Steam & Excursion > Frisco 1522 at O'Hare

Hello all, long time reader, first time poster.

This video clip was taken on August 13, 1988 near O'Hare airport. I wasn't born yet, so I do not know many details. My Dad was the photographer. 

The 1522 is on the original Soo Line's Waukesha sub, which at the time was owned by Wisconsin Central.

I have quite a few more of videos like these, and I hope to post them when I get a chance.

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Your dad did a nice video!

Love that whistle.

I believe that was the 1522's first public excursion, on the Wisconsin Central from Schiller Park Ill. to Fond du Lac, Wis. and return, on either Saturday, August 13, or Sunday August 14, 1988. I don't recall specifically if there was both a Saturday and a Sunday trip. Notes and what I can find online (it is not listed in the Steam Central trip archives for 1988) all seem to indicate Sunday only, but that would be unusual. In any case, one of those dates.

The WC had been very hospitable to the 1522 in the months previously, with several test and break-in runs, and with these trip(s), its first public excursion(s). These all helped tremendously in gaining credibility for the engine closer to its hometown of St. Louis with BN and NS, which would later lead to operations on those roads You can tell it's early in the 1522's career because the old ACFX tank car is still in use as the canteen; the later auxiliary tender with the Frisco's gold filigree border was still to come.

The Fond du Lac excursion(s) were wonderful. Like many of us in the St. Louis Chapter NRHS and the 1522's organization, the St. Louis Steam Train Association, I had journeyed to Chicago and into Wisconsin for the trip(s). I have a vague recollection of following one day's trip and photographing it, then riding, but I could be wrong. Notes and photos are regrettably packed away, so can't readily verify. There were many highlights on the WC's sawtooth profile, with the best being working up Byron Hill out of Fond du Lac. That's where a lot of us perhaps really started to fully appreciate what the 1522 could do, and that loud, sharp exhaust that she had. I also thought at the time that it was really neat to be able to ride on the former Soo right past O'Hare, one of those mileage segments that I had just always wanted to do if I had the opportunity when I had lived in Chicago years earlier. Now of course you can do it everyday on Metra. At the time, it was rare mileage.

Thanks for bringing back some wonderful memories.

MC
Columbia, Missouri

ironmtn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I believe that was the 1522's first public
> excursion, on the Wisconsin Central from Schiller
> Park Ill. to Fond du Lac, Wis. and return, on
> either Saturday, August 13, or Sunday August 14,
> 1988. I don't recall specifically if there was
> both a Saturday and a Sunday trip. Notes and what
> I can find online (it is not listed in the Steam
> Central trip archives for 1988) all seem to
> indicate Sunday only, but that would be unusual.
> In any case, one of those dates.
>
> The WC had been very hospitable to the 1522 in the
> months previously, with several test and
> break-in runs, and with these trip(s), its first
> public excursion(s). These all helped tremendously
> in gaining credibility for the engine closer to
> its hometown of St. Louis with BN and NS, which
> would later lead to operations on those roads You
> can tell it's early in the 1522's career because
> the old ACFX tank car is still in use as the
> canteen; the later auxiliary tender with the
> Frisco's gold filigree border was still to come.
>
> The Fond du Lac excursion(s) were wonderful. Like
> many of us in the St. Louis Chapter NRHS and the
> 1522's organization, the St. Louis Steam Train
> Association, I had journeyed to Chicago and into
> Wisconsin for the trip(s). I have a vague
> recollection of following one day's trip and
> photographing it, then riding, but I could be
> wrong. Notes and photos are regrettably packed
> away, so can't readily verify. There were many
> highlights on the WC's sawtooth profile, with the
> best being working up Byron Hill out of Fond du
> Lac. That's where a lot of us perhaps
> really started to fully appreciate what the 1522
> could do, and that loud, sharp exhaust that she
> had. I also thought at the time that it was really
> neat to be able to ride on the former Soo right
> past O'Hare, one of those mileage segments that I
> had just always wanted to do if I had the
> opportunity when I had lived in Chicago years
> earlier. Now of course you can do it everyday on
> Metra. At the time, it was rare mileage.
>
> Thanks for bringing back some wonderful memories.
>
> MC
> Columbia, Missouri
Anytime MC. Thank you for the background info. I greatly appreciate it. 

ironmtn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> (it is not listed in the Steam Central trip archives for 1988)

You will find the information I do have in the Google Calendar version.

St. Louis - Chicago (Schiller Park) Friday, July 22
Chicago - Fond du Lac Saturday, July 23
Fond du Lac - Stevens Point Monday, July 25
Stevens Point - Fond du Lac Tuesday, July 24
Fond du Lac - River Grove, IL Friday, August 12
River Grove - Fond du Lac RT Saturday, August 13
River Grove - Fond du Lac RT Sunday, August 14
Chicago - St. Louis Tuesday, August 16

Corrections welcome.

