Laona and Northern Railway
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The Laona and Northern Railway (AAR reporting marks LNO) is a heritage railroad in Laona, Wisconsin. It operates the famous Lumberjack Steam Train as part of the Camp 5 Museum which depicts the history of the forest industry in the region.
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[edit] Lumberjack Steam Train
The steam locomotive was built in 1916 by the Vulcan Iron Works in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It was purchased September 22, 1926, and was brought to Laona for use in the logging industry. The steam engine pulls two all-steel passenger coach cars, and three cabooses.
The American Car and Foundry Company built the coach named the “Hamilton Roddis”, in 1923 for the Soo Line. Barney and Smith built the coach named the “Otter Creek” in 1911 also for the Soo Line Railroad. It was rebuilt in 1941. Two cabooses have unique cupolas and offer “up in the trees” views of the passing forest. These 18 passenger cabooses were purchased in 1965 and 1966 from the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway. The third caboose is Soo Line’s Caboose No. 147.
[edit] Camp 5 Museum
The Lumberjack Steam train is operated by the non-profit Camp 5 Museum Foundation, Inc. The train runs three miles from the outskirts of Laona, Wisconsin to the museum site.
The museum site encompasses four acres and includes a logging and forestry museum, static displays of historic logging equipment and riverboats, a petting zoo, a nature center, a small cafeteria, and a museum shop.
Two tours run from the site into the surrounding countryside: a forestry tour and a riverboat tour. Each tour takes about twenty minuts.