Hi everyone, I just thought I'd introduce myself. I just got back into model railroading after a 10 year break. I got started as a kid, but never had a chance to build anything more than a loop of track around a piece of plywood. College, work, getting married, and having a kid all came, and now I finally decided to start up again. I decided to focus on the Milwaukee Road, because I grew up in Tomah, WI, right on the main route from Milwaukee to Minneapolis, and only a few blocks from the original train depot. I'm too young to have seen any of the Milwaukee Road trains running (I'm only 26) but I remember my dad talking about taking the Hiawatha to visit his relatives all the time, and I love the idea of modeling a fallen flag. I'm sure I'll have questions, and plan on hanging around here to try and learn something. It has already been fun to look through a few of the threads in here.
Welcome to TrainBoard! There are some folks here from your part of the country who can probably help with specific questions. If not already aware of this, you might wish to check out the Milwaukee Road Historical Association: www.mrha.com Boxcab E50
Thanks everyone. It's been fun trying to find MILW locomotives and rolling stock, because I actually live down near Ft Worth TX now. I was lucky enough to stop in at a hobby shop in Oklahoma City earlier this week when I was up there for work, and found a good amount of MILW stuff in the Athearn blue box kits. I picked up an SD40-2, an SD9, a Baldwin S-12 switcher, and an FP45, along with 9 or 10 assorted boxcars and cabooses, all for less than $200. I was disappointed to find out the blue box kits are discontinued, because that's how I got started as a kid. Luckily I've been able to scrounge up a bunch, usually at really good prices. So far I have all the locomotives listed above, and around 60 assorted cars all for about $350, and a lot of them came with knuckle couplers and metal wheels. I still have a lot of family and friends around Tomah, and make it up there a few times a year. It's been fun to see the posts in here about the caboose in LaCrosse because I've driven past it more times than I can count. I also enjoyed ak-milw's post with pictures of his Camp Douglas layout from the '50s. I recognized everything right away.
There has been available a very large assortment of Milwaukee Road items in HO. Many are far more sophisticated in quality than the old blue boxes. Of course price is also higher.... Boxcab E50
Welcome SlippingAway, I am modeling in the 1950's from Tunnel City to Portage. I live 6 miles north of Camp Douglas, but work in the CD feed mill. Glad you could join!!
