McHenry Railroad Loop Auction

Emmo213 · **Posted:** Mon Jul 06, 2015 8:54 pm

Some interesting things up for auction including a 1937 Russell snowplow.

http://www.midwestauctions.com/heinze-t ... gust_3.htm

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

I guess I'm a bit confused as to why the Northern Pacific built this "Loop" in the first place. I wonder if there might be photos of it, or some type of railroad map. Also, a bit confused about why the "attraction" is being auctioned off. Seems like a bit of work went into making the "Loop Museum" a reality in the first place. I did look up the census info on McHenry, North Dakota and it looks like the town population is only 56. Not sure of the population of the surrounding area.

Les

rock island lines · **Joined:** Mon Feb 17, 2014 4:20 pm **Posts:** 487

Les,
It was a turn-around loop at the end of the line. As explained on the auction website linked above:

Quote:

By 1981, B.N. announced the abandonment of the Binford-to-McHenry section of the branch line, with intent to remove all trackage, including the Loop. Alerted to this situation, the town made an effort to save the “Loop.” It was felt this “end-of-the-line turnaround railroad loop” should be preserved for a landmark and historical value since it was (and continues to be) the only one left on the North American continent...

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Tue Jul 07, 2015 9:55 am

It's sad to see a small unique local museum like this forced to liquidate.

Unfortunately, if the extent of their "scholarship" is to depend on the notoriously unreliable (and at times fraudulent) "Ripley" for information, they had it coming.

Apparently no one ever informed them of the identical "return loop" terminals at Beaver Dam and Fox Lake, Wisconsin on the old Milwaukee Road. The Fox Lake depot and a short stretch of the loop track still survives, with most of the rest of the loop right of way now a trail.

JimBoylan · **Posted:** Tue Jul 07, 2015 12:28 pm

Add
Bay Head Jct., N.J. on the New York & Long Branch, now New Jersey Transit.

boilerwash · **Posted:** Tue Jul 07, 2015 12:56 pm

Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:

It's sad to see a small unique local museum like this forced to liquidate.

Merely the first arriving trickle of a coming flood.

ebtrr · **Posted:** Tue Jul 07, 2015 1:34 pm

I had heard of this attraction years ago, and I wondered what led to its demise after over 30 years of apparent success. Did some digging and found this 2000 article on how it came to be:

http://www.ndhorizons.com/featured/index.asp?ID=38

Read the article above first, this this obituary for Avis Lowe in 2010 brings a lot of things into perspective.

http://www.jamestownsun.com/content/avis-lowe

It seems the organization lost it "glue" so to speak.

Jim Vaitkunas · **Posted:** Tue Jul 07, 2015 5:42 pm

Cedar City, Utah had a similar loop to handle the Union Pacific passengers trains bringing people in to go on trips to all the great natural wonders one can visit and see in Southern Utah, e.g., Bryce Canyon, Canyon Lands, Cedar Breaks, Zion National Monument, Arches, etc. The loop was much larger than the McHenry loop. The Cedar City station is now a restaurant and bakery and is a fine looking building.

Bobharbison · **Joined:** Fri Dec 03, 2004 9:42 pm **Posts:** 3011

This is really sad. That equipment is historic and pretty much makes the museum. I'm guessing it won't sell for much more than scrap, meaning not much money in the long run, and the loss of an irreplaceable artifact.

Guess I misunderstood, I thought they were selling off some artifacts to keep the place going, but instead it appears it's all for sale?

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Tue Jul 07, 2015 10:34 pm

The auction sale website says "COMPLETE LIQUIDATION AUCTION SALE".

Make of that what you will.

Mike Swanson · **Posted:** Wed Jul 08, 2015 12:25 am

Yes, but that was built by the DRGW in 1968 for turning the Silverton Branch tourist trains; traffic on the Farmington Branch and on the San Juan Extension proper was almost nil by then and the few trains entering or leaving Durango from the south had to use the eastern half of the loop (where the mainline connected with the loop), which wasn't fun for the train crews (lots of backing moves, needless to say...).

philip.marshall · **Posted:** Wed Jul 08, 2015 12:32 am

Wasn't there an earlier loop in Durango that faced the other way, sending trains back toward Chama? I couldn't tell you the dates it was in place, but I've seen it on old maps.

-Philip Marshall

Emmo213 · **Posted:** Wed Jul 08, 2015 8:37 am

Bobharbison wrote:

I'm guessing it won't sell for much more than scrap

The plow was purchased as scrap price before so maybe somebody can get a good deal on it if they're interested. That's part of the magic of this board - getting the information out to people who might be interested in saving equipment.

Alex Huff · **Joined:** Tue Aug 24, 2004 6:51 pm **Posts:** 148

Auction was held today according to an area TV station's website. Long shot.... anyone on the board know what the Russell snowplow sold for and if the buyer had a use for it?

Dougvv · **Joined:** Sat Aug 21, 2004 10:52 pm **Posts:** 914

philip.marshall wrote:

Wasn't there an earlier loop in Durango that faced the other way, sending trains back toward Chama? I couldn't tell you the dates it was in place, but I've seen it on old maps.

-Philip Marshall

This older loop was in place from when the D&RG came to Durango until about 1967-8. It allowed turning the passenger train from the east and was an industrial lead and connected to the RGS. When the Silverton consist needed turning, it went round the older loop. When it became obvious that the Durango-Chama line was to be abandoned, the new loop was put in place.

The D&RG used turning loops in several places. Two that come to mind is Lake City and Gato (to turn the train originating at Pagosa Springs).

Doug vV