I had seen a picture several years back over on Railroad Picture Archives of Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range steam generator-equipped SD9 #130 (s/n 23118, f/n 5525-20) pulling a passenger special through Two Harbors, Minnesota. I was able to find the photo again: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=640367 (Greg Smith photo).

I have several questions:

1. Was this one of a series of passenger specials on the DM&IR during the 1970's, or was this a one time only deal?

2. What was the route of said special, and were there any sponsors (NRHS chapter, museum, historical society, etc.)?

3. What equipment was used? From looking at the photo again, there appears to be an ex-GN "Glacier" series sleeper in BN Cascade Green behind the 2 engines, or is it another sleeper altogether? (I've seen photos before of other passenger cars in faux BN paint, hence the question).

4. Was anyone on this forum either a passenger on the special, or trackside and took photos?

Thanks in advance.

The DMIR has had lots trips over the years, the Mining Engineers had a annual trip until 2000 +/-.

Also they ran several trips for the Lake Superior Museum.

I have been on at least 3. Duluth to Fairlane, Biwabik to Hibbing, Biwabik to Two Harbors.

I believe Milw 261 did a Duluth-Two Harbors-Biwabik-Virginia-Duluth circle trip.

They usually used the Lake Superior Museums cars, 1974 they might have used BN cars.

I am guessing that car might be the St. Croix River. A BN sleeper lounge.


-Hudson

Thanks, Hudson, for the information on the DM&IR passenger specials, and for identifying the car as the "St. Croix River"!

GN #1175 "Oberlin Glacier":

One of ten 16RM-4DB sleepers built for the Mid-Century Empire Builder by Pullman-Standard in 1947 in Lot #6751 to Plan #4108. Equipped with HSCE D-22-BR 4x12 clasp brakes and riding on 41-HR-11 trucks (later changed to 41-N-11). Frigidaire 8 ton air conditioning and Vapor Zone steam heat. 8 cars owned by GN (#1170-#1177) and 2 cars owned by CB&Q (#1178 & #1179). In 1956, 2 of the GN cars (#1175 "Oberlin Glacier" & #1177 "Harrison Glacier") were rebuilt by P-S to 8RM-2DB lounge sleepers to Plan #4108B. #1175 "Oberlin Glacier" became #1198 "Manitoba Club" and #1177 "Harrison Glacier" became #1199 "Winnipeg Club". The 2 cars were then assigned to the "Winnipeg Limited". Both were withdrawn from Pullman lease in May 1967. GN #1198 "Manitoba Club" became BN #A25 "Manitoba Club" on 3/1/1970. Name changed from "Manitoba Club" to "St. Croix River" on 3/1/1971. Overhauled on 4/27/1973 (was the buffet counter in the lounge added then or in 1956?).

One source says that the #A25 "St. Croix River" was retired from executive service and sold in 1981 to Northern Rail Car and remodeled in 1985 as the "North Star". It was later resold to St. Louis Car, who then sold it to John Wilson, and was then operated by North Star Charters. It was later resold to the Orrville Railroad Heritage Society-Ohio Railway Supply and operated in PV service as FLNX #3.

The Friends of the Burlington Northern website, however, states that the "St. Croix River" is still in the active BNSF executive fleet, but I have not seen any photographic or other evidence to support this. Can anyone clarify the discrepancy?

Photographs and Diagrams of BN #A25 "St. Croix River":

1. From the FOBNR website, a diagram of the #A25 after its 1973 overhaul (click on the image once to enlarge): http://fobnr.org/bncarlist/passenger/stcroixriver.jpg

2. Also from the FOBNR website, a photograph of the #A25 (click on the image once to enlarge; the DM&IR heavyweight coach would imply this is one of the passenger specials in question-if I recall the LSRM has a heavyweight DM&IR car in their collection): http://fobnr.org/bncarlist/passenger/bnp1198.jpg

3. From the GNRHS-NPRHA Joint Archive, a photograph of the #1198 "Manitoba Club" in Big Sky Blue paint: http://www.gn-npjointarchive.org/GNRHSNewby/GNRHS.Newby.Bk3img287.jpg

Sources:

1. Pullman data from Tom Madden's Pullman Project CCR database at: http://pullmanproject.com/Database.htm

2. Information on the #A25 in BN executive service from the FOBNR website at: http://fobnr.org/bncarlist/passenger/bna25.htm

3. Information on the Mid-Century Empire Builder from GNRHS Reference Sheet #227 at: http://www.gnrhs.org/ref_sheet_227.htm

Green grass on Dec. 31, 1974??? I doubt that photo is dated correctly.

My perusal of Trains back issues shows an August 9, 1975 LSTM trip with 130 and DW&P RS11 3609 from Duluth to Virginia, Minn.

Thanks for the info, ADM!

Your history of the St. Croix River is fairly correct, I believe the lounge was added in 1954, the car did become the North Star, the current St. Croix River in the BNSF fleet is another car, as I recall it's a crew/power car.

-Hudson

Thanks, Hudson! Makes sense that the buffet counter was added during the 1956 remodel from a full 16-4 sleeper to an 8-2 sleeper lounge.

Found out where the "North Star" ended up: it is now business car "St. Augustine" on the FEC. It had been repainted by FLNX for the 2004 Presidential Election, and with the name "Rail Force One"! Here's a photo of the "St. Augustine" on the FEC in August 2010 with FEC's sleeper lounge observation "Azalea": http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2796096 (Matt Adamski photo). Obviously still wearing the paint job from 2004!

As a side note, before being repainted for the 2004 Election, it had served as a business car on the Wheeling & Lake Erie (with FLNX reporting marks) as seen here: http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/flnx3.jpg. It still carried the FLNX reporting marks when photographed on the FEC in 2010.

FLNX #3 has Amtrak registration #800289.