The Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion group held their annual show at Rollag, MN on Labour Day weekend. Rollag is southeast of Fargo-Moorehead. Here are a few pictures of their operation.
They have a loop running around the old part of the grounds. Not sure of length but perhaps a mile or more? It is an interesting operation and well run. A youtube search will easily find videos available on it. The show grounds have been built up over several decades of hard work and they continue to add to it. It shows what can be done with volunteer effort, hard work and good benefactors.
There is a nice grade on the east side of the loop and the ex-Soo 0-6-0 has to muscle in and puts on a good show.

They have re-purposed older stock cars, etc. with side loading steps. Not the prettiest but very effective for loading and viewing in their situation .

Not used to posting images on this site so will try again for proper size.

Hopefully, you can see the loading arrangement on the left side of the cars as 353 takes the hill.

Roundhouse and donor accreditations.

And some views of assorted rolling stock, including Bucyrus crane outfit.
I never asked but suspect they don't have a huge budget. The club also has a large steam saw mill operation that makes skid wood under contract. I was told the sales from this pay for coal for the loco and the steam traction engines. They have a Porter tank engine that also looks to be operable and the remains of another. Again, a very nice operation and a good example of creating a nice presentation of steam railroading using long term thinking and budgeting.

Here is a link to the WMSTR website:
http://www.rollag.com/
They have a well thought out structure for members-volunteers, volunteer hours, etc.
Here is a youtube of 353 pulling the grade and showing the side loading and bleecher type seating for the public:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1AS8_mZJp8

If you are wondering about their turntable: In 1995 the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Association at Rollag, MN, installed a manually operated 70’ Soo Line turntable from Hankinson, ND on their extensive grounds.

A few years back, they also had a streamlined steel sleeping car called the Mount St. Helens on display. I seem to recall reading somewhere that it was donated to another organization?

The sleeper you refer to is Spokane, Portland & Seattle 6 roomette-3 double bedroom (6RM-3DB) sleeper-25 seat buffet lounge #601 Mount St. Helens, 1 of 2 such cars (the other was #600 Mount Hood, which were built in 1950 by P-S in Lot #6829 to Plan #4163. These 2 cars were ordered in September 1946 for the Portland section of the Empire Builder, and were delivered in February 1950. Unlike the other SP&S cars ordered for the Builder, which ran in consist with GN and Burlington-owned cars from Chicago to Portland and Seattle, these 2 cars were ordered specifically for use between Portland and Spokane, and were intended as that section's last car, complete with side-mounted streamline-style marker lights at the lounge end. However, these cars were unique among flat-ended lightweight cars ordered for end-of-train use, as there were no rear-facing observation windows or blunt end wrap-around, as compared to cars ordered by SP, UP, C&O, Burlington, or PRR, to name a few. As part of the BN merger, these cars were planned to be renumbered to #1205 (Mount Hood) and #1206 (Mount St. Helens), but I don't believe these numbers were applied. These 2 cars were not selected for acquisition by Amtrak, and after being used under lease for several months, BN donated or sold both. The Mount Hood was donated in 1972 to the Pacific Northwest Chapter NRHS in Portland, OR, which still owns it, and the Mount St. Helens was sold (exact date unknown) to Arvid Benson in Moorehead, MN. The car is now owned by Mike Gelhaus (near Spokane, WA) as Inland Pacific Rail (INPX) #601. Mike also owns 7 other cars, all from the North Coast Limited: 2 dome chairs, 2 dome sleepers, a Slumbercoach, a "Day-Night" (leg rest) chair, and a Lewis & Clark Traveller's Rest [sic].

Mike Gelhaus died this summer and his Estate is in the process for disposing of his passenger cars.

-Hudson

What can you tell me about the locomotive crane shown in the photos ? I know that it's an OHIO made in Bucyrus.

Kevin K.

I hadn't heard. I haven't seen any listings for his cars online; did his estate choose not to go that route and instead directly offer the cars to worthwhile museums?

Sorry, about all I can tell you is that it is supposed to be a 1946 vintage, has 60 foot boom and 25 ton lift capacity. The organization has a forum so perhaps you could write them and ask for more information on it.

Attached is an Al Chione slide on Ebay of Koppers/Soo #353 shot in St Paul, Minnesota on 8-10-67.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/68-19-Kopper-35 ... 5d5d2c2c8a

As background on how 353 ended up in Rollag, MN, someone on Trainorders wrote up this short history:
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/r ... ?1,2355947

(Edited to remove image).