| A CN unit train of tank cars traverses the west leg of the wye at the north end of the former SOO yard at Neenah, WI, on 5 Sep. '20. It looks like some new, concrete railroad ties will be installed on the main line soon. I've never seen these around here before. The remnants of the foundation from the ca. 1955 masonry SOO depot can be seen to the left. There are rail sections supported by concrete blocks and railroad ties stacked upon it. It was built to replace the wooden depot built in 1891 on Sherry St., about 850 ft. to the southeast, which was torn down soon after the new one opened. On the far side of the train lies Arrowhead Park, a closed paper sludge landfill. Before the landfill was opened in the '50s, the south shore of Little Lake Butte des Morts came right up to the north leg of the wye (partially visible to the right). A large quantity of fill is being added to the eastern half of the park, in preparation of future improvements. The Fox Valley Energy Center (formerly Minergy Fox Valley Glass Aggregate Plant) dominated the eastern half of the landfill from its opening in Jan. '98 until demolition was completed in the spring of '16. The former C&NW bridge across Little Lake Butte des Morts, now part of the Friendship Trail (often erroneously referred to as the Trestle Trail), can be seen in the background to the right. Train had three locomotives, CN 3265 and CN 2834 pulling as well as CN 2845 pushing. |