OK, I admit it. I SCREWED UP! For years I had been saying that I was going to go up and see the Kettle Moraine Railway. And for many different reasons, I never made it. The October visit was planned for this year too and I probably would have found another reason to put it off. And then I heard that the KM was going to fold up its tent. So, I packed the missus and the dog and off we went. And what did I find? An absolute GEM of a little tourist railroad! Steam locomotives tastefully painted; well kept equipment; a grade that gave the little 2-6-2 a workout (with stack talk to match); a locomotive engineer who really knew how to "play" a whistle (and with enough road crossings to genuinely have to blow it!); friendly volunteers; an authentic depot; and a number of other "someday might-be" projects scattered around the property. And I also realized that, unfortunately, I would not be able to come back to pay another visit! What a shame! What a loss! I feel bad that I had not made the visit years ago. I just didn't know what a nice line the Kettle Moraine really was.
And although I KNEW of the KM for a long time, I had never read or heard from anyone, of its attractiveness. But one thing I did learn from the visitors I talked to earlier today (did the last day of operations bring out a record crowd?), is that many hadn't been there in 10 or 15 or 18 years. They on the other hand DID KNOW about it, but stayed away. For goodness sakes, why? Did low attendance have anything to do with the operations demise? It made me realize that we have to support what we have now. Tourist lines, museums, static displays. For who knows when they too might suddenly be gone? And that includes those of us involved in rail preservation. We can't just "stay at home" all the time but also must support other groups whenever we can. I have been doing that with a couple of other operations on an irregular basis but have decided to commit myself to at least one visit to those other operations per year. KM round trip ticket #4050 stamped October 28, 2001 may someday be a collectors item, but I would much rather have had the Kettle Moraine in steam!

Les Beckman (Hoosier Valley Railroad Muaeum)

midlandblb@cs.com

Similar thing happened years ago with my dad and the Everett (in Pa), except he went out the spring AFTER they folded.
ALSO, you'd be surprised at the number of people, many of them railfans even, who when you talk about going out to see the EBT, will say "Are they still around?"

People will find lots of reasons, many of them pretty trivial, to put off going somewhere that they'd like to, or doing things they ought to. My wife and I kept postponing a trip up to see an old friend, because it was a pretty long drive, and gas was pretty high, etc. etc, Well, our friend died suddenly back in June. We made the trip, long drive, high gas prices and all.... for his funeral. "If only I had known..." is a pretty lame feeling

> Similar thing happened years ago with my dad
> and the Everett (in Pa), except he went out
> the spring AFTER they folded.
> ALSO, you'd be surprised at the number of
> people, many of them railfans even, who when
> you talk about going out to see the EBT,
> will say "Are they still around?"

> People will find lots of reasons, many of
> them pretty trivial, to put off going
> somewhere that they'd like to, or doing
> things they ought to. My wife and I kept
> postponing a trip up to see an old friend,
> because it was a pretty long drive, and gas
> was pretty high, etc. etc, Well, our friend
> died suddenly back in June. We made the
> trip, long drive, high gas prices and
> all.... for his funeral. "If only I had
> known..." is a pretty lame feeling

Les brings to mind two things:

1. I was REAL lucky in that Steven Butler was very generous with me on two visits, providing a cab ride in the 2-6-2 once and the additional operation of his Heisler on the next visit. The whole operation was nicely done--the depot, shop and everything. Just around the corner was a great little tavern at which one could get a burger and not miss the action. I chased the line on my first visit and got some nice photos of the 9 at work. It just goes to show that a great location and setting plus teriffic people cannot be beat!

2. Both of y'all are right. If there's something that really trips your trigger, get out there and see it. This year I marked off Nevada Northern. Year before that, Sumpter Valley. Two weekends ago, the 2-8-0 at Knoxville on the Three Rivers Rambler tourist line. There is still a long list that I expect will take a good 40 years to track down. I'll keep at it as long as health, good humor and financs allow--after all, as a friend of mine who died earlier this year at age 87 said to me years ago: Life is uncertain--eat dessert first!
Happy Monday, y'all! Jim



http://nctrans.org
Wrinnbo@aol.com

> Similar thing happened years ago with my dad
> and the Everett (in Pa), except he went out
> the spring AFTER they folded.
> ALSO, you'd be surprised at the number of
> people, many of them railfans even, who when
> you talk about going out to see the EBT,
> will say "Are they still around?"

