Here are some photos from the October 7, 2006 and Milwaukee Road #261 Fall Color Excursion along the Mississippi River from Minneapolis, MN to La Crescent, MN. The weather was great and the trip went very well.
BIG THANKS to the #261crew and everyone involved with the trip another GREAT TRIP.
Keith Schmidt
Southbound at Maple Springs just north of Wabasha, MN
Southbound at Minnesota City, MN
Dakota, MN
Northbound at Maple Springs just north of Wabasha, MN
Nice shots as always Keith. On a sunny day that shiny black engine is a real trick to photograph well.
Yes without Amtrak and its liabiliy insurance the 261 trips would not be run – and the folks back in the passenger cars might like a little light, heat, or air conditioning as well, so the Amtrak engine serves a real purpose. Too bad it isn’t painted black like the tender.
Likely the CP is happier running the train knowing there is backup power to the steam engine, although sometimes on these trips it is the diesel that fails in one way or another.
I asked this once before and never seen a reply.How did they power passenger cars with light and heat with steam locomotives.Did each car have a power source ?.Thank you in advance
In answer to your question, passenger cars were provided power for lights by means of a belt driven generator connected to one of the cars axles. This began in the latter 19th century, after a series of fires caused by upset lanterns, or candles. The generators worked fine unless the belt broke or slipped. Then, too if the train ran too slowly to keep the batteries charged, or was stopped for too long then, out went the lights.
Heat was provided from steam and diesel locomotives (they had flash type boilers, some times called steam generators) so equipped through an insulated line running under the car along the center sill on the opposite side of the car from the brake line. They could be identified very easily, since steam could be seen coming from the steam line, and it was insulated, and thus larger than the brake line would be.
Special steam generator cars were bulit new or created from other equipment (like tenders, baggage/express cars, or old diesel units) they found favor in the northern tier of states and Canada, where steam lines froze, or couldn’t supply steam to the end of a long train so, the steam generator car would carry the markers. The majority of passengers liked being warm. Railfans missed the view out of the rear of the train.
Smaller excursions operating without a diesel helper often are equipped with small gas generators under the cars. On a small trip during nice weather in daylight, a passenger train doesn’t need much power.
Very nice shots Keith! I would have loved to have been up in the Winona/LaCrescent area on Saturday, with the perfect weather, the steam train, and the ICE/DME running a passenger train from Marquette, IA to LaCrescent and return, it would have been a great day for catching trains along the river all right…
Thanks for the nice comments about the photos, but with great weather, great location and great subject the pictures almost took themselves.
Noah, I really didn’t know about the DME special until after it happened. Someone mentioned something about it while we were standing on the bridge at Jackson Street. I did see a photo of it on another train webpage.
