Today I got to see the Empire Builder going south to Chicago out of DT St.Paul MN, paced it for a little while going southeast on Hwy 10/61 in St. Paul Park. Besides the ‘regular consist’ it had two c.1955 cars behind it, a full length “great dome” in MILW colors, and a smoothside streamlined observation car in I guess a “free lanced” maroon and gold scheme. Obs car had a nice flashing red beacon on it. [:O]
The Milwaukee car wasn’t that big a surprise since the “Friends of 261” Milwaukee 4-8-4 steam engine have their stuff kept in St. Paul and it’s often used on fantrips around here (although I don’t remember seeing this car before), but the observation car was pretty bizarre. I’m guessing they were both going to some private car-owners convention somewhere??[%-)]
Well, colors on the observation car would be right for WC equipment. Unfortunately I wasn’t quite close enough to read any lettering on the cars. IIRC it was a maroon car with yellow gold ‘sash’ thru the window area.
wjstix, here is a link to Railway Preservation News, there is some news on the Milwaukee Road Super Dome #53 and the office car “Montana” in the interchange.
From the home page click on interchange and scroll down to “Milwaukee Road Super Dome #53” . There is a good picture of the dome but none of the office car. It sounds like they are running some trips with it and the #261 in your area soon.
Well that would be the MILW car I saw, so that makes sense now, thanks !! Unfortunately I’ll be moving in June so won’t be able to ride that train to Milwaukee, but good news is I’m moving to a town on the CP mainline that the Empire Builder uses so should be seeing the Builder frequently !!
Super Dome 53 and office car “Montana” will be moving on Train 8 on Thursday, May 18, to Chicago. The dome will be part of a special train for the Restaurant Show which is taking place in Chicago this weekend. The two cars are scheduled to return to Minneapolis on Monday, May 22, on the rear of the “Empire Builder.”
In June, Dome 53 will be used as a premium class car (along with Skytop “Cedar Rapids”) on the #261’s trips on the former Milwaukee Road between Minneapolis and Milwaukee and the “day” trips out of Milwaukee. Tickets are still available for these trips and may be ordered on-line at: www.261.com
Supporting these trips not only keeps the locomotive alive but also allows for purchase, restoration (such as this very job), maintenance and operation of some very historical and unique passenger rolling stock.
Thanks to all of you who ride with us and allow us to present a car such as this Super Dome.
Thanks !! It was a lucky break, I’d usually be driving no where near that area but this day I had to drive out to the St.Croix River area for an “offsite” work conference. Came over a bridge over the CP line and went right over the EB and then paced it for a little while, but it was going quite fast and in a few minutes was out of sight.