I finally had a few moments to develop some film, so here are a few from the SOO Line 1003 photo special that Bill Raia organized last April.The trips operated on Wisconsin Southern Railroad's ex-Milwaukee trackage. On Friday, April 22, 1003 ran tender-first from its home at the Wisconsin Automotive Museum in Hartford to the WSOR facility in Horicon, where it was turned and serviced. The train then ran to Randolph, turning for the night at Fox Lake Junction.On Saturday the train ran from Randolph to Beaver Dam, then reversed and made a second pass along Beaver Dam Lake before tieing up in Horicon. The Zuehlke family was kind enough to allow us to tramp around in their yard, which is bisected by the railroad:On Sunday, 1003 ran north to Brandon, then backed out a branch to Fairwater. After runbys in Fairwater and Brandon it returned to Horicon.A short distance north of Horicon:Crossing the Rock River in Waupun:Along the mill pond in Fairwater, with Trevor and Allison Geerdts:Departing Brandon:Now, about the next shot. 1003 stopped to take coal on Sunday morning in the town of Burnett. Bill and I had arranged for a local gentleman who owned an antique farm vehicle to meet us there, so we could make plans for a photo later in the day. While we were chatting, another man came up asked, "do you mind if I bring my Studebaker here to take a picture by your engine?" Being the generous person that I am when other people's posessions are involved, I agreed, and we all decided to rendezvous nearby in the afternoon.Apparently, they told most of the town, so there were quite a few spectators when the photographers arrived.On Monday, 1003 and its caboose returned to the Auto museum.Burt Mall and Gary Ostrand, owners of 1003, were very kind to perform for us, and he's got a top-notch crew. Bill Gardener, WSOR President, was generous in allowing us to run on the railroad for four days. I hope we can make another visit one day soon.JAC

John,Great shots. Another great trip i missed. Thanks for sharing.Tom

John your black and white photos are heartstoppingly beautiful and wonderfully evocative of my childhood when steam was common near my home. Thank you!Doug

Thank you both. You should join us in the photo line some time. They aren't cheap, but we have a lot of fun. And we occasionally get some nice images.JAC

Hey guys ---- if you do this again, let me know, and I'll bring my '50 Chevy pickup across on the Badger!TJG

TJ, you make a great straight man.The only way to find out - at least first hand - is to create an account at steamspecials.com, and then sign up for the email list. (It's a two-step process. Having an account does NOT mean you're on the email list unless you added yourself to it.) Anyone can sign up on that list, and get every announcement.The trips aren't limited to an in-group. (I had never met maybe 1/3 of the people on the SOO trip.) Unless I've told you, in so many words, that you aren't welcome (those people can be counted on one hand, with fingers left over), we'll take your check.Anyone who sends me an email saying "hey John, let me know when you do a trip!," or makes the same request on a discussion board, almost certainly won't get the announcement. Gone are the days when I could manage this from a Rolodex, or a database on my PC. And I'll forget before I get around to adding you to the website.Anyone who expects a Trainorders or Interchange announcement will be disappointed.If someone want to know when the trips are, it's easy. But that person has to do all the work.JAC