Author Topic: Milwaukee Road Branch?  (Read 1390 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

TinyTurner

  • Crew
  • *
  • Posts: 158
  • Respect: +35
Milwaukee Road Branch?
« on: March 06, 2023, 05:32:23 PM »
0
Things finally make some sense about what I'm trying to achieve.  I have always been attracted to the Midwestern scene and the Pacific Northwest, and all things pioneering.         

Inspired by an article in the 2mm society journal, I discovered a video, Scenes from a dying transcontinental, on Vimeo, I thought to ask if anyone could recommend something to model.  I found out about the beer line, there is an Ho layout interpretation of this on model railroader, but would need reworking.

The main need is for a small shelf layout even if it is just a slice of an industry to staging, is to get some modeling skills at hand laying track and and a taste of what is to come.  The Hiawatha and 100mph will have to wait.  *Gazes wistfully into the distance.

The whole story of abandonment is quite a sad affair, and reminds me somewhat of Dr Beeching chopping off British rail branch lines and the communities they served.   
       
 
A British foamer with an interest in Americana and Railroading

milw156

  • Crew
  • *
  • Posts: 668
  • Gender: Male
  • Respect: +357
    • Modutrak
Re: Milwaukee Road Branch?
« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2023, 10:13:53 PM »
+1
Don't forget about the part where the Tacoma Dispatcher could OS a passing freight from the men's room! Blair got a standing ovation when he presented that program in Milwaukee before Covid. Too bad management and the trustees weren't as passionate about it as the rank and file.
The Beer line, Kingsbury or Lakewood areas might be good, the area around Beaver Dam and Fox Lake Wi (not to be confused with Fox Lake Il.) had a lot of vegetable canning going along with an interesting loop track with depot at Fox lake. It is now operated by the Wisconsin And Southern. The Milwaukee Road Historical society featured the area in an issue some time ago. William Sampson (Soo/The Milwaukee Road) on You tube has a switching layout based on part of the grain elevator district in Minneapolis. a lot of the Milwaukee branch lines were built with old, very light weight rail that precluded anything heavier than a GP 9 or SD 9 and the grass between the rails was sometimes higher than the right of way.

TinyTurner

  • Crew
  • *
  • Posts: 158
  • Respect: +35
Re: Milwaukee Road Branch?
« Reply #2 on: March 08, 2023, 05:37:13 PM »
0
Very nice!  Fox Lake balloon measures close to 300m/985' diameter via Online maps, that works out close to 6' radius in N scale.  Might have to compress it a little, but it's an excellent start.

Found something else related

/>
Sniff Sniff. Smells like conspiracy.

A British foamer with an interest in Americana and Railroading

paggs

  • Crew
  • *
  • Posts: 36
  • Gender: Male
  • Respect: +68
Re: Milwaukee Road Branch?
« Reply #3 on: March 08, 2023, 11:32:38 PM »
0
You might want to look at the the MLW in Bellingham, WA. It might fit your interest with what your looking for. Try and find a CTC Board magazine March 1999 issue. It will give you an idea of the branch line they had in the corner of the state.

signalmaintainer

  • Crew
  • *
  • Posts: 515
  • Respect: +287
Re: Milwaukee Road Branch?
« Reply #4 on: March 09, 2023, 08:06:01 AM »
0
You might want to look at the the MLW in Bellingham, WA. It might fit your interest with what your looking for. Try and find a CTC Board magazine March 1999 issue. It will give you an idea of the branch line they had in the corner of the state.

Excellent idea. The Bellingham Branch had smaller lines coming off of it to Lynden, WA, a limestone loader, as well as some interesting track arrangements in Bellingham.

Access used to be by car float until the Milwaukee gained trackage rights over the GN from Monroe, WA.
NSMR #1975, RMR #4

TinyTurner

  • Crew
  • *
  • Posts: 158
  • Respect: +35
Re: Milwaukee Road Branch?
« Reply #5 on: March 10, 2023, 10:20:24 AM »
0
A copy is on its way.  It's quite a scenic spot considering its industrial. 
A British foamer with an interest in Americana and Railroading