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Our train left La Crosse backing up at 2:58 PM.
Passing the old roundhouse foundation at La Crosse before we backed across the bridges to La Crescent to wye our train for the trip back to Minneapolis Jct.
Recrossing the Mississippi River.
At West Bridge Jct we started our trip around the large wye at La Crescent.
With all the high water from the recent rains new lakes were formed inside the wye.
Looks like a good fishing hole to someone who didn't know better.
The palisade on the Minnesota side of the Mississippi River.
A most beautiful scene!
I love scenes like this.
The plant like creates a unique setting. That is the short wye cutting across which we didn't use.
Almost to the switch at the south end of the large wye.
The train on the switch.
The return track would be new mileage for me as on the Grand Excursion we took the way we had just come from to get to La Crosse from Dubuque that afternoon back in June of 2004.
A look down the train as the rear in now on the line to Dubuque.
We now start up the connecting track to the mainline as we mew mileage starts until we reach the CP Rail mainline again. I returned to my seat and enjoyed the late afternoon trip along the Mississippi River after talking with several friends on the train. Our train took the siding at Donehower for BN 5966 East. At the next siding at Homer we went into the siding for CP 9558 East.
At Winona, a CP Rail local with a Soo Line engine on it. Knowing that we were getting near the flash flooding damage, I returned to the vestibule to capture a few pictures of it.
The flooding damage from the August 17th and 18th, 2007 flash flooding near Minnesota City.
The is where the ex Milwaukee Road bridge once was flooded away on that night. The CP Rail built a shoofly around the damaged bridge a week later. The train then made its way to Red Wing and another servicing stop for the steam engines.
The highway bridge at Red Wing. I found Dennis Larsen who I took to Bob Riskie so they can catch up on things. I visited the folks in the baggage car and had nice conversations with many people aboard the train. As we reached Hastings I returned to the vestibule for picture of the crossing of the Mississippi River at Hastings.
Crossing the Mississippi River at Hastings.
A view later along the Mississippi River as we neared St. Paul. The train passed through the yards then climbed Westminster Hill to leave St. Paul. We returned Minneapolis Jct at 8:45 PM and we end a fantastic trip with both the Milwaukee Road 261 and Canadian Pacific 2816. We drove back to the Best Western Kelly Inn in Plymouth . Chris, Anton and I then had dinner at the Green Mill Restaurant and Lounge where I enjoyed a fantastic steak for dinner. We next called it a night as I had my next steam trip tomorrow while Chris and Anton would give chase.
