FROM THE GREAT LAKES TO THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RAILROADS OF THE NORTHERN MIDWEST 1972-1999

From the Great Lakes to the Upper Mississippi: Railroads of the Northern Midwest, 1972–1999 by Jeremy F. Plant and Jeffrey G. Plant is a vivid photographic journey through nearly three decades of railroad history across Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa. From the rugged ore lines of the Upper Peninsula to the river valleys of the Mississippi and the farmlands of the Hawkeye State, the authors capture a transitional era when classic first-generation diesels gave way to modern power, and when mergers and abandonments reshaped the Midwestern rail landscape.

Drawing on decades of summer expeditions and an unmatched eye for detail, the Plants present a richly illustrated chronicle of locomotives, liveries, and lines—many now gone or changed beyond recognition. Whether following Alcos on the Green Bay & Western, F-units along the Mississippi, or the rebirth of short lines like the I&M Rail Link, From the Great Lakes to the Upper Mississippi is both a historical record and a heartfelt tribute to the region’s enduring railroad spirit.