Milwaukee Road West, the Long Road to Extinction

The “Road” from 1955 to 1978 covering the electric, diesels and some steam. This is a nostalgic and technical look at electric, mountain railroading. See GE box-cabs, Joes, and Bi-polars in many great locations. 

Go inside substations and yards. Watch how the sturdy mountain-men of the “Road” dealt with poor funding and ancient, fading equipment to keep the trains running – a “Yoeman’s effort” to say the least.

See and hear the start-up of the motor-generators at the Avery sub-station. The experience and the sounds and sights have been described as “raising the hairs on the back of your neck”.

Passenger and freight operations are covered. We review the rival GN, NP lines and “almost” merger partner, the Rock Island.

Don’t miss the comparisons to the rival Northern Pacific and those splendid passenger and freight trains in the same region.

To quote Railfan & Railroad magazine, “This is another in a series of educational, vintage footage by Charles Smiley Presents. .. well done maps and narration, we gain quite a bit of knowledge of the Milwaukee Road’s history, operations, and electric locomotives…. This tape is a good choice for Milwaukee Road fans and for those who want a primer on an important piece of railroad history between Chicago and Seattle."

Features:

• Seattle, Tacoma 
• Chicago 
• Rocky Mountains 
• Deer Lodge switching 
• Substation views 
• Electric 
• Diesel & Steam 
• Competing Lines 

Maps, Diagrams and Graphics...