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This is the turntable in Merrillan, not having one of its better days!  It sat between the GB&W main and the Omaha Road (CStPM&O, later C&NW) branch to Marshfield, east of the Omaha Road main line. It was owned jointly by both roads with a track running between the two lines and past the turntable. The Omaha had a two stall engine house just off this track and perhaps the GB&W kept an engine there as a backup, but we're not sure.

The overturned coach may be a C&NW car; the number and pattern of the windows do not match any of the GB&W coaches that I am aware of.

I wonder who the people in the photo are?  The two men at the far end of the car are probably with one of the railroads... perhaps the couple peeking out from the left side of the photo own the house seen behind them?

This photo is from the collection of Bob Gile.

Related material:

• St. Paul Extension (ca. 1892) - A map published by the Village of Merrillan shows the proposed Green Bay Route's extension with Merrillan as a major division point.
• Omaha Road Crossing (1907) - The GB&W and Omaha Road crossing at Merrillan.
• Trains in Merrillan (1913) - Lots of trains thru Merrillan, Wisconsin.
• Merrillan Map (1916) - Right-of-way map of Merrillan issued by the Green Bay & Western in 1916.
• Turntable Wreck (1920) - An overturned coach sits next to the Merrillan turntable.
• Plow Train (1969) - A westbound plow train approaching Sand Road on the west edge of Merrillan.
• Merrillan Crossing (1976) - Eastbound Train No. 2 passes the Merrillan depot painted in "C&NW 400" colors.
• Merrillan (2001) - Ex-GBW / Omaha Road Merrillan Depot, now used by the Union Pacific.

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 The Green Bay Route is maintained by Mark Mathu.
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Updated July 11, 2015