Since you offered:
I rode the first excursion on Saturday and chased the second excursion on Sunday.
Saturday, July 23 and Sunday, July 24, 1988:  Each day, the train departed from a site close to Maywood Park (a horsetrack) and Kiddieland (South of O'Hare Airport).  Both days, the excursions were round-trips to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
Saturday passengers will recall a lengthy delay when local Wisconsin police were called to remove a drunken passenger from first class.  They declined to do so.  No runbys.

The attached slide photo was taken on Sunday when the excursion train backed into the East Troy Railroad Museum for some event.

redberan4449

johnacraft Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ironmtn Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > (it is not listed in the Steam Central trip
> archives for 1988)
>
> You will find the information I do have in the
> Google Calendar version.
>
> St. Louis - Chicago (Schiller Park) Friday, July
> 22
> Chicago - Fond du Lac Saturday, July 23
> Fond du Lac - Stevens Point Monday, July 25
> Stevens Point - Fond du Lac Tuesday, July 24
> Fond du Lac - River Grove, IL Friday, August 12
> River Grove - Fond du Lac RT Saturday, August 13
> River Grove - Fond du Lac RT Sunday, August 14
> Chicago - St. Louis Tuesday, August 16
>
> Corrections welcome.

---

redberan4449 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Since you offered:
> I rode the first excursion on Saturday and chased
> the second excursion on Sunday.
> Saturday, July 23 and Sunday, July 24, 1988: 
> Each day, the train departed from a site close to
> Maywood Park (a horsetrack) and Kiddieland (South
> of O'Hare Airport).  Both days, the excursions
> were round-trips to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
> Saturday passengers will recall a lengthy delay
> when local Wisconsin police were called to remove
> a drunken passenger from first class.  They
> declined to do so.  No runbys.
>
> The attached slide photo was taken on Sunday when
> the excursion train backed into the East Troy
> Railroad Museum for some event.

Thanks for the departure site information. I have only a vague recollection of that information now that you mention it. I do remember the engine laying over at the WC's ex-Soo Line yard in Schiller Park. I spent some time with it there, both for photos and to assist with one of the work crews, but that was probably after the Chicago arrival Fri 7/22 and before departure Sat 7/23, as noted below. Whether the engine laid over there before the passenger excursions to Fond du Lac as well I do not recall.

I think that the excursion dates that you list, redberran4449, July 23 and July 24, taken from the info that John provided from his very useful Steam Central site, were in fact ferry trips for test / break-in trips on the WC. Here are the dates John has on the Google calendar version of Steam Central. These correspond with my recollections now that I see them and his notes in the calendar, although again I can't be 100% sure because my notes and pix from that period are packed away. But I think these are correct, as per John's Steam Central calendar:

Fri 7/22/88 -- St. Louis - Chicago one-way ferry via C&NW. Major delay due to mechanical issues. This was via the old C&NW route north from Madison, Ill. near St. Louis, past Peoria, to the junction with the east-west C&NW main at Nelson, Ill., then into Chicago from the west from Nelson. I remember it now very well -- a long, tough, but exciting day. No public passengers -- strictly ferry move.

Sat 7/23/88 -- Chicago (Schiller Park) to Fond du Lac, Wis., one way ferry, no public passengers. I remember this one too. I drove the van of one of the engine crew members following the trip so that it would be available to the crew once they reached Fond du Lac with the engine. I came back to Chicago with a friend who also followed the trip in his vehicle as I recall.

Mon 7/25/88 - Fond du Lac to Stevens Point, Wis. one-way, with 1800 ton freight, per Steam Central. I did not stay in Wisconsin for this trip nor the other two later later trips, very much to my regret, due to work commitments back in St. Louis. This was one of the key test / break-in runs that I mentioned in my earlier post that the WC so graciously hosted. As previously mentioned, the success of those trips (and the subsequent passenger excursions) hosted by the WC were crucial in subsequent successful negotiations with NS and BN to operate on those railroads, particularly closer to St. Louis. I was very much involved in that process.

Tues 7/26/88 -- Stevens Point to Fond du Lac, one-way, with 2100 ton freight, per Steam Central. The second big break-in / test trip with freight. The engine then laid over in Fond du Lac until 8/12.

Fri 8/12/88 -- Fond du Lac to Chicago (River Grove, Ill., per Steam Central), one-way ferry. Not listed on Steam Central as with freight, but I seem to recall that the engine did handle a short freight consist. I think I followed this one south from FDL.

Sat 8/13/88 -- Chicago (River Grove) to Fond du Lac, per Steam Central. The first roundtrip passenger excursion.  So, per Steam Central and redberan4449, it did run a public trip on Saturday. I wasn't sure in my previous post due to other posts I read online which only mentioned Sunday (and explicitly as the first public excursion), but a Saturday RT makes total sense, and is my recollection as well. I believe that Chicago Chapter NRHS was the sponsor. I recall now (in relation to the other dates when I would have chased and photographed) that I worked as a car host on this trip, as others of us in the St. Louis Chapter NRHS who came up from St. Louis also did.

