The Milwaukee Road's Collapse.

[railman]

I think the BN knew that the Milwaukee was tanking and didn't have to have an agenda to tip it.

[Anonymous]

I own a copy of "The Nation Pays Again" detailing the Milwaukee Road's fall. It's amazing the indifference Milwaukee's management had towards its railroad, and they all profitted from it, while others suffered and lost their jobs.
Going on the information in The Nation Pays..... it would also seem that the Burlington Northern had its own agenda against the Milwaukee Road to kill it off and garner all the business.

[Anonymous]

I own a copy of "The Nation Pays Again" detailing the Milwaukee Road's fall. It's amazing the indifference Milwaukee's management had towards its railroad, and they all profitted from it, while others suffered and lost their jobs.
Going on the information in The Nation Pays..... it would also seem that the Burlington Northern had its own agenda against the Milwaukee Road to kill it off and garner all the business.

[railman]

I believe it was management, among other factors. They had their minds focused on a merger for a decade, and when it didn't happen they were caught red handed with a railroad in ruin.

[railman]

I believe it was management, among other factors. They had their minds focused on a merger for a decade, and when it didn't happen they were caught red handed with a railroad in ruin.

[Anonymous]

I have started a thread about Milwaukee Road stories. If you have a story about the Milwaukee Road please follow the link below and share your Milwaukee Road story with us. Thank You Very Much

http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6948

[Anonymous]

I have started a thread about Milwaukee Road stories. If you have a story about the Milwaukee Road please follow the link below and share your Milwaukee Road story with us. Thank You Very Much

http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6948

[Anonymous]

After reading nkloudons reply, I must comment I too have been treated badly on occasion by numb skulled, frustrated employees, thats why I appreciate the TRAINS rather than some of the workers, although most are kind, helpful and understanding.
as with any company, ball team or club...theres always one or two that give it a bad name. I believe the milw rd crumbled because of the BN merger and extreme mis management. My message to some of the employees that dis like a job at the railroad is to remember there are guys out here, who for various reasons, never got a chance at the job of their dreams..appreciate what you have, and smile.

[Anonymous]

After reading nkloudons reply, I must comment I too have been treated badly on occasion by numb skulled, frustrated employees, thats why I appreciate the TRAINS rather than some of the workers, although most are kind, helpful and understanding.
as with any company, ball team or club...theres always one or two that give it a bad name. I believe the milw rd crumbled because of the BN merger and extreme mis management. My message to some of the employees that dis like a job at the railroad is to remember there are guys out here, who for various reasons, never got a chance at the job of their dreams..appreciate what you have, and smile.

[Anonymous]

After getting kicked out of the yard at Deer Lodge, and being threatened with arrest if I so much as crossed the tracks in Butte, I didn't shed any tears when they went under!

[Anonymous]

After getting kicked out of the yard at Deer Lodge, and being threatened with arrest if I so much as crossed the tracks in Butte, I didn't shed any tears when they went under!

[Anonymous]

Basically, the supreme incompetence of MILW directors was the telling factor. In the late 50s and early 60s they got themselves wrapped up in a proposed merger with the Chicago & Northwestern, so much so that they forgot to keep tabs on what Great Northern and Northern Pacific were up to with their initial merger attempts. Had MILW at least managed to gain from those roads certain necessary concessions -- basically, "gateways" to the northwest terminals with shared haulage rates -- in return for not opposing a merger (which, without those concessions, would have meant certain doom for the Milwaukee), they wouldn't have been left gaping with their jaws on the ground when their own CNW merger fell through at the last minute. Meanwhile, so confident had they been of that merger's approval, they (like CNW had previously done) deferred much needed maintenance on their physical plant, particularly out west, which further weakened their position.
It was this kind of fumble-fingered mismanagement and shortsightedness, more than anything else, which brought about the end of the Milwaukee.
-- Paul

[Anonymous]

Basically, the supreme incompetence of MILW directors was the telling factor. In the late 50s and early 60s they got themselves wrapped up in a proposed merger with the Chicago & Northwestern, so much so that they forgot to keep tabs on what Great Northern and Northern Pacific were up to with their initial merger attempts. Had MILW at least managed to gain from those roads certain necessary concessions -- basically, "gateways" to the northwest terminals with shared haulage rates -- in return for not opposing a merger (which, without those concessions, would have meant certain doom for the Milwaukee), they wouldn't have been left gaping with their jaws on the ground when their own CNW merger fell through at the last minute. Meanwhile, so confident had they been of that merger's approval, they (like CNW had previously done) deferred much needed maintenance on their physical plant, particularly out west, which further weakened their position.
It was this kind of fumble-fingered mismanagement and shortsightedness, more than anything else, which brought about the end of the Milwaukee.
-- Paul

[Anonymous]

I am not sure there is much need for a poll. The reason for the Milwaukee Roads collapse was that they should never have built the Pacific extension. The company never recovered from being the last road to the Pacific.

Of course the Milwaukee also lost out on the race to become part of the Union Pacific. The Rock Island and the Chicago Northwestern all competed for the UP's favor and had it not been for the money infused by the UP as well as the East -West traffic the C&NW could have easily gone the way of the Milwaukee as the Rock Island did once the Rock UP merger was turned down in the 1960's.

There were just too many midwestern railroads all competing for the same cyclical grain business. Of course had the Milwaukee been able to spin off the Pacific coast line had they been able to force themselves into the BN merger as they tried to do, or had they been able to rationalize other parts of the system sooner, who knows what might have been.

[Anonymous]

I am not sure there is much need for a poll. The reason for the Milwaukee Roads collapse was that they should never have built the Pacific extension. The company never recovered from being the last road to the Pacific.

Of course the Milwaukee also lost out on the race to become part of the Union Pacific. The Rock Island and the Chicago Northwestern all competed for the UP's favor and had it not been for the money infused by the UP as well as the East -West traffic the C&NW could have easily gone the way of the Milwaukee as the Rock Island did once the Rock UP merger was turned down in the 1960's.

There were just too many midwestern railroads all competing for the same cyclical grain business. Of course had the Milwaukee been able to spin off the Pacific coast line had they been able to force themselves into the BN merger as they tried to do, or had they been able to rationalize other parts of the system sooner, who knows what might have been.

[Anonymous]

You choose which one to select.

[Anonymous]

You choose which one to select.