Why did MILWs long-distance passenger service die? Was it a combination of factors like long range aircraft, and interstae highways, or more simply the folks in Chicago pulled the plug on it due to other agendas? I know this is prolly gonna be a hot topic, and I'm donning my nomex underwear and ducking for cover. I always wondered why the Oly Hi never ran past 1962.
No need for a fire suit! The Oly Hi ended in late May of 1961. Yes. It was economics. The auto, air travel. The train itself was still a good one, without those factors. But worse, the Milw, as had MANY other Class 1 companies, was losing money on their passenger trains yearly. I would need to haul out my ICC reports and check. As I recall, after the 1920s, the Milw lost money every year on passenger service, except something like 1943-1944. I do not recall what year the losses started- 1924? 1925? (Where are those report books...?) And, BTW, the big drainer was their service east of the Twin Cities. Because that was where all but two trains #15, #16, were operating. It probably would have died anyhow, with the big kill-off after USPS pulled the mail contracts. Boxcab E50
Great Northern and Northern Pacific both ran 2 trains to the Twin-Cities and back as well. Even more competition!
Yes. And those trains were also losing riders and money. When the mail contract went away, they were also hard hit.... Why BN was so happy to dump them on Amtrak.... Boxcab E50
It is interesting to note that the Milw. passenger service between Chicago and Kansas City and Chicago and western South Dakota also died about the same time - these trains were NOT a part of the UP system at all but were pure Milwaukee Road. The Morning and Afternoon Hiawathas survived on the Milwaukee between Chicago and the Twin Cities until Amtrak took them over in, what, 1971?
I wish my documentation was complete. I'd sure like to see what year the Milw last made money on passengers, outside of WWII. I only have accurate records back to about 1929 or 1930. Boxcab E50