Sun 8/13/88 -- Chicago (River Grove) to Fond du Lac, per Steam Central. The second roundtrip passenger excursion. I recall the stop at the East Troy museum on the way back, where many of us from the train savored a wonderful short trolley ride on a lovely summer evening. It cost time getting back to Chicago (with arrival after dark, as I recall), but I have always remembered it. In particular, there was almost no conversation while we rode. Everyone was like a sponge just soaking up the wonderful ambience and memories of a nostalgic trolley ride near the lake in the countryside on a pretty evening. I'm pretty sure I rode on the 21, a single-truck open car. In any case, it was memorable. The on into the city behind steam with the 1522. A memorable day to say the least.

Tues 8/16/88 - Chicago to St. Louis, one-way ferry. Steam Central lists this as the approximate date and again as via C&NW, and both of those points seem right to me. I think the engine laid over Monday for some crew rest and a little maintenance before heading home. I'm pretty sure that I drove back to St. Louis on Monday and did not follow it back the next day.

Thanks, John, for the directions to the Google calendar listing for your invaluable Steam Central site. I have used it dozens of times to verify dates on photos and for other purposes, and I am sure that others here on TO have done so as well. Now I have the Google calendar format again, which I had somehow either lost the link to or had forgotten. Thanks.

And thanks redberan4449 for your helpful recollections as well.

Thanks again, all, for bringing back some great memories. Any other comments / recollections / corrections are welcome. Don Wirth (Frisco1522), anything to offer from your perspective? For my part, these are my recollections.

MC
Columbia, Missouri

> redberan4449
>
> johnacraft Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > ironmtn Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > (it is not listed in the Steam Central trip
> > archives for 1988)
> >
> > You will find the information I do have in the
> > Google Calendar version.
> >
> > St. Louis - Chicago (Schiller Park) Friday,
> July
> > 22
> > Chicago - Fond du Lac Saturday, July 23
> > Fond du Lac - Stevens Point Monday, July 25
> > Stevens Point - Fond du Lac Tuesday, July 24
> > Fond du Lac - River Grove, IL Friday, August 12
> > River Grove - Fond du Lac RT Saturday, August
> 13
> > River Grove - Fond du Lac RT Sunday, August 14
> > Chicago - St. Louis Tuesday, August 16
> >
> > Corrections welcome.

MC, I would not disagree with the August dates; I did not check my old slides.  As for the weekend River Grove (probably accurate) excursions, they were known as "Up to Track to Fond Du Lac".  I still have my tee shirt.

The sponsoring group was the 20th Century Railroad Club.  Reportedly, their financial loss was so significant ($40,000 to $50,000 in 1988 dollars) that the excursions became affectionately known as "Up the Stack to Fond du Lac".

Do you remember the 1522 being turned on the turntable in Fond du Lac?   How about the 1%+ grade on Byron Hill leaving Fond du Lac?

redberan4449

redberan4449 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MC, I would not disagree with the August dates; I
> did not check my old slides.  As for the
> weekend River Grove (probably accurate)
> excursions, they were known as "Up to Track to
> Fond Du Lac".  I still have my tee shirt.
>
> The sponsoring group was the 20th Century Railroad
> Club.  Reportedly, their financial loss was so
> significant ($40,000 to $50,000 in 1988
> dollars) that the excursions became
> affectionately known as "Up the Stack to Fond du
> Lac".
>
> Do you remember the 1522 being turned on the
> turntable in Fond du Lac?   How about the
> 1%+ grade on Byron Hill leaving Fond du Lac?
>
> redberan4449

Thanks for the response. Now that you mention it, I do recall that the sponsor for the Fond du Lac public excursions was the 20th Century Railroad Club, not Chicago Chapter NRHS. Thanks for that correction. And I recall now as well having heard about their loss on the Fond du Lac trips, unfortunately. 

I also do recall well the 1522 being turned on the turntable at Fond du Lac. It was one of only a couple of times that I've been lucky enough to have seen steam turned on the table, the other being 611 in Moberly, Mo. (where it just barely fit on the table) before the turntable there was removed. And I certainly recall the 1522 impressively working the grade on Byron Hill -- what a show. As I recall, both of those events are captured in the Greg Scholl Frisco 1522 video. Both were very memorable.

MC
Columbia, Missouri

She was also turned on the Stevens Point turntable and spent the night in the roundhouse there.
We were in washing up and a crew came in and wondered why it was so hot in the roundhouse.  We told them there was a steam locomotive in there fired up and they didn't believe us.   One of them went out and looks and sais "I'll be damned, there really is one out there".   Stevens Point was like a time machine with the old roundhouse and stone buildings.  Really neat.