Producer: Bradley Plets
Locations: Altoona, Eau Claire, Hudson…
Timeframe: 1987-1994
Length: 2 hours
Source: Bradley A. Plets
A tour of Chicago and NorthWestern in Northwest Wisconsin. Plenty of variety. Locomotives, Operations, and locations. Shot over a period of years. All pre Union Pacific merger footage. A multitude of rural towns are encountered.
A single DVD-R. Main Chapter Menu. On-screen subtitles with locations. Paper insert with an area map and locomotives listed. Narrated by Bradley Plets.
Aspect is 4×3 fullscreen. Live environmental audio. Good picture. Strong audio.
Twenty different diesels are seen. Fourteen models are CNW. The printed roster is from 1995.
To the Trains… 👉
An SD18 6634 is switching at Altoona, WI. Yard. Former line was CMO, the Omaha Road.
The Eau Claire Tower was still trackside when this was filmed.
Chicago NorthWestern. A pair of GE C44-9W, 8602, 8692 and a Union Pacific locomotive. They cross the Chippewa River at Eau Claire.
SD50 7006 is paced along Highway 12. It is leading the 4 units.
Wisconsin is a scenic State. A bucolic setting along the St. Croix River at Hudson. Good historical information here. There is a chunk of action around Hudson.
SD45 6564 leads an Eastbound past Hudson Depot.
GP7 4102 and GP40 5511 at Itasca Yard.
DWP transfer arrives to drop a Potash Train for CNW. Four SD40 units in CN and DWP paint.
Cab Ride on SD18 6622. This Monday- Friday turn operates from Altoona. Way freight duties to service Menomonee, Hudson and more…
A GP38 4709 and pair of GP9 4559/ 4553 ex: Rock engines at Altoona.
Pair of SD40-2 motors with 6833 leading at Humbird.
Plenty of cabooses are on these trains. This scene includes the long gone Eau Claire Station.
C&NW in Northwest Wisconsin
A couple of hours Railfanning the C&NW in rural Wisconsin. A mix of older and some newer locomotives. Many trains were still using a bay window caboose.
The production is good. Narration is informative. Many historical background discussions. Strong soundtrack with engine train sounds highlighted for the best sections.
Chicago NorthWestern is not a common train video subject. Plets has a pair of Wisconsin centered releases. Definitely are worthwhile.
An excellent visit to see the CNW in a later era.
Rating: 5 Stars
American Train Video Reviews 