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There are two approaches to model railroading, prototype modeling and freelance modeling. Prototype modeling is when an individual chooses a railroad that existed in real life and tries to re-create it on their layout. This may include cities and scenery as well as locomotives and other rolling stock. The freelance method of modeling is where a modeler does whatever he or she wants, combining different railroads, cities, even eras if they choose. My approach to the hobby is a mixture of the two, commonly called "prototype freelancing."

I have placed a ficticious railroad in a specific year and setting. I try to model the railroad as if it really existed, following common practices of railroads that actually ran in that area. Since I am not modeling any specific prototype, I have the flexibility to model and run anything I would like, while still trying to portray something that is believable. Below you will find the FitzGerald and Western story, its ficticious history as well as a map of operations. There are links to photos and plans for the layout as well. I hope you enjoy your tour.

The FitzGerald and Western’s history begins by commandeering the original Green Bay and Western Railroad which ran from Green Bay, Wisconsin to Winona, Minnesota. For this history, the city of Green Bay is now known as FitzGerald. The name being used because of my interest in the Great Lakes ore freighter the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald which was lost with all hands on Lake Superior on Nov. 10th, 1975. The Western is a logical fit, but also steeped in family history as my Father and Grandfather both ran a feed mill called the Western Elevator Co.

The FitzGerald and Western began operating on the line between FitzGerald and Winona in the early 1900’s. They also had a line which paralleled the Chicago and NorthWestern line from FitzGerald to Marinette, WI (From here on referred to as Split Rock, WI). Located in Split Rock was a deep water port that served the ore and grain industries. While the FGW was not heavily involved with ore, they did interchange a large amount of grain with the Burlington Route in Winona which was delivered to the large grain elevator. This elevator is currently owned and operated by the United States Grain Consortium (USGC) which owns numerous elevators and bulk grain freighters for service on the Great Lakes. FGW continues to interchange large quantities of grain from BNSF and CNW/UP in Winona.

In 1961 the Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic Railroad was merged into the Soo Line, and some segments of this route between Sault St. Marie, MI, and Duluth, MN, fell into disrepair. Little changed for the FGW between its conception and the early 1980’s, when change was fast and furious. Having survived the recession in railroading in the 70’s, the FGW had the opportunity to expand. In the early 80’s the CNW was selling its line from FitzGerald to Gladstone, MI (from here on referred to as Valhalla, MI). The FGW purchased it to upgrade its line to Split Rock and to promote the forest and paper industry in the area. Soon after the Soo Line decided to spin off its’ Lake States Division which consisted of trackage running between the Twin Cities and Sault St. Marie, Duluth and Chicago, and Duluth and Sault Saint Marie. To avoid direct competition with the new carrier for Canadian traffic to Chicago, it sold the northern half of the division first, in 1985. This included the line between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Sault St. Marie and all track to the north of it, including the former DSS&A. The FGW purchased these lines to exploit the mineral and forest products in the region, and also to gain access to the Twin Cities, Duluth and Canadian roads via the Algoma Central in Sault Saint Marie, Ontario.

When the Soo sold the southern portion of the Lake States Division, the FGW made an offer to purchase but was outbid by a new company, Wisconsin Central Ltd. The WC and FGW did become working partners and to this day are very cooperative with soliciting run through business such as Canada to Chicago trains. In 1996, The FGW acquired the Algoma Central. This line runs from Sault Saint Marie, Ontario to Hearst, Ontario. Along the way it interchanges with the Canadian Pacific and the Canadian National railroads. Currently, the largest areas of business generated by the FGW are grain traffic between Winona, MN and the USGC elevator in Split Rock. Regularly seeing one train a day most of the year, and up to three or four during the fall and early winter grain rush. The amount of copper and iron ore that traverses the former DSS&A lines is also up, and new mines that have been developed in the last five years has increased traffic a great deal. The paper and agricultural industries make up a large portion of the traffic on the southern lines, while paper and forest products dominate the northern lines. The lines also see run-through trains from CN between Duluth and Ladysmith, where they are handed over to the WC, and CP trains between Franz, Ontario and FitzGerald that are also handed over to the WC. In both cases these run-throughs are headed for the Chicago area.

Finally, there is the excursion service that is a subsidiary of the FGW. Called Great Northern Excursions, it uses passenger equipment that closely resembles the former GN Empire Builder trains in the green and orange paint scheme. Numerous trips are taken throughout the year, including fall color specials, ski trains to the UP and other special runs. A big success in northern Wisconsin, it is not unusual to see this colorful train on the rails.

Lower Level

Upper Level

The layout will eventually fill over half of my basement. It will be a double decked layout, connected by a helix at each end. My plan is to build it in two phases. Phase one is currently in progress. This includes both levels along the existing basement walls as well as both helixes. Phase two will require building a wall up the middle of the layout room and adding both levels to either side. This means that currently, the middle of my modeled portion is missing. The layout begins at FitzGerald, continues through Coleman, then "skips" Split Rock, Valhalla, Marquette, and Soo Junction, it then continues with a forest scene, and finally ends with the city of Sault Saint Marie. In one area the layout is actually on three levels, as there is a nine track staging yard located under the city of FitzGerald. This staging yard can serve both FitzGerald and Sault Saint Marie and is connected to both levels by the larger, eight-turn helix. Balloon tracks running around the outside of the helixes allow trains to run on both levels independently for open houses or when I just want to see trains run. I use Digitrax Digital Command Control (DCC) to run the layout.

When completed, a trip over the layout would start in the staging yard below the city of FitzGerald. A train would proceed out of the yard, up the helix, and into the city of FitzGerald. It would then proceed northbound into the town of Coleman. It would then enter the city of Split Rock, passing the large USGC grain terminal, which will be loading the vessel USGC Wisconsin. Passing around the end of the penninsula, you would enter the city of Valhalla and proceed up the helix on the other side of the layout. Leaving the helix on the second level would take you past the huge Marquette paper mill, around the tip of the penninsula and into Soo Junction. You would end your trip in the city of Sault St. Marie and proceed back down the first helix and into the staging yard once again.

Thanks for taking the time to learn about the FitzGerald and Western Railroad, if you would like to continue your tour, click on one of the buttons below to see photos from the layout. All photos on the following pages can be enlarged by clicking on the picture you wish to view. I will be updating this page from time to time, so feel free to check back every now and then to check up on my progress.

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