Riverside and Great Northern Railway facts for kids
The Riverside and Great Northern Railway (R&GN) is a special kind of train line in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. It's a 15 in (381 mm) gauge miniature railway, which means the trains are smaller than regular ones, but you can still ride them! This railway is also a heritage railroad, meaning it helps keep old train history alive.
The Riverside and Great Northern Preservation Society runs the railway. It also includes the old workshops of the Sandley Light Railway Equipment Works. This was a business that made miniature trains. It was run by a father and son team, Elmer and Norman Sandley.
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The Railway's Beginnings
The railway first started in Janesville, Wisconsin. It was built to show off the cool locomotives and train cars made by the Sandley family. In 1952, the Sandleys moved their business to Wisconsin Dells. They used an old railroad path that was no longer in use. This path was once part of the La Crosse and Milwaukee Railroad.
Building the Train World
The Sandleys built their workshops and a small train station. This station looked like a smaller version of a real C&NW train station. They also built the railway tracks to show how their trains worked. People from all over the world came to see their trains and workshops.
The Sandleys built about 15 locomotives. They also made over 30 different train cars. Some of their trains ran at famous places. These included the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, Illinois and the Knoxville Zoo. The Sandleys even built the entire railway that is still used today at the Milwaukee Zoo.
Keeping the Trains Running
In the early 1980s, fewer people were ordering new trains. This caused Norman Sandley's business to face financial trouble. The year 1980 was the last time trains ran on the R&GN under Sandley's ownership.
A New Chapter Begins
In the late 1980s, a group of train fans decided to buy the property. They formed the R&GN Preservation Society. Members started working hard to fix the tracks and repair the buildings. But they still needed a train to run on the tracks!
One member of the group had built a diesel locomotive. They traded this diesel train to the Milwaukee County Zoo. In return, they received steam locomotive number 82. This steam engine had not been used at the zoo. It wasn't powerful enough for the zoo's longer trains.
The society later got another steam locomotive. This was former Hoot-Toot & Whistle Railway number 98. It came from the Old Wakarusa Railroad in Indiana. Both of these steam locomotives were built at the Wisconsin Dells shops. They were made in the late 1950s. Locomotive #98 was originally used on the Hoot-Toot & Whistle Railway near Elgin, Illinois.
Recent Additions to the Fleet
In 2024, the R&GN acquired two more steam locomotives. These trains also came from the Milwaukee County Zoo. This means the R&GN now has even more historic trains to share with visitors.
What You Can See Today
The railway today has a working joinery building. This is where train coaches are fixed and kept in good condition. There is also a picnic area where families can relax. And, of course, there's a gift shop where you can find souvenirs!
