SPECIAL PROJECT: WSOR SD20 Tribute

This is a re-make of the SD20 Tribute video I had on VespineVid2, with footage and photos that I didn't have or didn't use at the time. Arlo Guthrie's rendition of "City of New Orleans" plays over the photo section.

From 1996-2007, the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad operated a fleet of six ex-Illinois Central EMD SD20s (rebuilt from ex-SOU SD24s and ex-UP SD24Bs by IC's Paducah shops). These were gradually retired and sold off to industrial railroads starting in the fall of 2007.

The SD20s got the nickname "skunks" first due to the IC black and white paint in which they arrived, and the name stuck after WSOR paint was applied in part due to their tendency to emit copious amounts of odiferous fumes and oil from the stacks.

The WSOR website also has a write-up and photo tribute to these unique locomotives' service with the railroad:

https://www.wsorrailroad.com/gallery/sd20farewell.html

https://www.wsorrailroad.com/gallery/sd20/sd20tribute.html

Skunk Status:

2051: Retired from WSOR service January 2008, sat in Janesville until mid-September 2008 before leaving WSOR property, new owner unknown.

2052 & 2055: Left WSOR service in October 2007, to DBGX in Mexico, several videos available at http://www.youtube.com/user/kcsdem

2053: Relettered CGAX, interchanged to UP at Proviso in Chicago, to Cargill in Ord, Nebraska.

2054: Relettered BEBX, interchanged to UP at Janesville 11/28/2007, for delivery to another Cargill division in Fairmont, Minnesota.

2056: Last SD20 still on WSOR property in Horicon, but minus numerous key components like traction motors and a crankshaft. Probably will never run under its own power again.

A few other Paducah SD20s can still be found in common carrier railroad service on the Indiana Harbor Belt. Otherwise they have mostly been demoted to industrial switching service (like WSOR's, and Iowa Interstate's) or converted to Gensets (DGNO's).

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• train
• railroad
• railway
• railfan
• Wisconsin
• and
• Southern
• WSOR
• EMD
• SD20
• skunk
• locomotive

[redzmvt]

Awesome!!Seems like yesterday that I seen them in "skunk" paint...where did time go?

[HighIronofWisconsin]

@redzmvt Thanks! Glad I got to shoot some footage of them while I did!

[MrLuebeck]

Everytime WSOR 2051 comes, it has like a diferent horn

[HighIronofWisconsin]

It had two different horns during the period these were shot, a Nathan P5 and then a Prime 920 for a few months before it was retired.

[BrodyFarmBoy]

Do they make these in HO scale?

[HighIronofWisconsin]

Not likely. Somebody might make them in original IC or ICG colors which would need repainting and some details changed around. Otherwise you'd have to do what Paducah did and start with an SD24.

[48alfaone]

"Beautiful"! I remember around 1970 out west UP's SD20's with the slant nose flying past at road speed. Great Engines, glad some are still in use. Thanks for posting!

[coldsyringe826]

Music sweet music. "kick ass". Thanks

[BrodyFarmBoy]

You're right Im going to have to start with an SD24 actually Im going to do a SD20-2not like the Chessie/B&O/CSX version

[HighIronofWisconsin]

It should only be on once...

[BrodyFarmBoy]

yeah but then I could have a before and after picture of the engine going in as an SD24 and coming out as an SD20