This is Milwaukee Road train #23 "The Cannonball" as it was called by locals. Note the steam loco tender converted to a steam generator car. The train ran from Milwaukee to Watertown and stopped at most of the suburbs in between. Out from Milwaukee in the Evening and back to Milwaukee in the Morning. It would layover in Watertown which was a rail junction with the C&NW.
https://www.lakestatesarchive.org/Clint-Jones-Collection/Milwaukee-Road/i-Kzpg7n7/A
Watertown is also where the Milwaukee's line to Madison branched off. The Hiawatha's stopped there, too, instead of Columbus where the Builder stops now.
I've never seen a switcher pull a commuter train. The number of other photos seem to suggest that more standard road power was more common.
MidlandMike I've never seen a switcher pull a commuter train. The number of other photos seem to suggest that more standard road power was more common.
CSSHEGEWISCH MidlandMike I've never seen a switcher pull a commuter train. The number of other photos seem to suggest that more standard road power was more common. Apparently you've never seen the Long Island RR. MP15AC's were routinely used on the Oyster Bay branch. It's a bit of a jolt to see a train pulling into Jamaica with an MP15AC leading two or three coaches and a cab car (ex-F7A) on the rear end.
As a kid in the 1950s, I lived along the Hempstead Branch of the LIRR, and would sometimes ride my bike over to the main line Mineola Station. I don't remember any switchers hauling Oyster Bay or other trains, but as I say, I was only a kid. I'm thinking the MP15 was later.
CMStPnPThis is Milwaukee Road train #23 "The Cannonball" as it was called by locals. Note the steam loco tender converted to a steam generator car. The train ran from Milwaukee to Watertown and stopped at most of the suburbs in between. Out from Milwaukee in the Evening and back to Milwaukee in the Morning. It would layover in Watertown which was a rail junction with the C&NW. https://www.lakestatesarchive.org/Clint-Jones-Collection/Milwaukee-Road/i-Kzpg7n7/A
Like seeing Thomas the Tank Engine showing up pulling the Omplyian Hiawatha
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
MidlandMike As a kid in the 1950s, I lived along the Hempstead Branch of the LIRR, and would sometimes ride my bike over to the main line Mineola Station. I don't remember any switchers hauling Oyster Bay or other trains, but as I say, I was only a kid. I'm thinking the MP15 was later.
But remember that those MP15ACs are 'switchers' only in carbody shape: they are high-speed passenger engines from the deck down and 'under the hood'. If you had any doubt they were intended as road engines, they have onboard toilets.
The 'comparable' engine would be an original H20-4-4, end-cab by necessity and with drop-equalizer trucks...
BaltACDLike seeing Thomas the Tank Engine showing up pulling the Omplyian Hiawatha Add Quote to your Post
I grew up near these tracks. Train #23 usually was headed by an FP or E Unit, this was the exception vs the rule. I am thinking the reason was Milwaukee was short of available power on this day. The max length of this train when I was a kid was three coaches. They had to be losing money like crazy on it and I believe carried it on the books because a lot of the Milwaukee employees and stockholders lived on the route. The railroad had deep ties to Milwaukee long after it moved it's HQ to Chicago.
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