Milwaukee Road Stories

[Anonymous]

I would like to hear from people who have stories about the Milwaukee Road. If you have a story about Milwaukee Road please share it here in this thread. Post any story you want to post. Talk about the trains, the locos, the people, the problems, the competition they faced, their downfall, and any other Milwaukee Road "thing" you can think of to post. Thank you in advance for your story. [^]

[Anonymous]

I would like to hear from people who have stories about the Milwaukee Road. If you have a story about Milwaukee Road please share it here in this thread. Post any story you want to post. Talk about the trains, the locos, the people, the problems, the competition they faced, their downfall, and any other Milwaukee Road "thing" you can think of to post. Thank you in advance for your story. [^]

[Anonymous]

I am still interested in Milwaukee Road stories from anyone having a story to tell. Please share your M R stories with us.

[Anonymous]

I am still interested in Milwaukee Road stories from anyone having a story to tell. Please share your M R stories with us.

[Anonymous]

Doesn't anyone have a Milwaukee Road story you can share with us? [?]

[Anonymous]

Doesn't anyone have a Milwaukee Road story you can share with us? [?]

[Anonymous]

Sure do.
Until the 1980 retrenchment, the MILW had a branch line from Iron Ridge, WI, to Fond du Lac, WI. About 3 miles south of town, the MILW shared track with the CNW to get into FDL, WI. During the early '70's, my cousin and I would ride our bikes down to the "yard" area, which was only 4 tracks wide. The MILW would come up from Iron Ridge every Tuesday and Thursday to switch the local co-op(2 locations in FDL). Motive power was usually 2 SW1200's, towing 4-8 freight cars and the rib-side caboose. They would break for beans about 9P.M., and leave the engines idling on a siding.
At the same time, the Soo and CNW locals would be working industries in the area, so sometimes three trains would be tying up traffic all within a 4-block area.[}:)]
One night, as the MILW was preparing to leave, we chased them on the bikes. Unfortunately, my pant leg got caught in the chain as I was standing up to pedal, and I went over the handlebars.[xx(] The engines stopped, and the brakeman got off to check on me. Other than a few scratches, I was fine. After a short lecture on safety around the railroad, he re-boarded and the train left.
There was an engine house on the west side of town, that was used for storage, and torn down about '83. For years, a wedge plow was parked in front of it. Never saw it in action.
I also have newspaper clippings of a few derailments that happened on this lightly-railed branch, but nothing serious.
The trackage in FDL was acquired by Soo, then WC, and now by CN, and averages one trip a week.

[Anonymous]

Sure do.
Until the 1980 retrenchment, the MILW had a branch line from Iron Ridge, WI, to Fond du Lac, WI. About 3 miles south of town, the MILW shared track with the CNW to get into FDL, WI. During the early '70's, my cousin and I would ride our bikes down to the "yard" area, which was only 4 tracks wide. The MILW would come up from Iron Ridge every Tuesday and Thursday to switch the local co-op(2 locations in FDL). Motive power was usually 2 SW1200's, towing 4-8 freight cars and the rib-side caboose. They would break for beans about 9P.M., and leave the engines idling on a siding.
At the same time, the Soo and CNW locals would be working industries in the area, so sometimes three trains would be tying up traffic all within a 4-block area.[}:)]
One night, as the MILW was preparing to leave, we chased them on the bikes. Unfortunately, my pant leg got caught in the chain as I was standing up to pedal, and I went over the handlebars.[xx(] The engines stopped, and the brakeman got off to check on me. Other than a few scratches, I was fine. After a short lecture on safety around the railroad, he re-boarded and the train left.
There was an engine house on the west side of town, that was used for storage, and torn down about '83. For years, a wedge plow was parked in front of it. Never saw it in action.
I also have newspaper clippings of a few derailments that happened on this lightly-railed branch, but nothing serious.
The trackage in FDL was acquired by Soo, then WC, and now by CN, and averages one trip a week.

[railman]

Although I didn't have the pleasure of working on the Milwaukee, one in the family did; and I can tell one for this post.

My grandfather worked for the Milwaukee from the mid 1950's until the 1985 buyout. During that time, he worked in the railroad police department, eventually earning the rank of lieutenant, a role in which he trained in new members.
Here's a story;

Once, back in the 1960's, my grandfather took the entire family for a rail trip to the west, all the way to Deer Lodge. Because he was a employee, I would presume there was a discount.
Well, the trip was going well as any train trip goes. As the train went farther and farther west, there were less and less aboard, and things were pretty empty across Dakota.
Also famous on train trips, the train ran out of real food. Being an employee, Paul found out before the rest of the riders, and quickly had his 5 kids (including my mother) go down to the diner and eat up all the donuts and rolls they still had.
At this time, it is neccessary to introduce the other character in this story, a rather "rotund" man, who also found out that there was no food. Being less swift that 5 hungry kids, he made it to the diner too late and got nothing.
There would not be another station stop until the next morning, so everyone waited for the next depot to buy up food (Much like today's Amtrak passengers.) The time finally came and the station was rolling into sight. On the platform was a local boy with a large box of candy bars and the like.
This time the man was not to be denied food. He flew, first off the train, made a beeline for the boy, gave him a twenty, and bought the whole box!

