I am taking a guess at this. Before being put into service, the Bi-Polar was put on display in Washington DC. This photo might have been taken there.
When the Milwaukee Road electrified their railroad, it was amazing technology at the time. Many railroad, not only form the US, but from other countries were interested in it. It was the first railroad to use it for main line service instead of reducing smoke in urban areas. The idea of a coming out party is probably correct. The first box cabs were already in service, but the new Bi-Polars were at the leading edge for locomotives.
I have been there a number of times. We usually attend bowling tournaments in Reno and make a point to visit the V&T. Well worth the trip. Also like the Nevada Railroad museum in Ely.
"New Olympian". Reference to the Bipolar motor going into service hauling the crack Olympian passenger train. 10254 became E5 after early 1939, so this is earlier. The attire seems to be more costume like than actual in use period clothing. Location? Unknown. What can you tell us, Chet?
I've seen this pic before, and wanna' say the caption was read as being in Maple Valley, Wa when The Olympian was new. Judging by the background trees and area, and the rail lines, planking, etc.
Boy, sure got you guys thinking. Don't hurt yourself. Here's a couple of photos taken a few years ago in Deer Lodge, MT. I still have a few relatives alive living there that worked on the Milwaukee Road.
Google is such a wonder: Photo of celebration of a new heavyweight trainset for The Olympian. The celebration took place in the Seattle area. Seen in the photo is one of the Milwaukee Road's electric locomotives at left and a circa 1875 Milwaukee Road steam engine at right. The railroad had successfully extended its electrification to Seattle by this point. .
It may have to do with the MRL bringing it to Deer Lodge. I am not sure, but I do believe that MRL may have helped with the restoration and transported it to Deer Lodge. Here's a photo of it in transit.
Location is definitely more toward rural. Note what appears to be a control rod, (such as found at an interlocking), between the rails in foreground. Which nothing of the sort should have existed at Maple Valley.
That rod made me scratch my head too. Perhaps it connects a switch to a derail? It does indeed look interlocking-related though.
No. It needs work to operate again. Location is isolated from track, on display at the east side of the State Prison- Deer Lodge, MT. Acquired by MRL due to a debt owed them. "MRL" reporting mark used to move it from debt location to present display site.
So, back to the Olympian photo, I still think it could be at the PCRR/Milw depot facing east at the same spot as this pic looking east. Possibly taken from the second story of the depot itself. This is where the Milwaukee's own trackage started, diverging away from the PCRR tracks to Black Diamond.
Couple of interesting things today - maybe y'all can fill me in as to what a "Research and Test Car" is.
From all the coverage I have been seeing on the internet, those two BNSF test cars have been showing up on the Boeing 737 trains lately. Maybe they are monitoring the toroidal vortex energy fields caused by the aircraft fuselages disturbing the ambient environmental focused poloidal or circular axis aberrations. But maybe not.
