Page 4Chasing a DaydreamStory and Photos by Michael Koprowicz |
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 Breaking the silence at the small community of Faithorn. Only a few quiet buildings (out of sight) witness this beautiful trains passing. Nothing can prepare a buff for the sight and sound of the ELS 300 (a 64 year old Baldwin RS12) running track speed and blowing her melodious Missabe road style 5 chime Nathan horn. Crossing to crossing we went taking in every view we could. While moody gray clouds filled the skies, the Omaha orange set fire to the luscious green spring landscape. It was a joy to get ahead of the train and watch her come into towns like Hermansville or quiet Faithorn near the Wisconsin border which hadn't had a post office since 1955. I couldn't help but ask myself if a tree falls in the forest and nobody is around does it make a sound? It was hard to believe I was really seeing this all in real life. We followed the train up past Iron Mountain and eventually had to let her observation car dissapear between the trees slipping out of sight. It was a chase I didnt want to let go, but I had finally seen not only a Baldwin in north country, but perhaps one of the most beautiful and well kept shortline secrets in North America. Long Live the Baldwin Road.  Rolling along US2 at track speed. |
 Meeting the CN train in Hermansville.  Putting on a show and burning some lube oil. Of note the following two Soo Line cars made an extremely rare appearance as part of the private varnish: - car no. 1237: steel 12-1 sleeper, BEMIDJI, B&S 1913 - car no. 758 : steel coach observation, originally café-parlor obs. B&S 1914 Other cars included the Escanaba and Lake Superior parlor car, Northern Pacific baggage car 254 (HEP power generating car), ex VIA RAIL now ELS 1101 (sleeper?) and ELS 1348 (diner / bar lounge?) |
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