Terrific footage of the Milwaukee Road's electrified zone in Montana in its last full year before the power was turned off on the catenary in June 1974. You took excellent, often lengthy shots that were well composed and steady with no shaking. I especially liked the shots of the double box cab units switching at Harlowton. You dedicated a lot of footage for this alone. The transfer from film to video is amongst the best I've seen (8 mm?). Nice and crisp with very good color that didn't fade over time. That's also very generous of you to allow use of your films by others. Thanks for sharing! Oh yes, also nice footage of the UP (I've never seen footage of a "solid cattle train.") and I subscribed to your channel.
Thanks, Guy, for sharing these exceptional films. Your personal commentary adds much. After the first viewings of your films, though, I like to watch them and pair them up with some favourite music from that era, like The Grateful Dead - Skull and Roses album seems to go well with this one. It's like time travel. Cheers. Best from the UK.
I was surprised to discover that there are no tracks left in Harlowton except the short section used for displaying one of the box cabs in the park. Thanks for posting this.
Pretty much the entire railroad is gone west of Miles City, Montana. Only the grade is left all the way to Seattle/Tacoma area. Small sections have tracks around Butte, Othello and maybe few other places in Seattle area. Milwaukee officials basically abandoned the Pacific Extension in 1980.
End of Sept. I drove to Helena Mt. through Harlowton on U.S. Hyw 12. Stopped in Harlo and looked out that direction from the U.S. 191 bridge(12.13) going to Big Timber on the outskirts of town. The shots of the train from Bruno (3.32) are going down the Bozeman fork of the Musselshell river to Lennep and Groveland, Martindale, Twodot then straight into Harlowton. If you go the other way from Bruno you go past Loweth, Hamen, thru those big curve to Higgins then into Ringling. The bridge on U.S. 89 was taken out when they improved and widened the road at Ringling. From there it heads towards 16 mile creek and the Missouri. Then ontoThree Forks, Butte and Deer Lodge. If you're ever board, just Google map it. Some of the large tressels and bridges are still there on the Milwaukee Road in Montana.
If ONLY the Milwaukee Road could be revived, and all of its electrification restored. The Milwaukee Road’s electrified portion could help start the electrification of US Railroads.
Amazing video. Thanks for this-especially the box cab footage. I would love to know why they electrified this stretch of RR out in the middle of nowhere.
The reason for electrification were numerous grades and mountain passes to cross on the way west. There are three main mountain ranges on the Mountain division between Harlowton, MT and Avery, ID. There are two main ranges in Washington state between Othello and Tacoma/Seattle area. There was a 200 mile gap between two electrified districts from Avery to Othello. That gap was meant to be electrified at a later date, but do to poor financial state of the railroad, it never got the wires. The electric locomotives made crossing of those mountain ranges a lot easier when they replaced the steam locomotives and a lot less locomotives were required to do so, than in steam days.
Those are Douglas DC10 wing carrier cars heading back to Malton (Toronto) Canada where they are made. UP built a few of these for Douglas Aircraft for transport to its Long Beach CA assy plant. DC9 wings were also built in Toronto and were also transported by the UP in special purpose-built flats.
This is some utterly gorgeous footage.
This is the best find in the last decade for all Milwaukee Road fans!
Wow!🧡🖤🧡🖤
Thanks so much for sharing this with everyone!
You are welcome!
Terrific footage of the Milwaukee Road's electrified zone in Montana in its last full year before the power was turned off on the catenary in June 1974. You took excellent, often lengthy shots that were well composed and steady with no shaking. I especially liked the shots of the double box cab units switching at Harlowton. You dedicated a lot of footage for this alone. The transfer from film to video is amongst the best I've seen (8 mm?). Nice and crisp with very good color that didn't fade over time. That's also very generous of you to allow use of your films by others. Thanks for sharing! Oh yes, also nice footage of the UP (I've never seen footage of a "solid cattle train.") and I subscribed to your channel.
GREAT VID Fantastic shots of the box cabs
Many thanks!
Magifique ! Incroyable que les États-Unis aient fermé ces lignes électrifiées. J'adore la livrée de la Milwaukee Road et les Little Joe
I am once again amazed to find another gem on You Tube.
Very nice.
I model the 1970s era. (Missouri Pacific RR). This type of footage is a priceless. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Guy, for sharing these exceptional films. Your personal commentary adds much. After the first viewings of your films, though, I like to watch them and pair them up with some favourite music from that era, like The Grateful Dead - Skull and Roses album seems to go well with this one. It's like time travel. Cheers. Best from the UK.
The image quality is excellent
I was surprised to discover that there are no tracks left in Harlowton except the short section used for displaying one of the box cabs in the park. Thanks for posting this.
Pretty much the entire railroad is gone west of Miles City, Montana. Only the grade is left all the way to Seattle/Tacoma area. Small sections have tracks around Butte, Othello and maybe few other places in Seattle area. Milwaukee officials basically abandoned the Pacific Extension in 1980.
End of Sept. I drove to Helena Mt. through Harlowton on U.S. Hyw 12. Stopped in Harlo and looked out that direction from the U.S. 191 bridge(12.13) going to Big Timber on the outskirts of town. The shots of the train from Bruno (3.32) are going down the Bozeman fork of the Musselshell river to Lennep and Groveland, Martindale, Twodot then straight into Harlowton. If you go the other way from Bruno you go past Loweth, Hamen, thru those big curve to Higgins then into Ringling. The bridge on U.S. 89 was taken out when they improved and widened the road at Ringling. From there it heads towards 16 mile creek and the Missouri. Then ontoThree Forks, Butte and Deer Lodge. If you're ever board, just Google map it. Some of the large tressels and bridges are still there on the Milwaukee Road in Montana.
Wonderfull. Greetings from Switzerland
Thank you! Cheers!
So much variety in the motive power then!
If ONLY the Milwaukee Road could be revived, and all of its electrification restored.
The Milwaukee Road’s electrified portion could help start the electrification of US Railroads.
Amazing video. Thanks for this-especially the box cab footage. I would love to know why they electrified this stretch of RR out in the middle of nowhere.
The reason for electrification were numerous grades and mountain passes to cross on the way west. There are three main mountain ranges on the Mountain division between Harlowton, MT and Avery, ID. There are two main ranges in Washington state between Othello and Tacoma/Seattle area. There was a 200 mile gap between two electrified districts from Avery to Othello. That gap was meant to be electrified at a later date, but do to poor financial state of the railroad, it never got the wires. The electric locomotives made crossing of those mountain ranges a lot easier when they replaced the steam locomotives and a lot less locomotives were required to do so, than in steam days.
The veteran "Little Joe" showing the young 'un SD40-2s the rails before they would soon take over.
Very enjoyable, thanks!
Thank you too!
Did anyone here catch the rare SDP35? (twice!)
I caught them, but they were the SCL/L&N variety.
Very nice video, likes from me.
Great video, well done!
Thank you very much!
does anybody know what kind of cars were at 35:11?
Those are Douglas DC10 wing carrier cars heading back to Malton (Toronto) Canada where they are made. UP built a few of these for Douglas Aircraft for transport to its Long Beach CA assy plant. DC9 wings were also built in Toronto and were also transported by the UP in special purpose-built flats.
U.P. = unlimited power
James Schultz
❤👌👏