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The Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad

The Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad is a Class III shortline carrier based in Wells, Michigan. The E&LS has been in operation since 1978 when it took over 65 miles of ex-Milwaukee Road trackage in the UP of Michigan. Since then the railroad has grown to a 235-mile system with a diversified traffic base that includes medium corrugated or pulpboard, scrap paper, woodpulp, pulpwood logs, oriented strand board, lumber, wood bark, canned goods, steel, scrap metal, aggregate, chemicals, and agricultural products (corn, grains, feed, and fertilizers).

To the railfan community and those who study classic diesel locomotives this little shortline is most famous for its ownership of two venerable models, which have remained in storage for at least the last 20 years and are now locked away from the public eye after the builder plates were stolen from them a few years ago; Baldwin Locomotive Works' famous RF-16 "Sharknose". The locomotives were purchased second-hand by the Delaware & Hudson Railway, originally New York Central Railroad units, and numbered 1205 and 1216.

The Baldwin Sharknose was very distinctive and could not be mistaken, much because of the fact that the model’s carbody was designed by legendary industrial engineer Raymond Loewy, who based the unit after the Pennsylvania Railroad's streamlined T-1 steam locomotive (Loewy was always well known for several designs among many different railroads, particularly during the streamliner revolution).

While somewhat overall similar in carbody design to that of EMD’s E and F series, and Alco’s PA, whereby the cab was situated to one end and behind the nose, the Sharknose was very unique in its styling. The nose had much sharper angles as opposed to EMD’s and Alco’s rounded curves, and it was tapered towards the headlight, giving the unit its nickname that it would forever be known by.

The Sharknose’s styling behind the cab was also more sharply angled than EMDs and Alcos in that the final three to four feet of carbody nearest the roofline was also tapered, giving the Sharknose a discrete streamlining which allowed it to be used in both passenger service as well as for freight assignments.

The current E&LS system is comprised of two primary lines. The first stretches north-south and connects Green Bay, Wisconsin with Republic, Michigan and the famous Lake Superior & Ishpeming. The other line connects Escanaba, along the coast of Green Bay, with Ontonagon, along the coast of Lake Superior (both lines intersect at Channing, Michigan. For a complete system map of the Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad please click here.

Aside from the two Sharks, the E&LS roster three other Baldwins, an Alco, and a small fleet of EMDs:

· #101: Baldwin DS4-4-660 purchased new.

· #201 and #202: Baldwin DS4-4-1000, ex-Calumet & Hecla.

· #300: Alco RS-12, ex-Seaboard Air Line.

· #400 - #402: EMD GP38, ex-Conrail.

· #500 and #501: EMD SD40-2, ex-Milwaukee Road.

· #600: EMD F7A, ex-Wisconsin & Southern.

· #1200 - #1202: EMD SW8, ex-Reserve Mining.

· #1220 - #1224: EMD SD9, ex-Reserve Mining.

For more information about the Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad please click here to visit their website.

For more reading on shortlines like the Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad consider the book American Shortline Railway Guide from author Ed Lewis. The book has gone through several updated editions to keep up with the ever-changing world of the shortline industry. Today, the publication highlights almost 600 shortlines across the country with general background information about each (such as roster information, rail line history, radio frequencies, etc.). If you have any interest in shortlines you will very likely enjoy this book. If you're interested in perhaps purchasing this book please visit The Railroad Diamond by clicking the tab in the menu to your left marked "TRD Store".

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