Communities work together in Depot Days events

by Jennifer Crase


   Last weekend marked the second annual Depot Days of Green County. The celebration was created to remember the history of railroading in Green County and the legacy left behind by the Milwaukee Railroad, Illinois Central and Chicago and Northwestern Railroads.
According to Art Jennrich, member of the New Glarus Depot Preservation Society, "All the communities working together, make this (Depot Days) work."
Events for Depot Days took place throughout Green County, including New Glarus, Monticello, and Broadhead.
   At New Glarus, a restored 1929 Chicago Copula Caboose attracted nearly 100 visitors over the weekend. The caboose, which is located near the Depot on Railroad Street, housed railroad memorabilia from the local area.
   Carolyn Jennrich of the Depot Preservation Society said, "This fall we hope to restore the New Glarus Depot." The State Department of Resources (DNR) plans to raise the depot up and pour a cement foundation beneath the building before the preservation effort begins.
   The Preservation Society hopes to restore the rail yard at New Glarus so that it resembles the 1953 rail yard. They hope to place a switch house, signals, and rails near the depot. "It is an ambitious program," said Art Jennrich, "but the Preservation Society hopes it will add to the tourism of the area."
   In Monticello and Belleville speeder motorcars were transporting passengers up and down an endangered section of Illinois Central Railroad track through the historical Stewart tunnel. The small motorcars served as inspection cars for the railroad as they repaired and checked the lines. The motor car rides attracted 1,285 riders in Monticello alone. Even in Sunday's rain, "people were just coming out of the woodwork," said Carol Strause Depot Days Co-chair.
Inside the restored Monticello Depot children (and adults) could don an engineer's cap and pilot the HO model train reffered to as the "Limberger Special".
   If a ride on a speeding motorcar wasn't enough to quench the adventurous soul, a short drive to Brodhead would. The Wisconson and Southern Railroad Company ran a diesel 1955-56 vintage locomotive and three passenger cars between Brodhead and Juda. According to Wisconson and Southern employee, Bill Gardner, more than 750 people rode the short distance between Brodhead and Juda over the weekend. 480 school children rode the train Friday afternoon, Strause said.
   Typically, the Wisconson and Southern doesn't run passenger trains through Green County, but for special events like Depot Days, the special coach cars are brought in.
   Depot Days attracted the young and the not-so-young, not only from Wisconson, but from all over the Midwest.


This artical appeared in the April 29,1998 edition of "The Post Messenger" the local paper of New Glarus Wisconson.

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