repainted by WSOR’s Horicon, Wis., shops into a NP-inspired scheme with SCXY lettering and heralds. St. Croix Valley management graciously allowed the units to be temporarily re-lettered with magnetic Northern Pacific lettering and numbers — SCXY No. 1326 became “NP 3634” for the day while sister 1326 became “NP 3640”; the only major deviation from typical NP practice was their lack of silver trucks and their ditch lights. On the morning of September 11, the units were staged at Hinckley to await the arrival of the BNSF local, which would set off six cars bound for the yard at Rush City. Once the cars were interchanged,


the train departed with engineer Bill Pearson and conductor Travis Anderson; it was truly a sight to behold — NP SD45s pulling real freight in 2015! Momentary stops were made to wait for the sun, as the sky had clouded up shortly after departure. Despite this, attendees had a great time photographing the train as it rambled toward Rush City at 10 m.p.h. Participants then drove north to Duluth for what many considered to be


the highlight of the weekend, a Saturday charter on the North Shore Scenic Railroad featuring NP SD45 No. 3617, freshly repainted into its original 1968 NP colors. Number 3617 was one of 30 SD45s delivered to the Northern Pacific beginning with No. 3600 in 1966 (so numbered to reflect its horsepower rating). No. 3617 was part of the second group delivered, Nos. 3604-3619, which


RIGHT: Hustle Muscle has made a station stop and is now departing rural Osceola, Wis., bound for the end of the line at Dresser.


BELOW: No. 3617 is crossing the Little Sucker River Bridge near Palmers, Minn., on the ex- DM&IR Lakefront Line.


40 NOVEMBER 2015 • RAILFAN.COM


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