When the Power Plant was expanded in 1966, this well was abandoned and covered over. It may still be there yet.

Keith

Thing is, I can't figure out WHERE the Soo would've gotten ahold of a UTLX Tank Car. It must have been a load of home heating oil, but back in the days of rail transport of Oil and Gas, UTLX cars transported mostly Standard Oil products. The M&T served two oil dealers directly, neither of which were Standard Oil dealers. That COULD mean this car came off the Buttertub Track, from the Standard Oil bulk dealer at the very end next to Central Avenue---what later became Retzer Oil.

If this car had come from Mid State Oil Co. up at the top of the hill at 14th Street, it would have been pushed along ahead of the engine, as Mid State Oil unloaded their cars right on the M&T. They had no spur there.

A puzzler!

Keith

Keith

On Friday August whatever 1973, the Switch Engine had just completed their switching moves at the Power Plant and were headed back uptown. As the lasy 6 or so cars crested the hill to west 14th street, a knuckle pin broke and the last 6 or more cars took off backwards back to the Power Plant. They were estimated to have crossed Central Avenue right outside the power plant grounds at 25 mph. Considering the shape the track was in when this happened, it's a wonder the cars stayed on the track at all!!!!

The cars collided with loads only recently left behind by the Switch Engine, tirning over at least one car, seen above.

Also shown is FLOW-2 underneath the Soo Line Ore Car.

In case no one believed me that the Soo used Ore Cars to haul Mengel's raw material from their Open Pit at Custer to Marshfield, here is evidence.

Not without irony, Soo Line retired 90% of their Ore Car Fleet that year. Most of the cars in this photo are or are close to 60 years old, the majority having been built when Teddy Roosevelt was President.

The manufacturer's could come out with a kit of these Ore Cars and I wouldn't say too much in the negative, either.

I was gone to Port Washington, Wis., when all this took place. I missed it all.

Keith

Keith

Keith

Now, time to bore the pants off'n you-all.

2442 ca, 1960. Someone wrote "1956", the year 2442 was placed here, on the back of this photo, and I know that can't be right, because the City didn't erect the chain link fence around the 2442 until 1960.

And 2442 is included here because the M&T runs behind her. You'd never know it, but this will become apparent in later shots that I took.

The old girl still looks good in 1960. She'll celebrate her 100th birthday in 2011.

Keith

Keith

You can't hardly tell where the M&T ran at this point anymore. It's now reseeded with grass.

Keith