Near Union in McHenry County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Soo/Milwaukee Road X-5001
Caboose/Business Car
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 6, 2010
1. Soo/Milwaukee Road X-5001 Marker
This caboose was built in 1929 at the Milwaukee Road shops, in Milwaukee. It was originally numbered MILW 01612, as part of an order for 15 drovers cars. They were the first steel cupola cabooses built by the Milwaukee.
The car was rebuilt in the 70's, first as an instruction car, then as an office car and renumbered X-5001. As the Lines West Superintendent's car, X-5001 traveled the electrified divisions of the Milwaukee's Pacific Extension between Montana and the West Coast.
Milwaukee's 1977 bankruptcy and abandonment of the Lines West brought X-5001 back East by 1980. When the Soo Line acquired the Milwaukee Road in 1986, they repainted it red, but kept it as an office car & the X-5001 number.
In 2001 the Milwaukee Road Historical Assoc. acquired X-5001 from the Canadian Pacific Railway and donated it to the Illinois Railway Museum.
Year Built: 1929
Length: 41 ft
Empty Weight: 47,900 lbs
Height: 14 ft
Erected by Illinois Railway Museum.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1929.
Location. 42° 13.676′ N, 88° 31.625′ W. Marker is near Union, Illinois, in McHenry County. Marker is on the unit, in Yard 5, on the
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Union Pacific 18 (here, next to this marker); Chicago and North Western 9933 (a few steps from this marker); Railroad Cats (within shouting distance of this marker); Early Railroad Signals (within shouting distance of this marker); Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific 37A (within shouting distance of this marker); Chicago Railways Company Date Stone (within shouting distance of this marker); Railroad Rails (within shouting distance of this marker); Railroad Standard Time (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Union.
Also see . . . Illinois Railroad Museum. Museum website homepage (Submitted on December 21, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 6, 2010
2. Soo/Milwaukee Road X-5001 and Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on January 14, 2022. It was originally submitted on December 21, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 711 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 21, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
