Milwaukee Road SW7

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

I finally have all the peices to my new project (or I thought). I am going to be making a Milwaukee Road SW7 from an undec. Athearn BB.

Finally having the chassis, shell, detail parts and paint, I realized I didn’t have one thing: real life pictures of one!

A quick google search and a look on RRpicturesarchive left me a little disapointed.

RRPA only has 4 pictures of #623, 3 being shot out of a moving train and one is hidden between 2 other locomotives.

If anyone has any photos or a better website, the help is greatly appriciated

2

For older pictures, try the Fallen Flags Website, here is the Milwaukee Road Page.

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/milw/milw.htm

Richard Jesionowski

3

Thanks! I think I have what I need!

4

1, MILW had just one SW7, #623 ex #1626) It also had 5 TR4 sets, which were essentially a SW7 with a SW7 based (no stairs at B end. gauges in B end, MU cables) B unit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_SW7#/media/File:Baltimore_and_Ohio_9624_(TR4)_Cow_and_Calf_at_Riverside_Yard,_Baltimore_(22341847029).jpg and a seperate TR4B, which I’ve got a hunch was MU’d to #623 to create a sixth TR4 at one time http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoList.aspx?id=MILW&Page=9

  1. #623 was a Phase II SW7 with rectangular cab windows rather than arched and “chicken wire” rather than louvered hood top openinings. It also had the old single lens headlinght housing instead of the later twin sealed beam unit.

  2. The BLI model appears accurate (note that #1626 was the original number for this unit) https://www.broadway-limited.com/2648emdsw7switchermilw623orangeandblackparagon2sounddcdccho-1.aspx

5

I envy you guys for your attention to detail. I have a couple of switchers, an Erie and a Lackawanna. Both are solid black shells. I model the Milwaukee, so I plan to convert them, but that’s going to be body paint and decals. Things like bell placement aren’t that important to me. I may even keep the old numbers.

6

I have a decent attention to detail but I’m not crazy about it. I do things to my liking. I do not feel the need to include every single thing about the prototype. But on this one, being my first custom, I want to make it really nice

7

Thats kinda what I figured. Thank you for the info!

8

Incidentally I have seen very good detail shots of the ‘business end’ of the TR B units, so you might want to expand this into modeling the unit to go with 623 once you are done with Mom.

9

I think the dummy may become a calf. Or it might go to a different road. Being a switching layout and only 8ft long, I dont have much room for switching so I normally only use 1 engine. But I do like the TR units, If I had more room that would definitly happen. Im almost wishing I went with N scale but I love HO too much.