I finally made it out to the EBT to see it in operation for the first time earlier this month during their Fall Spectacular. Really something that should be saved and operation expanded. Hopefully the standard gauge freight operation at Mt. Union will be successful and will help that expansion.

Les

> People will find lots of reasons, many of
> them pretty trivial, to put off going
> somewhere that they'd like to, or doing
> things they ought to. My wife and I kept
> postponing a trip up to see an old friend,
> because it was a pretty long drive, and gas
> was pretty high, etc. etc, Well, our friend
> died suddenly back in June. We made the
> trip, long drive, high gas prices and
> all.... for his funeral. "If only I had
> known..." is a pretty lame feeling


midlandblb@cs.com

I missed seeing this little line run as well. I should have learned my lesson when I years ago I said to myself "I gotta ride run of those NS steam trips someday". Never thinking that NS would drop the program.

I hope the equipment finds good homes.

Maybe the McCloud River would want another engine back?? I wonder if they know it is available?

-Alan Levy



alanl759@aol.com

Guys, the world which engendered KM is no longer. It is one of the last family owned, mom and grandpop lines which arose in the days of recently retired equipment with inexpensive stuff to keep it going and lots of experienced people around to keep it safe. Liability was a minimal concern in the '60s and oil was cheap and plentiful. The only neighbors were cornfields and the value of the land the ROW occupied was not too high.

Many things have changed, and the railroad has been doing a fine job of remaining solvent through all the greater difficulties. However, there is a reasonable time to stop fighting a growing series of problems and turn them into opportunities. Several have dovetailed nicely and I wish everybody at KMRR the best as always as they progress into other interests.

The operating equipment (and some of the other) will continue to live on in other venues TBA. The Butler collection of machine tools won't be broken up. CATS gets a very fine, young and energetic CMO which is great news for us all. There isn't a lot here to mourn.

Go ride them before they disappear or transmute by all means but let's not get too maudlin.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

And I think we should remember a little bit of the history here. Before Steven was old enough to take over Grandpa's little tourist railroad, it had been advertised for over a year in the small ads in the back pages of Trains magazine for what today would be a very reasonable price. (One I would pay in a minute now.[Of course I was a broke college student then!]) In exchange for it not selling, we got all of the good things that Iron Dave mentions here.

Steve

> Guys, the world which engendered KM is no
> longer. It is one of the last family owned,
> mom and grandpop lines which arose in the
> days of recently retired equipment with
> inexpensive stuff to keep it going and lots
> of experienced people around to keep it
> safe. Liability was a minimal concern in the
> '60s and oil was cheap and plentiful. The
> only neighbors were cornfields and the value
> of the land the ROW occupied was not too
> high.

> Many things have changed, and the railroad
> has been doing a fine job of remaining
> solvent through all the greater
> difficulties. However, there is a reasonable
> time to stop fighting a growing series of
> problems and turn them into opportunities.
> Several have dovetailed nicely and I wish
> everybody at KMRR the best as always as they
> progress into other interests.

> The operating equipment (and some of the
> other) will continue to live on in other
> venues TBA. The Butler collection of machine
> tools won't be broken up. CATS gets a very
> fine, young and energetic CMO which is great
> news for us all. There isn't a lot here to
> mourn.

> Go ride them before they disappear or
> transmute by all means but let's not get too
> maudlin.

> Dave


SZuidervee@aol.com

Can anyone post an image of the last day of operations on the Kettle Moraine?

> And I think we should remember a little bit
> of the history here. Before Steven was old
> enough to take over Grandpa's little tourist
> railroad, it had been advertised for over a
> year in the small ads in the back pages of
> Trains magazine for what today would be a
> very reasonable price. (One I would pay in a
> minute now.[Of course I was a broke college
> student then!]) In exchange for it not
> selling, we got all of the good things that
> Iron Dave mentions here.

> Steve

> Can anyone post an image of the last day of
> operations on the Kettle Moraine?

K.R.-

My photos are at the processors right now and I will try to post one or two here IF they come out. There were many other photographers there however who no doubt have much better shots than I. Hopefully one (or more) of them will share a photo or two with us.

Les

midlandblb@cs.com