Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad

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This article is about the railway in Wisconsin. For other railways with similar names, see Great Northern Railway.

The Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad operates a historic train line centered in Trego, Wisconsin on 26 miles of track, between Spooner, Wisconsin and Springbrook, Wisconsin. It was founded on April 1, 1997.[1][2] The line runs dinner trains, bed and breakfast trains, and scenic sight seeing tours.[3]

Locomotives[]

  • WGN #423 - Former Chicago & North Western EMD F7
  • WGN #862 - Former Milwaukee Road EMD SW1
  • WGN #6006- Former WC SD40-2, used for freight
  • CB&Q #9903 “Injun Joe” - Acquired along with the rest of the Mark Twain Zephyr consist in July 2020.

Passenger[]

  • D&NM #28 "Arrowhead" - Originally an 80-seat coach for the Duluth and Northern Minnesota Railway, now a diner lounge
  • D&NM #32 "Apostle Isle" - Originally an 80-seat coach for the Duluth and Northern Minnesota Railway, now a 64-seat diner
  • WGN #34 "Presque Isle" - Originally an 80-seat coach that was formerly used on Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway on Maintenance-of-way trains, now a 56-seat diner
  • WGN # 112 "Namekagon Club" is currently used as the WGN's gift shop and concession car. It was formerly used on Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway on Maintenance-of-way trains.
  • WGN #112 "Richard F. Gilberg" - Originally a mail car, now bar car.
  • CB&Q #506 "Becky Thatcher" - Baggage Car in the Mark Twain Zephyr consist.
  • CB&Q #573 “Tom Sawyer” - Observation-Lounge Car in the Mark Twain Zephyr consist.
  • CB&Q #551 “Huckleberry Finn” - Dining Car in the Mark Twain Zephyr consist.
  • CB&Q #500 “Effie Dean” - Tavern-Lounge in the Mark Twain Zephyr consist.
  • Multiple unrestored coaches of various types that are either being used for storage purposes or are presently awaiting restoration.
  • Former Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway crane X-7 & Boom Car #W6331.

Midwest Rail Rangers Partnership[]

The Midwest Rail Rangers, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has a partnership agreement with the Wisconsin Great Northern. On select weekends, volunteers with the Midwest Rail Rangers present on-board educational programs aboard the railroad's Sky Parlour Car. What is now called the Wisconsin Great Northern's Sky Parlour Car once served as a Hi-Level lounge car on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (1956-1971), See-Level lounge car on Amtrak (1971-1995), and most recently as a Pacific Parlour Car on Amtrak's Coast Starlight train. The Rail Rangers present a free program for passengers that includes showing off various historical displays and artifacts about the historic railroad car.[4][5]

References[]

  1. ^ "New Trego Train Depot Attracts Tourism" Northland News Center. Retrieved 2016-04-11.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Wisconsin Great Northern uses track project to fight impact of virus". Trains. 2020-05-22.
  3. ^ "Rail treat: Wis. train offers dinner, bed & breakfast" Bloomington Pantagraph. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  4. ^ "Historic car, book, and film debut in WGN’s fleet" Spooner Advocate. Retrieved 2019-09-30.
  5. ^ "Midwest Rail Rangers - Sky Parlour "Open House" Event" Trainweb.com. Retrieved 2019-09-15.

External links[]

Coordinates: 45°52′36.3″N 91°49′41.2″W / 45.876750°N 91.828111°W / 45.876750; -91.828111

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