Western Railroad Discussion > A Schwinn, chasing the 261, and some Caterpillars

Milwaukee Road 261 was out and about today, Friday July 28, 2006. Here are some photos from the day. First off the BNSF was a busy railroad. I counted one eastbound from Willmar, and three westbounds. So the 261 wasn't able to leave right on time. She had to sit and wait until some trains had passed by. The 261 is operating on the Twin Cities and Western this weekend.

#1 BNSF 7850 leads a westbound. She is waiting for an eastbound to clear. Thats the 261's shop in the background. It's in NE Minneapolis, MN.

#2 BNSF 8083.

#3 The truck pulling a load of coal for the 261 was having mechanical issues. It wouldn't dump the coal load.

---

---

---

#1 A second truck was called in, and it managed to get the trailer to rise, and dump the coal for the 261.

#2 Sure rises high.

#3 Shortly after the coal load was dumped, the 261 got some track time, and began switching her consist. These first class cars were pushed out, then dropped off on the station track.

---

---

---

#1 Pulling the first class cars.

#2 After the cars were spotted, the 261 ran around them. She had to wait for this BNSF westbound to clear.

#3 Once in the clear, the rest of the train was pulled out.

---

---

---

#1 261 Golden Boy Steve Sandberg checks out the locomotive during a short pause in the action.

#2 After the train was made up, I knew it would still be a while until the 261 left. So I headed west, got some lunch, and hit the Kenilworth bike trail. This trail follows the BNSF west from downtown Minneapolis. At Cedar Lake Junction, the 261 would begin to head SW to it's staging point in St. Louis Park. Here's my transportation for the day. The Super Rich oil companies made no money off me today. :)

#3 After waiting over and hour and a half, a BNSF westbound rolled by.

---

---

---

#1 An oddball paint job on a BN covered hopper.

#2 After the BNSF train cleared, the TC&W rolled through Cedar Lake Junction. There used to be several yards here. The Minneapolis & St. Louis had a big shop here at one time. You can still see the CNW Pink Lady ballast along this line.

#3 The train was pretty underpowered. The Caterpillars were running all out. They were interesting to hear though.

---

---

---

#1 A while after the TC&W cleared, the 261 proudly chugged into view. All the cars on this trip are painted in the classic orange, maroon, and black colors of the Milwaukee Road.

#2 No one else was chasing the train. I had a clear bike path, and a 4-8-4 moving at a slow enough speed for me to stay right with it. Here's one of the grade crossings on this former M&StL trackage.

#3 Fun stuff. No other noise but the 261, and that sweet ATSF whistle.

---

---

---

#1 Another grade crossing. Check out how close the trail follows the track. Fun stuff.

#2 I tried shooting a few photos as I biked along side the 261. It's pretty difficult to ride a bike, and shoot photos at the same time! This one was probably the best shot I took while pacing.

#3 Here the M&StL line ends, and moves over to the former Milwaukee Road mainline to Seattle and Tacoma. East of here the Milwaukee right of way becomes the Midtown Greenway trail.

---

---

---

#1 Rolling over Highway 100.

#2 The train is staged at the Milwaukee's Bass Lake Yard. Just east of Highway 100.

#3 Sitting for the night.

Hope you liked the photos, and information. I'll be on the train this weekend, and I'll try to post some more images sooner or later.

---

---

---

I love it! Chasing trains on a bicycle. Way to go!

SW1200

That is really cool! Good photos to go with a great tale.

I once managed to outrun an SP lumber drag up the west side of Beaumont Hill - it was barely moving and I was on a mountain bike with fat smooth-tread tires heading up the pavement. I gained on it for about a mile or so before it got its second wind and I lost mine. That is probably the only time that will ever happen.

- Kit

That last pic on your third posting could have been taken on someones layout - I had to look twice to be sure it was real and not a model
Shortliner(Jack)away up here in the Highlands

These are nice photos. The consist of all cars painted for the Milwaukee Road looks very nice.

You made good use of photo opportunities provided by rail with trail.

Thanks for posting.

Dave

Interesting thread, I went and looked up the area on a map and it appears the Milwaukee Road east of there had a pretty much grade separated bypass to the south of downtown, with bridge after bridge every block. Appears to be now severed at a highway (and LRT?) in SE Minneapolis. Seems a shame to see such a grade-separated line go to waste, but after thinking about it there probably isn't much traffic that could have utilized it, right? And is that perhaps a fairly wealthy or politically influential neighborhood?

Diddle_E._Squat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Interesting thread, I went and looked up the area
> on a map and it appears the Milwaukee Road east of
> there had a pretty much grade separated bypass to
> the south of downtown, with bridge after bridge
> every block. Appears to be now severed at a
> highway (and LRT?) in SE Minneapolis. Seems a
> shame to see such a grade-separated line go to
> waste, but after thinking about it there probably
> isn't much traffic that could have utilized it,
> right? And is that perhaps a fairly wealthy or
> politically influential neighborhood?

This thread has a picture of the trail through south Minneapolis.

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,951660

Craig

Interesting, thanks for the link.

Excellent series of photos. And a great story to go along with'em !
Fine job. 'Dogh

The only trains on the Lake Street Grade Depression in it's final years was a handful of TC&W trains. IIRC, there was one customer left on the line until 2001. The right of way is still there. The Midtown Greenway Trail takes up alot of room, but there is still plenty of room for one track. To the best of my knowledge, this right of way was saved for future LRT expansion.
The neighborhood the tracks went through is one of the worst in Minneapolis. IIRC, the TC&W only ran through this area in the daytime for the crews' safety. The 261 ran through the Lake Street Grade Depression once in 1998. I noticed every RR sign had bullet holes in it, every bridge was heavily vandalized with graffiti.

Diddle_E._Squat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Interesting thread, I went and looked up the area
> on a map and it appears the Milwaukee Road east of
> there had a pretty much grade separated bypass to
> the south of downtown, with bridge after bridge
> every block. Appears to be now severed at a
> highway (and LRT?) in SE Minneapolis. Seems a
> shame to see such a grade-separated line go to
> waste, but after thinking about it there probably
> isn't much traffic that could have utilized it,
> right? And is that perhaps a fairly wealthy or
> politically influential neighborhood?

Good stuff! The guys and gals on the 261 crew have had a dream of operating an all matching Milw consist, and it looks like they have succeeded. The train looks great, just as the engine does. These folks do great work.

Thanks for you replies. I'm happy to share. I biked three or four miles with the 261. It was one of the most enjoyable moments I've ever had. I'll post information about this if/when the 261 does this again.

Thanks everyone!

alco636 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks for you replies. I'm happy to share. I
> biked three or four miles with the 261. It was one
> of the most enjoyable moments I've ever had.
>
> Thanks everyone!


As someone who commutes to work on a bike whenever possible, I have to admire you for doing that in this heat! I guess, however, I'd do the same if the opportunity were so close at hand, and there's no arguing with the fantastic photographic results you got.

Carl