Photographer R. T. Smart caught #309 in Green Bay, August 1963.
         
        Kewaunee, Green Bay & Western #309 was not quite seven years old
        when this photo was taken. The locomotive shows off the classic 
        red-and-gray paint scheme under a wonderful Wisconsin summer sky.  This
        was the only Alco RS-11 on the Green Bay Route roster.  The engine
        was less than popular with crews; apparently they would go out of their
        way to make sure that #309 wasn't in their consist, or at least not the
        lead unit!   The first of the more modern Alco C-424s
        arrived the same month that this photo was taken; soon the shop crew
        at Norwood recognized the shortcomings of the RS-11.  In 1964 it
        was rebuilt with a  2000 horsepower engine and a  low short hood
        (it previously ran high long hood forward, as can be seen by the small
        "F" on the checkerboard frame in this photo). Check out the
        composite pulpwood car behind the engine - a testimonial to the
        importance of paper mill traffic to the railroad. KGBW #309 was
        the last engine to carry the Kewaunee reporting marks before the
        division was completely merged into the GB&W in 1969.  The
        locomotive lasted until the end of the Green Bay Route in 1993 and was
        sold to the Kankakee, Beaverville & Southern.  It was
        wrecked in 1999 on the KB&S and is now being cannibalized for parts.  A thanks goes out to
         Bob Schoneman for sharing this
        photo.  |