MILW Ghosts of the Milwaukee--Lines West

I'm back! Edobarto, I tried to get shots fo the Hanford branch, and the trees somebody planted there all but obliterated the ROW.

The biggest surprise was near Ravenna Substation #9. I had driven by it a couple dozen times over the 4 years we have been here, but never noticed trolley poles in place before! The snow we had received highlighted them enough to be recognized. Like a complete foamer, I go whipping my car off the freeway, backing up several hundred feet, and I took pictures of something that has been standing since the better part of 1916.....
There were severeal sets still in place, some with the cables spanning the ROW!

That was the last of the MILW I chased till Superior. the depot was easy to find, and sticks out like a sore thumb from the interstate, too. I stopped in Wallace after traversing a clear/dry Lookout Pass, and bagged the NP depot. I didn't see anything else of RR note until I arrived at the I-90 Vantage exit, were I took the mandatory 20-mile detour to see Beverly Bridge. Back on 90, daylight fading fast, I bagged Renslow in gorgeous evening light. Kittitas was next, and I captured all there was to see. Daylight was almost gone, and while I saw the bridges west of Ellensburg, I passed them in favor of seeing S. Cle Elum. It took a little while to find South Cle Elum, as it is off the beaten track. Once I found it, I bagged the depot, SS24, caboose, section shed, signal, and beat feet out of town for Snoqualmie Pass. I wanted to visit Hyak, but it was pitch black by that time. Pics coming sometime int he next few days.

 

Yup. I'd noted this last week. You can follow the west bank road a ways further south. However, there is absolutely nothing to see.

Many people don't understand that South Cle Elum and Cle Elum are two different towns, on opposite sides of the River. Strange that of the two railroads, the Milwaukee tracks may be gone, but so much of their structures still stand. Whereas the NP stuff along active rails is all erased.

Glad you caught Superior. Still amazing that so few people even know it's there.

Did you have time to see anything in the Tacoma area?

I'm hoping to be in good enough condition for heading west in coming months. Unless I take Amtrak, I'll be checking a few other things enroute. Such as Kellogg/UP, Cd'A for remaining depots, Post Falls to see if the SCd'A&P depot is still around. A swing to Cheney to see friends, and stopping at Sprague to see if the NP depot restoration is progressing at all.

Boxcab E50

 

I had time to check out Tacoma, but no data on where anything was. I didn't have all day to drive around, and had to drop off the car with less than 1/4-tank of gas, too.
Ken, your directions to the Superior depot were good, except that it was 1.8 miles from river road, or whatever it was called.

I also finally found the piers at the old scenic Cyr bridge, but didn't take the time to photo them. Someday....

 

Bad habit. I know where it is, so just drive right to it, not paying attention to measured distance.

Boxcab E50

 

Rats. Thought I'd posted some info earlier in this thread. The Milw "D" Street Freight House, (now "Freight House Square"), engineering dept offices, dispatchers office was a few blocks west and south of ATK- 25th & D Street. Up near the Tacoma Dome. I believe you were near 24th and J Street.

Hope there was a train or two moving around, for some activity.

Boxcab E50

 

Loads of trains moving, including a Tacoma Rail movement. I got pics of that engine for sure. You prolly did post the info, but I had no connection on the free wi-fi at the hotel I stayed in. Never again will I stay at that place. The door catch was re-screwed in about 5 different places. Not a good sign.

 

Where was the hotel?

Boxcab E50

 

Travelodge in Fife, right off the I-5. The price was right, breakfast was good, but the door did not give me any warm fuzzies.

 

With the Port facilities nearby, likely a lot of truckers, and other activities.

Boxcab E50

 

Friday morning, when I left the hotel for the port, the string of trucks flowing off the I-5 into the port was nearly endless. Never seen so many trucks before in one place in my life!

 

Some of those trucks were heading to the site of the former Milw Tacoma facilities and Tide Flats Yard. Getting in close to that these days, is a gray hair experience.

A couple of summers ago, I was poking around back streets near former Milw areas in Seattle. Trucks everywhere, blasting around me. Yikes. No fun! I can remember those olden days when such industrial streets were quite the opposite- Both Seattle and Tacoma.

Things change. Often, too much. And not for the better.



Boxcab E50

 

Most of the waterfront areas were gated, fenced, and off-limits. Even if I knew what was around, I'll bet none was accessible. That, and crazy truckers flying up and down that road made railfanning more hazardous than I'm used to!

 

I understand that, but in a normal year, and a normal winter, most of those forest roads would be closed due to snow, unless you cross-country skied, snowshoed or used a snowmobile to access the RR. 7 months or more out of the year, those forest roads wouldn't be passable for most family vehicles, right? I went thru there in the night, so I cannot say the road conditions.

 

Teaser!

 

That's what I meant. There used to be wide spots in the old road through there. Now finding good places to do much of anything is really tough, and a bit scary.

Boxcab E50

 

Well, knowing those mountains a bit, there is not really such a thing as a normal winter. It would be rare for accesses to be closed down as much as seven months. Snow accumulations usually don't start in any significance until about Thanksgiving. Sometimes closer to Christmas. Some roads are maintained, due to necessities. It would be hard to predict. This year, many are open.

On the west side, the trail would usually be open, up fairly close to the tunnel. Snows come and go with the temperaments of Puget Sound.

On the east, snow usually extends toward Easton. How far? It depends....

:tb-wacky::tb-wacky::tb-wacky:

Boxcab E50

 

Yes. It's getting to be well known and popular:

http://www.skilookout.com/hiawatha/

There might also be some information on the web site for Wallace, Idaho. They are the closest town.

Boxcab E50