A good piece east of Harlowton, this bridge takes the GN/BNSF over the Mussellshell River and the old Milwaukee mainline: Back to E57B, this is her GE plate: And her builder plates:
I just got back from a pretty major MILW-findings trip, from Bonner, MT (Big Blackfoot Branch) to Taft, MT (where the line left the interstate for St Paul Pass. I have coverage of several RMD items of interest, bridges, tunnels, depots, and other things. Pics when I can upload them!
There are already too many people who have no clue a vital railroad was ever there. It's so sad. :tb-sad: Boxcab E50
As overgrown as the area west of St Regis is, it's getting tougher for MILW fans to spot stuff they know is there, when guided with a book/map. Less-informed railfans would have a much tougher time of it. There's some actual trolley support poles somewhere around Henderson, MT, but I couldn't find them. I also had a tough time finding Drexel and Tarkio's substation foundations. Only a Google Earth search turned them up after the fact. Most of what we saw is visible from I-90, but is getting tougher to see. Some of it is accessible to vehicles, but family sedans need not apply. Next time I go, we'll take my truck, and visit St Paul Pass, and some other items we dared not visit in my Pontiac!
Henderson and Drexel used to be clearly visible from I-90. You could see the old brick rubble at Drexel. Tarkio is one of those places people somehow missed too often. I don't know why. It was not that difficult to access, years ago. Today? Boxcab E50
The tour begins.... Bonner, MT is the beginning of the Big Blackfoot Branchline, from Bonner to Clearwater Jct (the turnoff to Seeley lake), about 30 miles. It was built to access rich logging resources in the area. Just east of the junction with the RMD mainline to Missoula, and points west, is a large lumber mill. Some of the trackage in the plant operated by MRL is Milwaukee trackage. East of the mill is a trestle site. The piers still stand in the Blackfoot River: Just a hundred yards upriver from the trestle piers is what looks to be a trestle pier site, all but removed from the river. I do not know if it is railroad-related or not: A trestle is just east of the last location:
Next stop was the NP depot, and the MILW depot, but I have already posted some pics of the MILW depot in Missoula, so I'll continue. The next stop was Primrose Substation #10. While I have showed a pic or 2 on this structure, I recently was able to secure permission to get much closer. The substation is pretty large! The sign on the front: And some internal work. The current owners seem to be shoring up the structure, and there's a considerable framework being built inside:
As my friend and I chatted with the owner, an MRL local eased by on the ex-NP mainline in the distance:
A few more miles down Mullan Road was a little town called Frenchtown. There's a large paper/lumber mill there, and must of its plant trackage is former MILW. Here's a veteran Geep shuffling cars on the plant trackage. The 567 heartbeat was unmistakable, and music to our ears! The plant trackage, from the middle of the road--good thing this wasn't I-90! Next stop is Nine Mile Rd, Soudan and some more findings!
Soudan is next. Just a few more miles down the interstate, take the Nine Mile Road exit, and follow it. I have seen many neat photos from this location, and houses now reside on the former mainline, directly below on the base of the hill in front of me:\ Zoomed in nice and tight: A few miles further, is a neat little tunnel, Number 17... Here's the view from Nine Mile Rd: The interstate is higher, but the view is not much better. We hike this tunnel--pics coming tomorrow!
It's interesting knowing history of the hillside above. I wonder if they have any clues about the big slides that happened there in the past...? They may learn the hard way. Boxcab E50
I didn't ask, as the guy that gave us the permission wasn't the owner, but didn't seem concerned, as the guy is never around. At any rate, I found some MILW power lines in Great Falls today, that I didn't know existed. Apparently, the MILW used to service the refinery in Black Eagle, and its signature is along that former ROW, now West Bank Park. BNSF still serves the refinery.
OK. I was just wondering if Mick Keating still owned the Sub. He used to have his sign business in there. He did sign work for us some years ago. http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2005/04/25/ourtown/ourtown01.txt Boxcab E50
