Classic Chicago & North Western, Vol. 2

Volume 2 of Classic Chicago and North Western features Fred Crissey's footage from 1977 to 1983. The program begins with C&NW's branch line between Ames and Des Moines Iowa.
Then it is off to the main line from Blair, Nebraska to Glen Ellyn, Illinois. You will see fast freights along with several scenes of C&NW steam locomotive number 1385. This train was captured running an excursion from Omaha, Nebraska to Ames, Iowa.
Next, Fred captures movements on the ex Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha route between Merrillan, Wisconsin and California Junction, Iowa. Highlights on this line include the St. Croix River Bridge and trains climbing Knapp Hill in Wisconsin.
Finally, we view trains on the line between Escanaba, Michigan and Green Bay, Wisconsin. It is on this route that ore and freight trains operated with ALCO C-628's. You will be in awe when watching these ALCO monsters in use!
Color Silent Films with music and narration
Running Time 98 minutes
Copyright 2009 C. Vision Productions/Fred Crissey

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• chicago
• north
• western
• des
• moines
• main
• line
• kate
• shelley
• glen
• ellyn
• omaha
• route
• wisconsin
• minnesota
• iowa
• alco
• c-628
• c&NW
• 1385
• steam
• ames
• minneapolis
• st.
• croix
• river
• knapp
• hill

[aeroblack78]

bello ...e interessante

[ma7799]

What was the date of that 1385 excursion from Omaha to Ames?

[AndrewNeilFalconer]

Look at about 30 seconds in, the MNS Boxcars were lighter colors than the mass produced HO Scale and O Scale models.

[Gravida12]

Yeah, I'm definitely cherry-picking here dckuk :) In Dec. '81, things slowed down to the point where I couldn't hold Boone anymore, seniority wise, and so I went to work braking out of Des Moines. C&NW was operating the RI Spine Line at that time, and it crossed underneath the double main at "Devil's Hollow" near Nevada, IA. The RI was 10 MPH at that time, which gave you plenty of time to watch the pig trains overhead blast by going 70.

[dckuk]

@Gravida12 But how much of the total system was that; hey, I'm a fan, and would love to see the C&NW there now, but too much of the system was left to near ruin...

[Gravida12]

Hmmm...not sure I can agree with that dckuk. Try westbound Falcons, 239, 243, 245, Wood St. Extras, 241, over the Iowa Division, '79-'81. Three or Four units, and they got everything out of your way. Wasn't a wreck!

[marodude752002]

Love the C&NW. 5 STARS

[ma7799]

The scene from 2:20-2:41 was shot on July 6, 1981 during Amtrak's SAN FRANCISCO ZEPHYR'S detour over the C&NW. A still-shot of this EXACT SAME scene can be found in the August, 1981 issue of PJT. The article is titled KATE SHELLY ZEPHYR.

[HighIronofWisconsin]

The opening scene looks like Duck Creek Junction on the west side of Green Bay.

[dckuk]

Too right, but where would it be now? It was such a long fall from it's heyday to the wreck of a company the line was by the 1980s...