As odd as it may seem, a discussion in Harlowton has broken out about when Harlowton saw its last train. Some of the former Milwaukee guys in town think it was in 1979. The other folks hold that it was in March of 1980. Looking for votes for a final date - what do you think?
John- It was in late March of 1980. Those saying 1979 are probably thinking of the brief shutdown in late 1979, when the courts ordered them to start running again. The final embargo took effect at 0001 hours, March 1, 1980. (That's straight off my copy of the official embargo notice.) Thereafter it was cleanup trains. Their last train east departed Tacoma the evening of March 15, 1980. It took several days simply to struggle across Washington with old junk equipment in tow, and junk power. This is all very well documented. Official papers, and plenty of railfans chasing, etc. So those saying 1979 are simply wrong. Boxcab E50
I have never seen any pics of the last train to go east. I know that the boxcars were filled with all kinds of items like, paperwork, tools, MOW equipment, speeders, and stuff like that. I know there was a SW somewhere in the mix of motive power, but have no pictures to prove this. Ken, got any pics? Or know a link where I can find them? Ryan
The ONLY person that comes to mind about MAYBE knowing more about the MILW than Ken, would be Michael Sol.
There is a nice article in Trains Magazine of September, 1980. Thanks for the compliments guys. I do know a few things, but many are even better versed than I. Of them all, Michael Sol is King. He has all the secrets of the historic corporate finances (the actual documentation!) and so much more. Some day, hopefully his book will be done and out. It is needed, desperately, to set much of the record straight. Boxcab E50
One tragic thing about the last train- That night, one of the three or four people there, was my friend, Maynard Laing. For some reason, those who think they knew him, believe he only shot movies of trains. Nothing could be further from true. He and I chased some trains together. He had USED a 35mm camera, too!!! Well, Maynard shot stills of that evening, as they awaited the goodbye. Somehow, after he passed away, ALL of his slides and prints simply disappeared. Including what he captured that night. His wife hated his railroad interests, and I am afraid that after he left us, his wife simply tossed them all. There does not seem to be any other explanation. There is also some movie footage unaccounted for, including more Milwaukee Road. A devastating loss tom us and history itself. Boxcab E50
Thanks for the info. I always thought (for sure) it was March of 1980. One of the sad outfalls of the entire abandonment was the loss of the Milw. Road trackage and facilities across Montana. I was elected to the Montana Legislature in 1980. Unlike South Dakota, etc. the trustee refused to give the Milwaukee Road in Montana to the state in exchange for forgiveness of property taxes. The trustee wanted $35,000,000.00 in cash plus the tax forgiveness for the Milwaukee line in Montana. The state was flat broke and we could not come up with the money. The Republicans were strong enough in the 1981 Legislature to block an attempt by the state to take the road through eminent domain. The outcome was a state rail banking law that still exists today (I chaired the interim Legislative Committee that set up the current law and we got it passed in the 1983 Session when the Democrats regained control of the Montana House of Representatives). The law says that if a railroad abandons right of way or facilities in Montana, then those facilities and right of way MUST go to the state with a priority to use as railroad infrastructure. The law is a primary reason the BN and several short lines were able to acquire Milw. Road right of way, trackage and facilities so cheap after the Western Extension termination. Thus, for example, the BNSF has also declined to to abandon the Helena to Great Falls trackage and right of way - no walking trails would be allowed as two serious parties wanted the right of way and trackage for use as a railroad if abandoned by the BNSF (we all know how much the BNSf hates competitors). Where walking trails exist on railroad right of way in Montana today, that property MUST be surrendered to any railroad that wants to use the right of way and facilities for railroad purposes - a little known law today but one that is still in effect. That law combined with the fact that railroads have the right of eminent domain in Montana means that all of the landowners adjacent to the Milw. right of way across Montana today only have only a temporary right to use the right of way property and facilities - it can be taken back from them at any time by any railroad or proposed railroad. Our committee was the first government entity which declared the then BN a monopoly on Montana - the BN people never forgave me (I was pleased with the BN's twit and remain so today). The current law also says that if no railroad wants the old right of way question, then next in line are public utilities and pipelines. Walking trails are not even mentioned as a priority in the current law as a use for abandoned rail lines. I would point out that where the Milwaukee Road crossed, for example, Forest Service land, the federal law trumps the state law and a lot of the Milwaukee Road across the Rockies on federal land was only an easement grant so state law does not apply. Thanks.
AS far as I know there is one photo in Fred Hydes book, showing the train ready to depart. (It's a night shot) It's on page 173 and credited to Blair Kooistra. A nice night shot with U36C 5802 in the lead. In one of the last TMRs is a photo of this train somewhere in Montana, too. have fun Michael
Blair had alot of pics that night, but can't remember where I saw them. Down at Tideflats Yard, going east, and up over Snoqualmie. Wish I could remember.
At least some little bit of good came from this, here in Montana. I still wonder where the trustee came up with that amount as a condition for any sale. There was no way they'd ever get it. Instead, they got nothing. Frustrating BN/BNSF is a good thing. That bunch has not been good for us. Boxcab E50
No doubt, he is part of the few. I 've been haunting his website since he started it, a great service he is providing.
I was gifted the September, 1980 copy of Trains that details the last train pulling out of Washington and struggling up through the Rockies. Some sad images. A good find if you can locate a copy. Mark
A few years back, I went through all my magazines, and pulled out the MILW articles. I then cut them out and assembled them in chronological order, into sheet protectors, then into a nice binder. Presto. A home made Milwaukee Road reference book. Makes it easy to grab and check out various bits of info. Boxcab E50
Cut up a publication....EEEEEEEKKKKKKK....I guess the archivist in me won't allow it. 'Course, these days you can scan what you want and cut and paste digitally...link it to a spreadsheet sorting by date, equipment, location and etc. My magazine collection was given to me by a freinds dad who really got me into trains. In fact, his Christmas 1981 gift of an AHM C424 was what got me imto the MHRA and later this website. For sentimental reasons, his prostate killed him in 2009, I keep them whole..sorted by year and publication, stored in a copper wash tub (more outdated technology) in my living room. -Mark
Not a bad idea Ken. I was thinking about making an idex for all of my N scale and NSR magazines. Breaking all the articles down into catergories and sub categories for quicker referencing. For example if I was looking for articles on weathering I could then have all the different issues about different weathering techniques. I could then break it down futher such as all atricles listed in one category that has weathering with chalks, and another for weathering with paints and so on. You just gave me an idea! :thumbs_up:
Define cleanup trains? What were they cleaning up? Was there even any revenue tonnage on the last EB? A bunch of photos I have seen of the last days of LW were noted as Dead Freights.
Any few remaining revenue loads outgoing. All company cars and equipment which could move by rail. They were cleaning out offices, materials, etcetera and in some cases simply tossing items haphazard into empty company box cars, etc. There should not have been any revenue loads. There might have been. But I really doubt it. It's been too long... Before that time any loads were being switched at closest interchange to be handled. You should have seen it all. So sad to watch crews struggling with junk power that died every few feet, as they tried to pull m-o-w cars, etc, from sidings. Rolling stock that had not turned a wheel in years and were covered in briars, brush. Boxcab E50
I have done the same for modeling. I have one binder of narrow gauge. One of most every thing any scale and technique and one of Milwaukee Road model ideas. Well, straying way off here. I don't mean to hijack John's topic. Boxcab E50
