Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis, & Omaha Ry., Class "G-3" 4-4-2 #364

The normal, daily passenger train between Hudson, Wis. and Ashland, Wis. in the 1940's and early 50's was a twin engined Gas-electric with both trucks powered, pulling a combine and a passenger car. The train was called the "Namakagon" after the river that the route paralleled north of Trego, Wis. The gas-electric had many problems and many times had to be rescued by a steamer. One of the engines kept in standby duty at Spooner was class G-3, #364, It is shown here at Shell Lake, Wis. at 5:45 p.m. on a sunny August evening with the Southbound Namakagon. When pulled by a steamer, the Namakagon was almost always on time. When pulled by the gas-electric, it was anybody's guess as to when it would arrive. Local wits claimed that even when it was on time, it was three days late as there was a period during a several day winter blizzard when it didn't run at all. The High Drivered G-3's which were bought to compete with Soo Line 4-4-2's for the north-south mail contract to and from Ashland, Wis., were very swift with a light train such as the Namakagon. One evening, because of a breakdown of the gas-electric, the Namakagon was an hour and a half late getting into Spooner. At Spooner #364 was coupled on an left the station with engineer Petrie at the throttle and Ed. Bohn hand firing. Petrie vowed he would come into Hudson on time and gave it everything #364 had. Whether the train made it on time isn't recorded but Fireman Bohn later stated that he didn't want to ever go that fast again. He claimed, possibly rightly so, that the drivers were lifting off the rails on every revolution.