On the Milwaukee Road #4
This is the fourth part of the Milwaukee’s electrified Rockies route through Montana towards Eastern Idaho. Many questioned the choice of route especially as it served few places and paralleled other railroads. Compared to the other railroads’ attempts through this part of the States the Milwaukee’s route involved the traverse…
On the Milwaukee Road #3
This is the third part of the Milwaukee’s electrified Rockies route through Montana towards Eastern Idaho. The company’s choice of route was questioned especially as it paralleled other railroads. These outlasted the later Milwaukee company because they were in a rather better position strategically, financially in terms of routeing and…
On the Milwaukee Road #2
This is the second part of a look at whats left of the railroad’s 440 mile route through the Rockies and covers the section from Butte to Missoula. The line follows the Clark Fork River for most of the way (as it does in fact all the way to St…
On the Milwaukee Road #1
A tour featuring some of the highlights of the 440 mile electrified length of the Milwaukee Road between Harlowton and Avery and showing what exists these days mostly using Google Streets. This is a follow up to the introductory post I did a few days ago covering the history of…
Electric railroad: Rockies #2
Most of the westward extension has now vanished and many of its structures have been demolished, save for a few spectacular ones. Tunnels have been blocked off and parts of the route are now highways, or in the more spectacular mountain parts, have become trails for people to walk or…
Electric Railroad: Rockies #1
Forty years ago one of America’s most iconic and controversial transcontinental lines closed down for good, having worked for just over seventy years. This was the only electric line that stretched right across the Rockies & popularly called the Milwaukee Road. Despite the controversies surrounding its construction this once expensive,…