I am interested in modeling the CNW and milwaukee road. I have gotten this new love for the milwaukee road, ive always had one for the CNW and UP but i know the milwaukee road ran right north of here many years ago, and there is a passenger car from the Milwaukee Road in Savanna Illinois as a museum for that reason. nonetheless, What would be a good time period top base my modeling around? 1990`s? 1970s? I was hoping just to do now a days. any thoughts on a time line?
You can model any time period desired. You could have a fleet assembled for today as proto-freelanced. And an older roster of equipment, to roll the clock back. How much room do you have available? As Savanna was mentioned, do you have a specific part in mind? Has that caught your eye more than any other spot? What is more appealing? Main line? Branch lines in the countryside? Have you done a lot of exploring for what once was in place? That researching could be good fun, leading to planning a layout. Boxcab E50
For the late Milwaukee Road 1979 would have to be the cut off date. The line was embargoed and shut down in 1980. Some lines were sold off to shortline or regional line operators and the rest pulled up. The C&NW ran until being swallowed up by the Yellow Peril in 1996. "We Will Devour" I think was the corporate slogan at the time.
The big embargo took effect at 0001 hours, March 1, 1980. :tb-sad: After the dust settled, and some lines which were to be embargoed, were not, (such as the KC Line), etc, a "core" system of 3500 stumbling, barely alive miles remained. In 1985, under new ownership, (Soo), that remnant became "The Milwaukee Road, Inc." Which survived to the end of 1985, when Soo Line absorbed them. The final day of that operation, was February 9, 1986. After February of 1980, it certainly wasn't the same RR. I like to remember it as it was well before Chicago wrecked it. So, I model the mid-late 1960's. The system was virtually intact everywhere. Electrics were running out west. Passenger trains east. Great variety of motive power and rolling stock. Boxcab E50
thanks guys. i dont have a certin location or time line i am kind of thinking just plotting a certin area or something and only buying SOO,CNW,MILWAUKEE ROAD,UP engines and freight and some otrher rolling stock i see around here such as Cotton Belt,SP etc. no CSX or any other eastern railroad. Does this make any sence?
Certainly. If that's the vision of an empire which will make you happy, by all means, do it. The nice thing about model railroading is any time you might ever change your mind, you can easily head in another direction. As long as you are having fun, nothing else matters. Boxcab E50
I'm planning on modeling the Milwaukee Road Iowa Division from Council Bluffs,Iowa to Savanna,Illinois from 1979- the present as if the Milwaukee was still running today,and rebuilt the entire Iowa Division with 132 pound rail.So you can model what ever era you want,like box cab E 50 said as long as you are having fun,that's all that matters.
CNW and MIL ho scale Thanks again. Steve Church do you live in Iowa or Illinois?? im in Clinton Iowa and bout 25 miles from Savanna. Do you know any info on Green Island Iowa and the Milwaukee Road?? It is now use by the IC&E but i guess the depot is still there. Can you send me some pictures of your lay out?
I live in Oskaloosa,Iowa about 25 miles from Ottumwa on the former Milwaukee Kansas City mainline,I don't have my layout started yet,waiting on a decision on my disability fourth time applying,I am unable to work due to a bone in my back that didn't fully develop and it rubs up against my spine and my doctor will not allow me to work.Hopefully I will get approved this time,and I can start my layout when the wife and I find a house to rent with a basement.I am modeling in HO Scale.I would be happy to post pictures of the layout as soon as I am able to start construction,which I don't know when I will be able to start.Hopefully sooner than later.
sorry to hear of the problems. I am kind of saving money up now to build mine and will be sure to post them as soon as i make my setup. I plan on checking out Green Island Iowa to see the old Depot if its not under water from the river.
You would find eastern roads' cars on a western road, though not usually their engines. As for CSX, it was formed in 1986, so it's out of era for the Milwaukee. If I were modelling the Milwaukee (or any other road), I'd probably want to model it in an era when it had the things I most associate with that road. In the MILW case, I'd probably do early 70s, the last years of electric operation, since that's the most distinctive thing about the Milwaukee to me, and I like heavy electric operation in general. What do you associate with CNW, UP and MILW respectively>
Milwaukee Rd in the 70's was a very diverse RR... you can use F units with FM switchers and SD9s along with sd40s .... You can model heavy Class I freights all the way to small "backwoods" local freights ... Buy Jim Boyds Milw rd East book for ideas ... Although ... modeling a Proto-Freelance Milw in the modern era would allow an interesting mix of older , newer and throw in the 261 with the new Walthers passenger cars for excursions ... Or , you could put the 261 on a Stack train !! Or , put 261 on a modern mixed freight ... [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pRl0glDFtc&feature=related"]YouTube - In Cab of Milwaukee Road 261[/ame] Perfect blend of modern and clasic
There's an interesting question! The only thing coming quickly into mind, is their post-WWII passenger trains which arrived with dieselization. During the last big push for passengers. All three had some really nice themes, and famous individual paint schemes. Boxcab E50
Since I lived in Wyoming in the 1960s not far from the UP main line, I have memories of gas turbine-electrics, yellow & gray streamliners, foreign-road (SP) power, strings of PFE reefers, and miles & miles of sagebrush-covered terrain. For CNW, it's fleets of F-units pulling freights in Iowa, Falcon fast-freight intermodals, and scads of Geeps. I have no memories of the Milwaukee Road, having never seen it in action, sorry.
I have plenty of memories of the Milwaukee Road in Iowa with the SD40-2's,MP15AC's,GP40's,GP38-2's and the SDL 39's and other units running an the main line including the SD10's,GP20m's and of course the F units.I remember seeing them all.
Just a quick question about modelling the Milwaukee Road: I'm wondering if any of the converted steam loco tender wedge snow plows made it anywhere onto Lines West, or the Coast Division.
Am trying to recall any, but none come into mind. Just the tender flangers. There were at least a couple of old gondolas converted into push plows, and there is one, restored, I believe at Harlowton. The only specific plow I'm remembering is the so-called Potlatch Plow, which was based in St. Maries as I recall. Aside from any engine pilot plows, between the tender flangers, cut wideners and rotaries, the mains were kept open. When needed, for most of the branches they usually used tender flangers and push plows- Except in the most extreme winters. I would bet they also used a Jordan spreader a few times as well. Before the tender flangers there were some made from old box cars.
