Earl Currie Limited
On the Saturday of the Convention members are offered a great opportunity to ride an all-GN train behind our own GN SD45 #400 'Hustle Muscle'. MTM's former GN SDP40 #325 will also be present.
We have had to change the schedule and venue to another location. While the trip will be shorter, we have added a tour of the BNSF Northtown Diesel Shop (NDS) at nearby Northtown Yard as part of the package to make a fulfilling event for all. The 3-hour train excursion will originate at the Minnesota Transportation Museum (MTM) facility at Osceola, WI.
Total cost is $60 per person, children under 18 $50 each. This includes a cake and water treat near the Northtown yard and a box lunch on the train.
There is no premium seating but all riders will have the opportunity to ride for about 20 minutes in a former business observation car that is among the 6 former GN cars in the consist, all painted in the classic Empire Builder orange and green colors.
Unfortunately it was not possible to get the former GN Great Dome “Prairie View“, owned by a third party, over to Osceola for this trip. It is scheduled separately by that owner timed to come by Amtrak from Chicago to St. Paul Friday night, July 17, and return to Chicago Thursday, July 23. It was advertised in the previous issue of the Goat.
Registration
You may use the Company Store to register and pay for your participation. Please go to the 2015 Convention Registration form (sign-in first) and add the tour in the normal fashion.
If you have already registered for the convention and want to add this tour to your registration please fill out the registration form, choosing just the tour and indicating who in your party will be on the tour. Make sure to choose "Add-on" for the Registration Fee at the bottom of the form. This will prevent paying the Registration Fee twice. Our Convention Registrar will make sure your tour order will get added to your existing registration.
Those preferring to send a check:
Please send your check to Jeff Otto. Send him an email for his mailing address. Please make checks out to “Great Northern Railway Historical Society”.
The Schedule
There will be two buses with a staggered timing to avoid overcrowding the shop tour and to allow longer viewing opportunity at the museum grounds at Osceola for those interested.
Bus 1 (wheel chair accessible) will load at our Ramada Plaza Hotel at 11:15 am for 11:30 departure. It will depart the NDS at 12:45 pm to go to Burlington Northern Park for cake and water refreshments.
Bus 2 will load at Ramada Plaza Hotel at 12 noon for 12:15 departure to NDS. It will depart NDS at 1:30 pm to go to BN Park for cake and water.
Both buses will leave BN Park at 2:15 pm to arrive at Osceola by 3:30 pm.
Earl Currie Limited train will depart at 4 pm for Withrow, MN, and return by 7 pm. The included box lunch will be available on the train. Train also has a concession car.
Bus 1 will depart Osceola at 7:30 pm with arrival back at hotel about 8:30 pm.
Bus 2 will depart Osceola at 8 pm with arrival back at hotel about 9 pm.
Please see the Earl Currie Limited timetable for more information on this trip.
