Case Co. was still spending $10 million of their approximately $50 million a year transportation budget on rail shipments. By the 1970’s the basic appearance of the tractors changed again. The South Works had been building four- wheel drive tractors since 1964, and these models steadily gained in popu- larity. Power Red and Power White col- ors were adopted in 1974, right around the time when integrated roll cage cabs began to appear on tractors to comply with new safety standards. The Silent Guardian sound-proofed cab was stan- dard on the 90-series tractors in 1978. With the introduction of the 94-se- ries tractors in 1983, the Case color scheme was modified to a new combi- nation of white, Power Red, and black. In 1984 the agricultural equipment operations of International Harvester were merged with J.I. Case, and a new line of red and black Case-International tractors was released in 1985. The Mag- num line, with its distinctive high-visi- bility glass cab, followed in 1987. The simple, boxy lines of the Magnum were typical of machinery from that era en- tirely designed for the first time with CAD software. Operations were consoli- dated after the Case-IH merger, and the production of four-wheel drive tractors was moved from the South Works to Fargo, North Dakota, after the acquisi- tion of the Steiger line in 1987. The Case South Works, formerly one of the CNW's biggest customers in Racine, began moving the tractors six miles west by truck to Sturtevant for shipment on the Soo Line Railroad in 1985. Case management changed ship- pers because they needed daily switch- ing service at the plant. The Racine switch job had been taken off after the American Motors assembly plant in Kenosha closed, and local switching
KEITH KOHLMANN: STURTEVANT, WI; SEPT. 18, 2005
KEITH KOHLMANN: STURTEVANT, WI; SEPT., 2005
The CP loading ramp at Sturtevant, Wisconsin, is a simple earth and gravel ramp shored up with railroad ties. Backed against the ramp, a string of eight OTTX flats loaded with 24 CNH tractors bound for Russia wait to be moved into the yard (above). These hot loads will be forwarded to Bensenville Yard outside Chicago, and then transferred to the CSX for the ap- proximately twelve-day trip to the Port of Baltimore. This New Holland TG 285 tractor (be- low) is chained down and ready for the trip. The chains fit into channels built into the decks of the OTTX flat cars. Wooden blocks are not needed around the wheels on these cars.
jobs were consolidated around the re- maining work. Not satisfied with the low level of service being provided two or three times a week by the Kenosha switch run, they also wanted to end the rampant vandalism of the tractors that was occurring while they were left over the weekend on open flatcars in the yard.
Inbound materials were also
switched to trucks, and the era of direct rail service into the South Works ended.
CNH Global- today’s operation In 1999 Case-IH merged with New Holland. The company is now part of CNH Global, the world’s largest pro- ducer of agricultural equipment. There was more consolidation, and in 2002 tractor assembly was shifted away
from the South Works to the newer CNH Transmission Plant six miles west in Sturtevant.
During the 91 years the South Works
was in operation, over 920,000 tractors were produced at the site. The foundry continued to operate through 2004, but it was closed in favor of acquiring less ex- pensive castings from China and India. A new buyer for the facility could not be found, so the entire Case South Works was demolished in 2005, and plans for an upscale lakeside housing develop- ment at the site are presently hold. Tractors currently in production at the re-tooled Sturtevant plant share a single platform but are branded for ei- ther Case (red) or New Holland (blue). Production of medium and small trac- tors is primarily for the domestic and European markets.
The tractors to be shipped by rail are
trucked one mile on flatbed trailers from the factory to a lot inside the west wye at the CP Rail yard (formerly Mil- waukee Road) in Sturtevant. Out- bound tractors are loaded circus-style up a wood and gravel ramp onto OTTX flats. When the cuts of six to eight flats are loaded, the day switch crew moves them to one of the yard tracks adjacent to the mainline. The tractors are picked up by the evening freights oper- ating between Milwaukee and Bensenville (Chicago). Most of the overseas export tractors are sent to New York, where they are loaded on ships. Many head for the port of Antwerp, The Netherlands, where they are loaded on trucks and trains for movement to their final destinations across Europe.
RAILROAD MODEL CRAFTSMAN 79
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100