THE MILWAUKEE ROAD

                                               This page will cover the lines across Wisconsin and up to the Twin Cities area.

           A quartet of GP38's are westbound passing the Duplainville tower.

           Duplainville was the crossing of the SOO mainline.  Ironically, the MILW was bought
                                     by the smaller SOO and they in turn sold their Wisconsin trackage to the new
                                     Wisconsin Central.  The SOO then was absorbed into the Canadian Pacific system
                                     which had already owned a majority share anyway.  The Canadian National just recently
                                     purchased the Wisconsin Central.  So, today, the CN crosses the CP.  Got that ?

           A small bay window caboose brings up the rear.

           A pair of F7's are assigned to the Madison, Wisconsin local on March 16, 1976.

            Fairbanks-Morse switcher 761 works the yard.

            A nice side view of the unit.  Those canvas covers reduced the amount of cold
                                      air drawn into the radiator during the winter months.  I am sorry the color of
                                      these images are not the best.  As I  noted on the Milwaukee area page, I used
                                      Ektachrome film at the time and the heavy bluish tint is tough to edit out even
                                      with a good image editor like Adobe Photoshop.

             A pair of GP40's no doubt for the turn to Chicago at the modest engine service area.

             A very modest two car drill heads toward Madison from the east side of town.

            Back out on the mainline, this is the depot at Watertwon, WI.

           Another view looking west.  This was taken in 1992, so it technically is a Soo era shot.

           Columbus, WI.

           The Columbus freight house.  1992.

                                      Before going any further, a few depots from the northland of Wisconsin.

            Menasha, WI.

         Wausau, WI.  It's the C&NW depot that's made famous by the insurance company!

            Tomahawk, WI.  1992.  Home of the Marienette, Tomahawk & Western.

            Another view of the Tomahawk depot.

            Rio, Wisconsin

            Portage, WI

            Ughhhh!.  An awful  looking former Milwaukee GP 38 sits at Portage in 1992.

             A popular tourist spot is 'The Dells', Wisconsin Dells.

             SDL-39 585 is on a local at Bangor, WI.  1976.

              A chop nosed RSC-3 at Lacrosse, Wi.  

               Speaking of long gone, an Amtrak SDP40F brings the eastbound Empire Builder eastward through
                                         Red Wing, Minnesota.

               Hastings, MN on another trip in 1984

               GP40 2021 is on an eastbound at Hastings.

               The eastbound is meeting a westbound 'Sprint' train.  

              2045 and 2002 lead the westbound 'Sprint' train.  The Sprint trains were designed to move trailers
                                        between Chicago and Minneapolis quickly and did generate some new business, but were not the
                                        save-all the railroad had hoped for.

              The draw bridge over the River at Hastings.

              2045 has crossed the river and is on its way to Minneapolis.   September 1984.

               2026 and two other GP40's approach Newport, MN on the east side of St. Paul.

               A pair of SD40's westbound at Newport in the very early morning light.

               153 is eastbound departing Newport.

                                         The next group of photos is from the Milwaukee's main terminal in the Twin-Cities area known as
                                         Pigs Eye.  Named after a nearby lake, the terminal continues very much in use toady for CP.

                  Bi-Centennial unit, SD40 156

               A cow and calf set work the yard.  The Burlington Northern yard is adjacent.

              A pair of early CN SD40's lays over at Pigs Eye.

              Another butcher job on this GP40.  

               GP9 954 works the west end of the yard.  1984.

               Our Sprint train from earlier is now passing the Hoffman Ave. interlocking.

            SDL39 590 on a local arriving at the west end of the yard.  Those SDL39
                                        units were built for the Milwaukee for use on the light weight rail on some of the branch lines.  

              Two MP15 switchers pass the Westminster tower north of Pigs Eye.  The tower is BN's.

              464 is in charge of the 'Ford Hauler' this day.  CP still operates this train today.

                                        Unfortunately, I never got to see much of the Milwaukee west of Minneapolis.  The only trip out
                                        anywhere near the Pacific Coast extension was a May 1979 cross-country Amtrak trip.  The nice
                                        thing about the Chicago to Seattle portion of my trip was riding the 'North Coast Hiawatha.'.  This
                                        train ran via the old Northern Pacific route rather than via the GN where the Empire Builder still
                                        operates today.  This meant going by way of Fargo, Billings, Deer Lodge and Missoula, MT. 
                                        The Montana Rail Link operates that today through Montana.

               We were on the dark side of the yard, but here is a quick glimpse the Deer Lodge facilities.  This was
                                         May 1979 and the western extension had barely a year to live.

                Finally, a trio of GP35's run lite through the Portland, Oregon Union Station.  May 1979.

                                          Below are links to three web sites featuring stories of the Milwaukee Road Pacific Coast extension.

                                           http://www.oil-electric.com/search/label/Milwaukee%20Road  Some interesting personal stories here.

                                           http://r67northern.blogspot.com/    Lots of pages on this site!!

                                           http://undertheweatherblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/where-were-you-30-years-ago.html  A blog page.

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