Page 3Chasing a DaydreamStory and Photos by Michael Koprowicz |
|
|
This was Tuesday May 23rd the ELS 300 and 400 shuffled over to the storage yard in Wells near the Verso paper mill and the ELS 1223 (SD9) came out to move storage cars to clear a path for the "executive units". Having cleared a path the 300 and 400 both headed over to the car repair shops in Escanaba and spent the early part of the afternoon doing their own work, switching freight cars before retiring for the day. We got our fill of trains and took the opportunity to catch up on some sleep.  ELS 300 / ELS 400 head over to the storage yard near the Verso Paper Mill.  The very clean ELS 300 against the Verso Paper Mill looks much like a toy train. Wednesday May 24th, the morning of the special started out slow and eventually the 300/400 got their private cars together at the Escanaba car repair shops and headed out to the CN Manistique sub to get a track authority to Pembine WI. Getting stepped on a few times by other trains using the radio, eventually the ELS 300 with engineer Robert Anderson and conductor Tyler Delvaux got their permission to take their 6 loads to Pembine, WI. Stopping in Hermansville to meet a CN local freight. A compliment of ELS employees followed the train in private vehicles tending to any needs of the passengers that may arise in the remote Upper Penninsula of Michigan. |
 The special departs the ELS carshops on Wednesday morning with many colorful PVs. Included were two very rare Soo Line heavyweights belonging to ELS owner John Larkin.  The GP38 leads north at Iron Mountain. The Baldwin would trail to Mass City where the engines would once again run around the train and then 300 would lead southbound through the northwoods before daybreak all the way to Pembine, WI on the return trip May 25th.  At Pembine WI. |
|
☜ back to page 2 continued on page 4 ☞ |