Power at the service track.
Power at the service track. D&M 15 on right, ex CGW S1 on yard job, D&M 1212, ex CNW SW1 on left on road job.
The yard job puts the caboose on the CNW outbound turn, then will follow it south with a car of coal for the State Hospital south of the MILW crossing.
With the yard job out of the way, the 1212 comes out and doubles its train to the caboose.
Air test done, we're off with nine cars, seen here just out of Caledonia, crossing Rutgers Creek..
Crosby's, a rural crossing and a station sign.
Arriving at New Providence, train makes a cut and delivers an M&StL empty to the Farmer's Union Warehouse.
Air test and we're off for New Albany with eight cars, crossing County Road No.1.
Crossing Plank Road.
Crossing Oak Orchard Road and Oak Orchard Creek, south of New Albany.
Crossing Main St., New Albany, Depot
Train makes a cut to drop three cars on the setout track and one on the house track.
Train back together, air test and we're off for Aberdeen with four cars. The Co-op and Hubbard Elevators were spotted, but two cars were left on the setout track, one for the Farmers Union and one for Ford-Weld-Cox Feeds. They will be spotted on the way home when the local picks up and empty and a load going the other way.
The local stops at Aberdeen Jct., just south of Aberdeen, to swing the gate over the BN. This is an ex-Northern Pacific branch. They will work the transfer track after switching in town.
Diamond isn't completed yet.
Train pulls down to Main St., and makes a cut. The local has two cars to pick up at each elevator, and one to set out at each. The local will then pick up two from the BN and leave two. The D&M continues north from here to Fair Oaks (L.G. Everist quarry) and Elgin (Peavey Elevator). This section is mostly unfinished so the local will turn here today.
Picked up Union Equity, now at Co-op Grain & supply.
Spotting U-E and Co-op.
Work done in town, were back over the diamond, switching the BN interchange. Picking up two cars of cement for Caledonia and one for the CNW. We handle a little bit of overhead traffic between the CNW and the BN.
Work done at Aberdeen, the local heads south back to New Albany with seven cars. At New Albany, the local picks up two cars on the setout track, and spots the two left on the way up. Farmers Union Elevator and Ford-Weld-Cox Feeds get their cars. FWC is a Purina and Texaco dealer.
Work all done, one more air test and the local departs for Caledonia with nine cars: five loads of grain for the CNW, an empty feed car for the CNW, two loads of cement for Caledonia, and a load of lumber off the BN for the CNW.
One last shot of the caboose as they pull into the yard. The road crew will cut away and take their caboose to the shop. Tomorrow's yard crew will switch the cement over and start building a train for the CNW, who will be back tomorrow night with another drop.
Hope you enjoyed the trip. Sorry the pix aren't that great, I'm no photographer. The D&M is a semi-independent shortline owned by the CNW, hence the locomotives and car supply for the elevators. The local supervision is able to shop around for good deals, hence the cabeese and other whims. Era is early Fall 1973. Thanks for looking.