Laona and Northern Railway

The Laona and Northern Railway (reporting marks LNO)[1] is a heritage railroad in Laona, Wisconsin.[2]

Laona and Northern Railway
Laona and Northern No. 4, 1960s era
Overview
HeadquartersLaona, Wisconsin
Reporting markLNO
LocaleNortheastern Wisconsin
Dates of operation1902-present–
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length8 mi (1902-1983) 1.2 mi (1983-)
Laona and Northern 5 on the railway circa 1937

History

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A former freight railroad, it was incorporated in 1902 for the R. Connor Company of Marshfield, Wisconsin, to haul lumber to its mill in Laona and then transport it to the Soo Line interchange 8 miles north in Laona Junction.

When the railway converted to diesel in the mid-1950s, the company held on to only one steam locomotive, No. 4 or 4 Spot, for reserve power and burning weeds from the rail line. By 1965 the Connor Company used the locomotive for mixed trains[clarification needed] to Laona Junction, taking passengers on a 2+12-hour ride. In 1983 the Connor Company gave the Laona and Northern No. 4 to the Camp 5 historical society, and it now pulls the Lumberjack Steam Train to the Camp Five Museum.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "AAR Reporting Marks". Archived from the original on 2009-08-09. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
  2. ^ "Our History". Lumberjack Steam Train. Retrieved 10 August 2021.

45°33′41.4″N 88°40′58.5″W / 45.561500°N 88.682917°W / 45.561500; -88.682917