Namekagon 400
The Chicago and North Western Historical Society's annual meeting for 2001 was in Duluth, Minnesota. in May 17-20, 2001. A highlight of the weekend on May 19, 2001, was a special excursion train that went from South Itasca (Superior, WI) to Spooner, WI and back. It was named the "Namekagon 400". It went on Wisconsin Central tracks from Itasca to Hayward Junction and from there on Wisconsin Great Northern tracks, formerly CNW tracks, to Spooner. Part of the Wisconsin Central tracks was formerly CNW tracks also. Up until about 1950 there was a scheduled passenger train named the "Namekagon" that went over some of these tracks on its way between Minneapolis, Minnesota and Ashland, Wisconsin.
Here are some pictures from the excursion train. Click on the thumbnail to see the full sized picture. The train had two Algoma Central F units, Nos. 1756 and 1855, on one end and a Wisconsin Central GP-40, No. 3009, on the other end. In Spooner, there was a CNW F7, hopefully, waiting to be restored.
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