Drove north late morning looking for an E&LS southbound. Bumped into them at Lena, WI. SD40-2 1338 had about 60 cars in tow. Got some pictures between Lena and Stiles Jct. that were lousy even by my standards. Train was about 60 cars. They had a lumber load up front for WBS at the end of the line at Bond St. in GB, a CSXT load of canned veggies from Oconto Falls, 4 OSB loads from LP in Sagola and maybe 30-35 pulpwood loads. The empties were maybe 12-15 CITX 34' covered hoppers, maybe 5 former MILW gons re-stenciled to JMEX and a few others. Finally got a decent shot in Stiles at Timberline Rd where the 1338 was really barking up the grade:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/frvr11/8808060089/

The CN trainmaster in GB has recently developed a policy which requires the ELS to get into the yard (or at least get an authority from the RTC) by 1400. So, the lumber load for WBS had to be dropped by gravity at Lineville onto the old main. I always wonder what the folks stopped at the crossing at Lineville wonder when a car get uncoupled right on the crossing... And then mysteriously rolls off the crossing by itself. After this I headed home

Later when the 1338 left northbound they only had 9 cars. So, I guessed they would deliver the lumber today. Hopped on my bike and headed over to the ex-MILW bridge over the Duck Creek along Riverview Dr. (about 4 miles form home). Five minutes later the ELS showed up shoving the lumber south. Finally got a picture at the bridge. Nothing great but you never know when the last move will be made on a line such as this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/frvr11/8818648302/

Biked back to Bond St. just as the the crew was reversing the effects of gravity applied at Lineville. At Bond St. they had to get the load back on the north side of the 1338 so it could be spotted at WBS. Cannot get a decent shot here but you have to love railroading at its grittiest as the conductor rides the load back north and will hit the brakes after it clears the switch for the NPS spur:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/frvr11/8819557400/

Next the crew had an empty to pull at NPS. NPS gets loads of plastic pellets and is the very end of the line. The 1338 heads down to NPS:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/frvr11/8818650100/

The empty was at the very back of the unloading bay so I got a first time shot of ELS power fully into the NPS facility:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/frvr11/8808061731/

The 1338 heads back out of NPS with the empty and Conductor St. Onge gets ready to flag 6 "Exempt" crossings on the way back to Lineville:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/frvr11/8818651704/

Hope you enjoyed this visit to some rare mileage that hangs on by a thread...