 On
a recent trip to the Milwaukee, WI area (12/30/98), I spotted many of Soo
Line's ubiquitous GP38-2s roaming, and all still in Soo red & white!
Here one of them, 4414, is switching a local job out of the Milwaukee Yard,
for destinations just to the west. This shot taken on Fujichrome
Velvia film-my first experience with it-and I was pleased with the results. |
 At
the end of the short local train pictured above was Soo Line caboose #50.
Soo cabooses are becoming much harder to find, as are cabooses on most
major systems these days. #50 looks like it needs a paint job; indeed,
some Soo cabooses have been recently repainted by Canadian Pacific in full
Soo red/white/black livery, the perfect end to trains headed by Soo diesels! |
 The
final locomotive obtained by the Soo Line was SD60M 6062. Built in
November 1989, it was among only five Soo SD60s equipped with the then-new
North American Wide Safety Cab, and was also the first Soo diesel equipped
with ditch lights, which allowed for operation in Canada as a lead unit.
Here the 6062, operating as a single unit, leads a long train through Dresbach,
MN in October 1998. Photo by Matt Carlson. |
 Right
after the Milwaukee Road merger in 1986, it was still possible to find
some Milwaukee Road power roaming the Soo Line without the "bandit" treatment
that all ex-MILW units the Soo kept eventually received (unless they were
repainted later many still bear this scheme today). Here SD40 743
leads a MILW SD40-2 and apparently an ATSF unit through Polo, MO on the
Chicago-KC line. Photo by Jerry Sharp. |
Meeting the 743's train (above) was this train, led by Soo SD40-2 771,
two MILW units "un-banditized" and another Soo unit (apparently a 6600-series
SD40-2). Whereas the first train (above) is apparently all-grain,
this train appears to be a mixed manifest. After the 1986 merger,
meets like these were fairly common, before Soo started retiring or repainting
many ex-MILW units due to age and wear. Some of those survive today
in lease fleets and on other roads. Photo by Jerry Sharp. He
has a website you can visit by clicking
here. |
 Immediately
after the Milwaukee Road merger, it was still possible to find all-MILW
consists roaming parts of the system. Such is the case here, as MILW
148, a SD40-2 built in 1972, leads another MILW unit and a long consist
through Polo, MO during the mid-1980s. This unit was assigned Soo
Line number 6327. Photo by Jerry Sharp. |
 Another
all-MILW consist at Polo, this time MILW 2037, a 1968-built GP40, and a
sister lead a long TOFC train towards Chicago on the Chicago-Kansas City
line now run by I&M Rail Link. This unit was assigned Soo Line
number 4625. Photo by Jerry Sharp. |
 Access
to the Soo Line yard in Milwaukee, WI is not easy; therefore, on a recent
trip, I spent most of my time getting shots off from the many high bridges
that cross over the yard. I have further decided that Milwaukee must
be where CP has assigned many of Soo's GP38-2s, as I spotted no less than
six units there! Here, 4411 leads a train of scrap metal off to be
melted down. |
 This
photo and the two below show Soo Line SD60 6046 leading a GATX Leasing
SD40-2 and a CP SD40-2 through Duplainville, Wisconsin (just west of Milwaukee)
on a cold March 6, 1999. Yes, it is still possible to find Soo Line
locomotives leading CP trains, at least here on the Watertown Subdivision.
But I have no idea why two engine room doors were open on the 6045! |
 Soo
6045 comes closer. Duplainville, WI 3/6/99. |
 Soo
6045 in a roster shot. Duplainville, WI 3/6/99. |