(Side note- While in Deer Lodge, the train arrived late, but the theatre operator arranged to show Hatari! for the passengers. It was the last movie my grandfather watched in a theater for almost 30 years. )

[railman]

Although I didn't have the pleasure of working on the Milwaukee, one in the family did; and I can tell one for this post.

My grandfather worked for the Milwaukee from the mid 1950's until the 1985 buyout. During that time, he worked in the railroad police department, eventually earning the rank of lieutenant, a role in which he trained in new members.
Here's a story;

Once, back in the 1960's, my grandfather took the entire family for a rail trip to the west, all the way to Deer Lodge. Because he was a employee, I would presume there was a discount.
Well, the trip was going well as any train trip goes. As the train went farther and farther west, there were less and less aboard, and things were pretty empty across Dakota.
Also famous on train trips, the train ran out of real food. Being an employee, Paul found out before the rest of the riders, and quickly had his 5 kids (including my mother) go down to the diner and eat up all the donuts and rolls they still had.
At this time, it is neccessary to introduce the other character in this story, a rather "rotund" man, who also found out that there was no food. Being less swift that 5 hungry kids, he made it to the diner too late and got nothing.
There would not be another station stop until the next morning, so everyone waited for the next depot to buy up food (Much like today's Amtrak passengers.) The time finally came and the station was rolling into sight. On the platform was a local boy with a large box of candy bars and the like.
This time the man was not to be denied food. He flew, first off the train, made a beeline for the boy, gave him a twenty, and bought the whole box!

(Side note- While in Deer Lodge, the train arrived late, but the theatre operator arranged to show Hatari! for the passengers. It was the last movie my grandfather watched in a theater for almost 30 years. )

[Anonymous]

The Milwaukee Road was merged with the Soo Line the year I was born, so I don't have any athentic Milwaukee Road stories. However, I did come the closest I woud to seeing the MILW in operation in the sumer of 1997.

I was almost 11 years old at the time and my family took a trip to Minot, ND. I had been there twice before when I was very young. On this trip I did quite a bit of railfanning. It was the first time in my life I had ever seen BN engines in operation (the merger had happened by then, but the motive power was all still BN green). There was also a special Amtrak train with exhibits that stopped in town, so it was pretty good trip for trains.

But probably the most incredible train I saw on the trip, although I didn't know it's signifigance at the time, was a Soo Line Bandit. One day we headed out to the tracks to watch trains and in the distance I saw this orange engine. It was far away and at first I thought that it was a BNSF engine. I told my dad to get the camera ready (at that age I wasn't using the camera yet and so my dad took all the train pictures on the trip, which did turn out quite good). It soon became clear that it wasn't a BNSF engine. It was, in fact Soo GP40 2011(ex-MILW 199), very dirty and rusty, but still waering it's original MILW orange at the head of a CP frieght! My dad got two very good photos of it. I did know that it was a unique engine that I should have a picture of, but it wasn't until later in life that I became aware of what really was.

I can e-mail the pictures to you if you like.

[Anonymous]

The Milwaukee Road was merged with the Soo Line the year I was born, so I don't have any athentic Milwaukee Road stories. However, I did come the closest I woud to seeing the MILW in operation in the sumer of 1997.

I was almost 11 years old at the time and my family took a trip to Minot, ND. I had been there twice before when I was very young. On this trip I did quite a bit of railfanning. It was the first time in my life I had ever seen BN engines in operation (the merger had happened by then, but the motive power was all still BN green). There was also a special Amtrak train with exhibits that stopped in town, so it was pretty good trip for trains.

But probably the most incredible train I saw on the trip, although I didn't know it's signifigance at the time, was a Soo Line Bandit. One day we headed out to the tracks to watch trains and in the distance I saw this orange engine. It was far away and at first I thought that it was a BNSF engine. I told my dad to get the camera ready (at that age I wasn't using the camera yet and so my dad took all the train pictures on the trip, which did turn out quite good). It soon became clear that it wasn't a BNSF engine. It was, in fact Soo GP40 2011(ex-MILW 199), very dirty and rusty, but still waering it's original MILW orange at the head of a CP frieght! My dad got two very good photos of it. I did know that it was a unique engine that I should have a picture of, but it wasn't until later in life that I became aware of what really was.

I can e-mail the pictures to you if you like.

[Noah Hofrichter]

Sask, please e-mail them, would love to see them.

Noah
[e-mail]

[Noah Hofrichter]

Sask, please e-mail them, would love to see them.

Noah
[e-mail]

[joseph2]

Last week I saw a Soo GP at the Latta,Indiana yard .It was ex Milwaukee orange and black.I wonder how many are left ? Joe G.