RONALD BEAUCHAMP I was employed at Lefebure 73 - 77 .I believe it was 29th st N.E off of 1st ave. The Milwaukee road ran right behind the company. Also I was at Olies either 67 or 68 and saw a the passenger train. Not to mention growing up near 8th ave S.W and seeing Milwaukee Road Fairbanks Morrison working the area.Link belt Speeder Pinike Ford Wilson Meat etc. Victrola1 Olie's Ham H' Egger Olies was the greatest place to soak up excess spirits at 3:00 in the morning within 70 miles of Marion. It sat just accross the drive way from the huge early 20th century Milwaukee depot. As a student at Cornell College in nearby Mt. Vernon with no such attraction, many an early morning ended with a road trip to Marion for breakfast. Olies was where the Milwaukee crews ate. Weekend crowds may have made them seem trivial, but though the week they were the heart and soul of Olies. The third shift cook and waitresses knew the railroaders on a first name basis. A switch engine in the depot siding was good indicator the crew was in Olies. Sometimes, to go orders were readied for through freights which slowed to pick up their order on the fly from a yardman. Being a member of Cornell's class of 1976, I saw the swan song of the Milwaukee in Marion. While massive numbers of Union Pacific freights now roar past Cornell's football field in Mt. Vernon, the Milwaukee Road in Linn County is mostly old maps and memories. Even Olies is gone. It was part of the block ripped out along with the old Milwaukee depot to make a cookie cutter design strip mall. I have yet to find a place that can top the cheese omlets the week night cook used to make Olies. No fake plants and neon can match the honest atmosphere of cold men coming in from the bite of a -20 night in mid January to refill their thermoses with hot coffee for the next bunch of cars to sort. Victrola1 Olie's Ham H' Egger Olies was the greatest place to soak up excess spirits at 3:00 in the morning within 70 miles of Marion. It sat just accross the drive way from the huge early 20th century Milwaukee depot. As a student at Cornell College in nearby Mt. Vernon with no such attraction, many an early morning ended with a road trip to Marion for breakfast. Olies was where the Milwaukee crews ate. Weekend crowds may have made them seem trivial, but though the week they were the heart and soul of Olies. The third shift cook and waitresses knew the railroaders on a first name basis. A switch engine in the depot siding was good indicator the crew was in Olies. Sometimes, to go orders were readied for through freights which slowed to pick up their order on the fly from a yardman. Being a member of Cornell's class of 1976, I saw the swan song of the Milwaukee in Marion. While massive numbers of Union Pacific freights now roar past Cornell's football field in Mt. Vernon, the Milwaukee Road in Linn County is mostly old maps and memories. Even Olies is gone. It was part of the block ripped out along with the old Milwaukee depot to make a cookie cutter design strip mall. I have yet to find a place that can top the cheese omlets the week night cook used to make Olies. No fake plants and neon can match the honest atmosphere of cold men coming in from the bite of a -20 night in mid January to refill their thermoses with hot coffee for the next bunch of cars to sort.
Victrola1 Olie's Ham H' Egger Olies was the greatest place to soak up excess spirits at 3:00 in the morning within 70 miles of Marion. It sat just accross the drive way from the huge early 20th century Milwaukee depot. As a student at Cornell College in nearby Mt. Vernon with no such attraction, many an early morning ended with a road trip to Marion for breakfast. Olies was where the Milwaukee crews ate. Weekend crowds may have made them seem trivial, but though the week they were the heart and soul of Olies. The third shift cook and waitresses knew the railroaders on a first name basis. A switch engine in the depot siding was good indicator the crew was in Olies. Sometimes, to go orders were readied for through freights which slowed to pick up their order on the fly from a yardman. Being a member of Cornell's class of 1976, I saw the swan song of the Milwaukee in Marion. While massive numbers of Union Pacific freights now roar past Cornell's football field in Mt. Vernon, the Milwaukee Road in Linn County is mostly old maps and memories. Even Olies is gone. It was part of the block ripped out along with the old Milwaukee depot to make a cookie cutter design strip mall. I have yet to find a place that can top the cheese omlets the week night cook used to make Olies. No fake plants and neon can match the honest atmosphere of cold men coming in from the bite of a -20 night in mid January to refill their thermoses with hot coffee for the next bunch of cars to sort.
RONALD BEAUCHAMP Victrola1 Olie's Ham H' Egger Olies was the greatest place to soak up excess spirits at 3:00 in the morning within 70 miles of Marion. It sat just accross the drive way from the huge early 20th century Milwaukee depot. As a student at Cornell College in nearby Mt. Vernon with no such attraction, many an early morning ended with a road trip to Marion for breakfast. Olies was where the Milwaukee crews ate. Weekend crowds may have made them seem trivial, but though the week they were the heart and soul of Olies. The third shift cook and waitresses knew the railroaders on a first name basis. A switch engine in the depot siding was good indicator the crew was in Olies. Sometimes, to go orders were readied for through freights which slowed to pick up their order on the fly from a yardman. Being a member of Cornell's class of 1976, I saw the swan song of the Milwaukee in Marion. While massive numbers of Union Pacific freights now roar past Cornell's football field in Mt. Vernon, the Milwaukee Road in Linn County is mostly old maps and memories. Even Olies is gone. It was part of the block ripped out along with the old Milwaukee depot to make a cookie cutter design strip mall. I have yet to find a place that can top the cheese omlets the week night cook used to make Olies. No fake plants and neon can match the honest atmosphere of cold men coming in from the bite of a -20 night in mid January to refill their thermoses with hot coffee for the next bunch of cars to sort. Victrola1 Olie's Ham H' Egger Olies was the greatest place to soak up excess spirits at 3:00 in the morning within 70 miles of Marion. It sat just accross the drive way from the huge early 20th century Milwaukee depot. As a student at Cornell College in nearby Mt. Vernon with no such attraction, many an early morning ended with a road trip to Marion for breakfast. Olies was where the Milwaukee crews ate. Weekend crowds may have made them seem trivial, but though the week they were the heart and soul of Olies. The third shift cook and waitresses knew the railroaders on a first name basis. A switch engine in the depot siding was good indicator the crew was in Olies. Sometimes, to go orders were readied for through freights which slowed to pick up their order on the fly from a yardman. Being a member of Cornell's class of 1976, I saw the swan song of the Milwaukee in Marion. While massive numbers of Union Pacific freights now roar past Cornell's football field in Mt. Vernon, the Milwaukee Road in Linn County is mostly old maps and memories. Even Olies is gone. It was part of the block ripped out along with the old Milwaukee depot to make a cookie cutter design strip mall. I have yet to find a place that can top the cheese omlets the week night cook used to make Olies. No fake plants and neon can match the honest atmosphere of cold men coming in from the bite of a -20 night in mid January to refill their thermoses with hot coffee for the next bunch of cars to sort.
The Milwaukee Road bridge across Seventh Avenue in Marion is being dismantled. I remember when it was being constructed, but I am not sure about the year. I think it was late 1950s or early 1960s. I was interestin to watch how the bridge was put in place while maintaing the use of that main line, includin four daily UP "City" streamliners in each direction. Any suggestions as to the year?
This really is not a reply, but I did not see a way for posting the question other than as a reply or starting a new topic.
I've been watching the progress on that project- Seventh Ave. will be completely closed next Monday night while they bust up the center pier. The bridge will be replaced with a pedestrian version that spans the whole street with no piers.
As far as the year of construction is concerned, that was before my time. I moved to Marion from Minnesota in 1974.
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.