Close. It is an ex-SOO line in ND, but the location is Fredonia. The Dakota, Missouri Valley and Western RR runs on former SOO trackage westward from Hankinson (through Fredonia) to Wishek, then northwestward to Bismark. Wilton is on the DMVW north of Bismark on the line to Max. http://www.dmvwrr.com/map.jpg The lead unit is an ex-BN, EX-WC SD45, while the two trailing locos are ex-CN SD50F units.
As I was attempting to say a few days ago, When I see Wheeling & Lake Erie's red and yellow 2662. it reminds me of the short lived Warner Bros. logo from 1970.
Not having any luck with attaching this pdf. Check this for the WB 1970 logo, you might see what see. https://1000logos.net/warner-bros-logo/
From February 1991 on an overcast day at the former SAL hump yard at Hamlet, NC. SD-40 8391 is former C&O 7532. UP 3644 is an SD-40-2 and UP 2477 is a C30-7. That's the nose of GP-16 1810 at the far left.
I couldn't make the track layout in Wilton match, but thought maybe you had a different angle, but at least I was in the correct state. Thanks for the info!
The Grand Trunk & Pacific (later GT&W and CN) depot at Kwinitsa, BC was moved to the waterfront at Prince Rupert and converted to a museum.
I find myself studying the bag and hardware to see how these were hung. Not sure if sacrificial loops of string were used? Did the bag have to be hung with respect to the train's direction? MUCH heavier weights here than with train orders and quicker acceleration too, like 0 to 40 in 1 Second!
I watched many bags snatched by B&M's westbound Minute Man in Hoosick, NY. Those bags were heavy canvas with 3-4" steel rings at either end. The bag was loaded with outgoing mail, then cinched shut by a leather belt at the top which placed the top ring above the center. The bag was then cinched tightly at the center by a heavy leather belt. The B&M mail cranes (that's what the device in the photo was called) had two 1-1/2" steel rods with spring clasps at the their ends to hold the bag rings. The clerk would put the top ring into the clasp while the top rod hung down. The clerk would then raise the bottom rod which also raised the top rod. The bottom ring was then placed into the bottom clasp. There was a hinged bar between the top and bottom rods. When the bottom rod was raised the bar was latched into the top rod's hinge which blocked it from rotating. This arrangement held the rods in position as long as the bag was on the crane holding up the bottom rod. The instant the bag was snatched by the RPO car clerk, the bottom rod dropped which allowed the top bar to drop. The photo is similar to what I described. This photo shows the RPO clerk preparing to snatch the mail bag from the crane.
I love diesel power from that era. With their many bolts, rivets and plates, they look like prehistoric iron beasts. I think CGW No. 2 was built by Westinghouse in 1934 with Baldwin supplying the carbody. It produced 800 HP and was originally a demonstrator. Westinghouse produced its own line of diesel locomotives between 1928 and 1936 according to the Second Diesel Spotter's Guide (c. 1973).
