Steam & Excursion > WSOR News from Mr Bill Gardner - 06/11/2012

From the President's Desk……

Good morning,

The Soo 1003 should be moving to the Horicon paint shop for a new paint job with-in the next couple of weeks. After that we should see her on the main line after a few more weeks of the gang putting on the finishing touches.. Won't be long after that, we will see her on the WSOR main line doing a few full head of steam runs to work out any glitches that may pop up. After $400,000.00+ and 1 year of Hard work from the crew which included professional and volunteers I want to thank everyone for making this become a reality compared to just a static display.

Currently in the paint shop Ed Ellis E-8 locomotive should be done and out within the next couple of days for viewing in IC orange and brown colors. The two former BN units should be going in next when time allows.

In the MOW department the rail gang will start today laying rail from Slinger to MKE. All ties have been installed. Once the tie gang had finished up installing ties up to the JCT switch in MKE we had them work an extra week in MKE installing ties in the Glendale Yard to strengthen several tracks that we currently use. The N. Leg of the Y was also strengthened and a few tracks in the N MKE yard were also upgraded.

A private contactor will be installing new 115# switches that have already been built and are laying ready to be moved into place on the MKE Subdivision. Also the bids have been let out for several large new crossing upgrades on the MKE Subdivision (Friestant Rd, 107th street, Bradley Rd. and 91st Street)

Moving along, the bridge work by John Noland should be starting within the next few weeks. We have been working on checking the rail from Milton to Waukesha Subdivision to see if we can get the speed back to a safe 25 mph until we can schedule a rail relay with 115# welded rail.

As for new business its coming out of the wood-work, MM in Iron Ridge is looking at installing a new track into the facility for the purpose of bringing in lumber. D I Silica just keeps expanding in Green Lake County with a new quarry that they opened this spring……Pattison Sand in Prairie du Chien just keeps rolling along. United Cooperative is adding a new gain bin in Ripon and Horicon and is doing a new track expansion at their Rock Springs facility so they can move off the main line and be independent and not rely on our crews for loading their grain cars. Oshkosh Trucks just keeps awarding us contracts for moving their vehicles to army post around the country. As for the grain movements we just keep a steady pace of moving grain to Chicago market. You should be seeing cars go into the former Cat Plant in Edgerton very soon since a division of Watco took on 100,000 square feet of space to be used as a reload center.

Got to go now and will keep you posted on what's happening on the WSOR……..

Be safe and have your cameras batteries charged….

Have a great day……

Bill Gardner
President
WSOR

Thank you for the great update! It's great to hear that a railroad is doing so well in today's world that doesn't go by CSX, NS, UP or BNSF. You have a great operation there.
I get occasional updates from one of the 1003 folks on the engine and once in a while my neighbor across the street updates me on the WSOR.
Keep up the excellent work.

Don Wirth
Pacific, MO.

Couldn't have said it better! It is really refreshing to see that from a company! Especially excitement for steam too. I almost fell out of my chair!

http://www.sooline1003.com/