Photo: Sign by Marker

Photographer: Keith L
Taken: July 21, 2011
Caption: Sign by Marker
Additional Description: The Rail Exhibit The first railroad, The Minneapolis, Sault Ste. Marie, & Atlantic Railway (forerunner of the Soo Line), was built from Bruce through what is now Ladysmith in 1885. The station was named Flambeau Falls and a village by that name was platted. The railroad changed the station name to Warner in about 1887, and the village's name also changed. The railroad was completed to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan in 1887. It was built by Minneapolis Flour Mill Owners - Washburn, Pillsburry, and others - to transport their product to the East coast. The railroad also hauled logs and lumber from the forests of northern Wisconsin. A second railroad was built to Ladysmith in 1905 by the Wisconsin Central. The line ran from Chicago to Duluth - Superior. *** The City of Ladysmith acquired a retired Soo line FP-7 Locomotive 500 in 1986. It was Soo Line's first passenger train diesel-locomotive. Prior to this train, all passenger trains on the Soo Line were powered by steam-locomotives. It was built in 1949 and put into service in May of 1950. Three former Soo line passenger cars, which had been used by railroad section crews after discontinuance of passenger service in 1965, were acquired privately and displayed behind the locomotive. The cars consist of a rail post office car (RAIL EXPRESS AGENCY (REA)), a combination of passenger/baggage coach, and a 64-passenger coach, all dating from 1911-1914. The rail display also includes a wooden Soo line caboose which dates from 1911. The locomotive was painted in the original Soo line maroon and yellow diesel color scheme, and the passenger cars were also cosmetically restored. All three coaches were tipped over by the September 2002 tornado and subsequently placed back on the track by three large cranes. Restoration and development work continues.
Submitted: May 6, 2012, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.
Database Locator Identification Number: p202907
File Size: 1.552 Megabytes

To see the metadata that may be embedded in this photo, sign in and then return to this page.