MILW Ghosts of the Milwaukee--Lines West

Time to leave Pipestone Pass for a trip east, to Harlowton!

As you drive into Harlo, you're greeted with this signal:



And a ribside boxcar, high on a hillside:

 

In Harlo, the North Montana Line headed north out of town. The line was electrified for about a mile, to service the local area's industries.

Here's the view back to Harlo:



And north to Lewistown, Great Falls, and other points north:



Here's the trolley protection built into the overpass--similar to Higgins Ave in Missoula, near the grand brick MILW depot:



Don't look down!

 

Named for H. J. "Two Dot" Wilson, thanks to a distinctive cattle brand, Two Dot Substation #1 was built in 1915/16. In 1935 it gained the distinction of being the only SS on the system without an enclosed transformer room, thanks to a transformer explosion. The incident burned down the town's two bars, firehouse, and postoffice. The foundation is all that remains:



Down the road in Martinsdale, we find the intact (not for long) depot, with sign:



The depot sign from the opposite end has been removed, and affixed to the town community center:



Next up, Lennep!

 

Lennep's a near ghost town, but sports a stock loading facility:



Signal:



Handcar shed:



The depot's long gone, butthe depot sign has been preserved, and attached to this building, just in case you forgot what town you're in:

 

Another signal stands west of Lennep as a ghostly sentinel for trains that will no longer roll by its concrete foundations:



Bruno siding is next. A signal guards the vacant ROW at the east switch:



A bridge carries both main and siding over the little creek:



And at the west switch, another forlorn signal tells its never ending tale of isolation, and despair:

 

Loweth is next...

The line change in 1957, to reduce a short section of 2% grade out of Bruno, is clearly visible:



Loweth Substation #2 is among a dying breed--only 3 more exist in Montana out of the 14 once on the RMD:





The operators' bungalows stood here:

 

The other side of the line change:



The last image of the trip is another stripped signal, just west of Loweth:

 

These types of views always seem a bit haunted. It's so obvious there was once vitality of life here. Hard to accept the fact their work was all for naught.

:tb-sad:

Boxcab E50

 

So sad to see most of this stuff is deteriorated to the point demolition or the elements will remove the structure. Even sadder the way the MILW declined into oblivion.

 

Or extreme sun glare? I dunno.

 

AFAIK- It was for visibility aid due to sun glare.

Boxcab E50

 

Well, I still would like to see your shots as well; the angles and sunlight and all would be different. At any rate, I'm hoping to visit Pipestone again, and see what I missed.
Google Earth shows me that Fish Creek Rd does indeed lead to the ROW (.08 of a mile from the main pass highway, no less), but I never saw it. In fact, I think it should be up on a bridge that was removed, and the road went underneath. So easy to miss!

 

Yeah. Who knows what interesting detail might show, in a somewhat different angle, on a different day? :thumbs_up:

Boxcab E50