can't wait till that volume 2 comes out