The train was popular among railfans for its two repainted former Great Northern F7s, Nos. 1950 and 1951. The units sport the historic Wabash Railway paint scheme. The dinner train operated over a former Wabash Railroad line between Columbia and Centralia, Mo.
The equipment was previously used on the Grand Traverse Dinner Train in Northern Michigan.
Greg Vreeland, president and owner of the Wisconsin Great Northern, tells Trains News Wire that the equipment will help with the railroads growing dinner and bed and breakfast trains, with one F7, No. 1951, serving as back up power for former Chicago & North Western F7 No. 423. The other, 1950, will need some minor repairs, with plans to operate the locomotive on the railroads growing freight car storage business, and possibly on the contracted service the WGN operates over the Canadian National Railway’s Hayward Branch.
The train consists of a former Chicago Burlington & Quincy full-length kitchen car and two articulated two-unit coach sets of Southern Pacific heritage.
”Literally, the train is 100 percent serviceable. The train came to us completely supplied, parts of it will enter service immediately. We are very, very excited to have ready to run equipment that will help us meet expanding customer demand,” Vreeland adds.
Columbia Star owner Mark Vaughn could not be reached for comment.
