Our County History
by County Historian Marion W. Coplen

The accompanying photo shows the old "dummy" train which used to run from Warsaw to Winona in the days before the interurban. The three crewmen are shown in the foreground --fireman, conductor and engineer, from left to right. The picture was taken at the Winona station. The train went forward to Winona, then backed up to the Warsaw station at Lake street. It would usually wait for a half-hour at each end of the line. As many of the passengers were from a distance, it was necessary to have baggage facilities, hence the baggage and half-coach just behind the coal car.

That that time the Pennsylvania line was a one-track road, but they had a double track between Warsaw and Winona. The "dummy" monopolized the south track during the Winona Chautauqua season.

Oldtimers say that this "dummy" train may have operated for as many as ten seasons.

In 1902 the Pennsylvania Railroad company gave notice that they intended to doubletrack their entire line from Chicago to Pittsburgh, and that they would need the extra dummy track from Warsaw to Winona. This provided added impetus to plans of the Winona Assembly to build their own trolley line between the two points.

The 1902 season was probably the last year for this "dummy" line, for the electric line was completed in time for the 1903 season.

The picture belongs to Miss Leah Power.

Warsaw Times-Union Tues. Jan. 19, 1954