OK, this is the first time I’ve tried posting and using photos so I hope this works. A buddy and I are retracing the old Milwaukee line through Montana, particularly the electric portion. Growing up in Three Forks the Milwaukee was the major industry and we never imagined it would be gone. Anyway we thought it would be fun to trace the old ROW and see how it looks today. Our first stop was the Eagles Nest and we worked from there. We made it to Sixteen, Maudlow, Lombard, Eustis and Pipestone pass. We hope to get more this summer. I thought I’d share some pictures from our adventures. We are in the planning stages of a project and are interested in pictures during The Milwaukee’s operational days. I’m particularly interested in the electric years. Here are some photos to get started, I’ve got more and if anyone is interested I’ll post more. I haven’t figured out thumbnails as clickable links so if anyone has some suggestions please let me know.
Sixteen Mile canyon between Sixteen and the Eagles Nest
First glimpse of the Eagle Nest Trestle
Getting Closer…
Here it is
Western portal
When we were walking back through the tunnel back tow
ards Ringling we saw a face in the rocks. I wonder if any of the old railroaders noticed this?
OK, here are some more pictures. Since I work at the TV station that is in the old Milwaukee Depot in Butte here are some pictures inside. The upstairs offices still have the logos on the doors.
Trainmaster…
Superintendant
Inside the clock tower
Blacktail Trestle West of the Pipestone Tunnel
On top of the Blacktail Trestle looking West. Rode a bike over it and it was a little intimidating. I don’t advise rubbernecking unless you stop!
Eastern Portal of Pipestone Tunnel. It has a gate across it due to water damage inside.
Damage inside Eastern Portal of Pipestone Tunnel.
What’s left of the Fish Creek Trestle. Was taken out some years ago.
Western Portal of Fish Creek Tunnel
Vendome looking West
Vendome looking East towards Piedmont. The ROW is hard to find the closer you get to Piedmont. It can be easily picked up again near Jefferson Island. Bridge over the Jefferson River near Jefferson I
Not sure if this picture will post . . .
A pic of the drumhead for the Olympian Hiawatha made by the Western Sand Blast Company of Chicago. Thought you might like to see additional nostalgia.
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Do you have any shots of the substations in Gold Creek, Ravenna or Primrose ?
Dale
Dale,
You must have read my mind. Right now I don’t have Gold Creek, Ravenna or Primrose but I am planning a trip to get some pics. If the weather permits Gold Creek and Ravenna could be as soon as this Saturday (2/3/07). This summer I want to get over to Primrose and on to East Portal. Also this summer I want to go to Loweth since that sub station is still standing. I remember growing up and visiting a friend whose father worked the sub stations and I was always fascinated with them. I have vague memories of Francis and Piedmont also. Piedmont is now fishing ponds. You can see some of the concrete for the foundation, that’s it. The operators house was moved in the early 80’s.
There were 20 Little Joes built, 3 went to the South Shore, 12 to CMSP&P, and the other 5 to Brazil. You could apply at your library for an Interlibrary Loan for a book called The Milwaukee Electrics, by Noel Holley.
Tfmilfan
Best of luck to you with your substation hunting !
tf, thank you for the great photos. Eagles Nest has always interested me but at my age I was not certain getting in there was/is that easy. How did you gain access? Is there any problem with that? I visit my daughter in Lewistown often and would love to see more of the Sixteen Mile Canyon country. Found Shonkin (sp?) on last visit in my rambling between GF and Geraldine, but that was easy.
You work in a nice building (G).
Would enjoy any more Northern Montana Lines photos should you choose to post them.
Your Photos are absolutely great! Many, many thanks for posting them. I actually heard about them through another posting on the Milwaukee Road Yahoo Groups site.
I am hoping to make an extended trip across Lines West country this summer to take some photos of my own and to just get in touch with the land the Milw Rd ran through.
There is a fairly new organization based in Kenmore, WA that is coordinating “things” concerning “The Milwaukee Road Trail;” their web site is www.themilwaukeeroadtrail.org/ and the lady who is my point of contact is Deb Wingert who can be reached at debw@themilwaukeeroadtrail.org.
She would love to hear from you and would love to host your photos on the site.
The Units were made by GE and were built for the Soviet Union back in the later part of the 1940’s. After the cold war ended, the Soviet Union was finacially unfit to purchase the locomotives and the order was dropped. It wasn’t untill 1950 when the locomotives came up for sale and the Milwaukee road inquired on them. They were reliable and could haul long trains at slow speeds. The Milwaukee wanted to replace some of there box cabs in freight service. Electrification had been around since 1918. So the Milwaukee bought 12 of them and they proved to be worth it.
So there is a little history on how the Milwaukee acquired the Little Joe.
If need more info on something I’m sure some of the guys around here or I could answer.
I really enjoyed your pictures - thanks for sharing!
I will be out that way in a couple of weeks and would like to get in touch with you to learn where these areas are that you have photographed and how you gained access to them. Please drop me an email! Ohthomas@aol.com
