GBW 617 - Plover, WI
N 44° 27.417 W 089° 32.428
16T E 297888 N 4925766
Caboose GBW 617 sits in the Plover Heritage Park. This car, rail and ties were donated by the Canadian National Railroad about a year after its acquisition of the Wisconsin Central Ltd.
Waymark Code: WM29KZ
Location: Wisconsin, United States
Date Posted: 09/28/2007
Views: 27
From the Heritage Park web site:
"A donation of a railroad car was the ultimate goal of PCHS ever since the Bancroft Depot was completed. When several members of the CWMR (Central Wisconsin Model Railroaders, Ltd), the group responsible for the restoration of the depot, began the search in early 2002 it did not take long to locate a car and begin the wheels turning to get the car donated. The individuals involved in this endeavor were Ray Konkol and his son Dale, Phil Gjevre, Don Kottke, Larry Misiewicz, Fred Haase and Ross Rossier, all members of CWMR.
The Canadian National Railroad after purchasing the Wisconsin Central Railway, Ltd., inherited all of the rolling stock of that RR and the roads the WC had purchased. In among these was the ex-GB&W's caboose 117 (originally numbered 617). Dale Konkol located it and with some discrete questions was able to ascertain that it 'could' be donated to the right group. Enter PCHS!! A few letters, phone calls, emails, and everything is set!!
The CN delivered rail, ties, tie plates, spikes etc., one morning at 8:00 A. M., and work began almost immediately. Within two weeks all rail was laid, by hand, and ballasted. The caboose was dropped off on Friday evening, June 7th, on the former GB&W main line in Plover, which forms the northern boundary of Heritage Park that runs only 40 feet away from the depot. Saturday morning, June 8, 2002, at 8:00 A.M., Peters Crane Company fired up their crane and the move was on!!"