50s Milwaukee Road steam in "The Gap"

[De Luxe]

Hi,

is it prototypical to have Milwaukee Road steam locos (mostly 4-8-4 and 4-6-4 types) pulling steam and passenger trains (the Columbian) through "The Gap" on an early to mid 50s based layout? I couldn´t find any information about if the Milwaukee Road still used steam during that time on that non electrified district between Avery and Othello.

[Motley]

What is the "The Gap" ?? Between a rock and a hard place?

[jrbernier]

  There certainly was steam operation in the non-electrified 'gap'.  Diselization can early(right after WWII) with FM 'Erie-Builts'.  Steam operations came back during one of the coal mine strikes as many of the steam locomotives were oil burners out west, and diesels were moved east while the strike was on.

  Both S-1 class Northerns were assigned to the 'gap' most of their career, and 4 of the S-3 class Northerns were assigned to the 'gap' as well.  The S-1's were the prime passenger power for the Olympian.

  By 1953, the Idaho Division(the 'gap') had:

• 2 F-6 Baltics(4-6-4)
• 2 S-1 Northerns(4-8-4)
• 4 S-3 Northerns(4-8-4) 

By 1955, there was a single S-3(stored) on the division...

Jim

[De Luxe]

@ Motley: "The Gap" was the nickname for Milwaukees non electrified district on their mainline between the 2 electrified divisions (Cascade & Rocky Mountain division). I still wonder why Milwaukee never managed to close that gap to have a fully electrified line from Harlowton, Montana to Tacoma, Washington.

@ jrbernier: Thanks for the info. I wonder if the S-3´s ever pulled the Olympian Hiawatha too on that part after the FM Erie Builts ceased running all the way through...

Have Milwaukees 2-6-6-2´s already been out of service in the early 50s?

[jrbernier]

  In April, 1950 - There were seven N-3 2-6-6-2 engines on the Idaho Division.

  By February, 1953 - There were only three N-3 2-6-6-2 engines left.

  The January, 1953 infor has noN-3's left in operation on the Idaho Division.

  This info comes from Lloyd Stagner's 'The Milwaukee Road's Steam, Diesel and Electric Era - 1950-1957' (ISBN 0-9422035-72-0)

Jim

[Geared Steam]

Just to add to this discussion, and Jim can verify, but I believe all steamers out west were oil burners as a result of the 1910 Bitterroot fire. ( and another reason for conversion to electric)

[ACY Tom]

I have no horse in this race, so I'm only asking as an outsider who is curious: 

I remember seeing MILW USRA heavy Mikados used on their Western lines in the movie DANGER LIGHTS. Were they used in this territory? What other classes/types? When were those other classes displaced?

Thanks.

Tom