Western Railroad Discussion > Montana Trestles and Milwaukee Road remnants

On my trip to Western Montana I want to photograph some old NP trestles and anything left of the old Milwaukee Road. Any tips of directions to get to some of these bridges would be of a great help. I am building a Northern Pacific/ Milwaukee Road layout in N Scale and need photos to help in build the bridges. Any Milwaukee Road bridges left? Are there any old Milwaukee Road sub stations left that can be easily get to? I really would like to model a couple of these. Any help and directions would be a great help. Will post some pictures when I get back in October.

Steve

Plenty of MILW trestles left along I-90. Get a Montana DeLorme Atlas, it will help you greatly in your quest.

If you want Milwaukee trestles, do the Route of the Hiawatha bike trail and you will be able to get tons of great pictures. Here is the site for more info, http://www.skilookout.com/hiaw/index.html.

I did the trail last month and it was a great trip. If you do the 15 miles downhill, it is a very easy coasting ride and you can take the shuttle back. I think you go over 7 trestles and through 9 tunnels, including the Taft Tunnel.

If you want more info and pictures drop me a line at wildcataz9@hotmail.com.

Joe

A LOT of the old Milwaukee is still left across Washington, Idaho, and Montana, and most of it is easy to view. On a recent (a month ago) visit to my brother in Spokane I decided to follow the old Milwaukee myself. I came in from the west end (St. Maries, ID) and followed the Milwaukee over St. Paul Pass.

From St. Maries eastward you follow (and can drive on parts) of the Milwaukee to Avery. It's not very interesting but quite obvious. The last 7-8 miles before Avery has been wiped out due to road relocation. The old station is at Avery but not much else to indicate where the yard was.

Just east of Avery if you take the first left turn you will drive the right of way for quite a ways until you reach the west end of the "bike only" section. Here are a couple of photos from this stretch (you drive through the tunnels and over this bridge):

(Photo 1 and Photo 2 are the same tunnel but note the markings in the portal.)

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Update: Photo(s) deleted because there are thieves on Trainorders who download and then use other peoples' photos in books, or simply print and sell the prints, for their own enrichment!!! I don't mind downloading them for your personal enjoyment but I draw the line at selling them or publishing them and claiming they are yours. Sorry I have to do this but the actions of a few screw it up for all.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/11/20 11:44 by Railbaron.

As was already posted there is a large section from Pearson to the east end of the Taft Tunnel that is "bike only" and has lots of tunnels and bridges. I didn't know about the "bike only" area but I am seriously planning on renting a bike next year and doing that part (only the downhill version and use the shuttle back up the hill)

South and west of St. Maries is the St. Maries Railroad, which had a bridge collapse a few months ago and isn't doing much. The bridge, which is just west of St. Maries, is very visible from Highway 5. When I was there it still had a hole in it where it collapsed.

Further west, if you want to get into Eastern Washington, the old Milwaukee is very obvious still. There is an old substation still standing at Taunton (the dark specks in the first photo are birds flying out of it because I disturbed them). And further west is the bridge over the Columbia at Beverly.

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Update: Photo(s) deleted because there are thieves on Trainorders who download and then use other peoples' photos in books, or simply print and sell the prints, for their own enrichment!!! I don't mind downloading them for your personal enjoyment but I draw the line at selling them or publishing them and claiming they are yours. Sorry I have to do this but the actions of a few screw it up for all.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/11/20 11:44 by Railbaron.

Wow, great photos. Lots of interest in the old route, this thread explains it very well. Don't forget the Pentrex DVD and the Chas. Smiley DVD in the canyon. Was curious if the bridge across the Columbia was still there, photo pretty well nails that one too.

Didn't realize Taunton was as "complete" as it is! Great shots Dave!

At St Regis Montana, take the main exit for St Regis and turn to the south side of I-90, follow the road to the Clark Fork River and you can get close to the Milwaukee bridge over the river, though it's span over the MRL is gone as it has been placed over 16 Mile Creek at Lombard for the siding.

East of Superior and east of the rest area, you'll see a complete bridge over the Clark Fork, it's very impressive. take the Fish Creek exit off I-90, turn left and follow the road down to it. There are a couple of pull-outs near the bridge so you can get out and walk to either end to get photos.

Ravenna substation is visible from I-90 near Beavertail.

If you are in the Butte area, take the Continental Drive exit at the east end of Butte, it's the last exit before you start the large climb over Homestake Pass. Anyway, after taking the exit, you want to go East for about 4 miles, you'll come to the old highway that goes over Pipestone Pass to Whitehall, turn left. Go about 2 to 3 miles and you'll see a well travelled road that goes up to Roosevelt, about 3/4 mile up this road is Blacktail Viaduct. VERY tall and a long bridge. There's a large pull-out on the upstream side of the bridge, you can get out and park there and spend all day climbing the hillsides and on to the bridge getting your photos you need for modelling.

Yarddog

Some excellent travel guides are found here: http://webhome.idirect.com/~helmutw/milwrd/

Montana - http://webhome.idirect.com/~helmutw/milwrd/xmont/montmain/montmain.html
Idaho - http://webhome.idirect.com/~helmutw/milwrd/xidaho/idaho.html
Washington - http://webhome.idirect.com/~helmutw/milwrd/xwash/washmain/washmain.html

Bridge DD144 East of Superior, this is the bridge you see from I-90.

Yarddog

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Here's a photo of Skones Bridge on the NP Homestake Pass line east of Butte. The entire route can we walked or take your mountain bike.

For a few more photos from this area, click here:

http://spcascades.railfan.net/NP.html

Yarddog

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Looking at all these great photos I can't help but think we lost a "national treasure" in the abandonment of the Milwaukee Road.

I'd love to see this route come back to life, it sure would help improve capacity and bring back some competition.

Thanks for the awesome photos!

This thread has presented a lot of great information for anyone wanting to "stir the ghosts" of the NP or Milwaukee Road in Montana. In the "two-cents-worth" department, here are a couple of additional links that anyone contemplating a trip to that area may find of interest:

http://wallace-id.com/skilookout/taft.html

http://www.theslowlane.com/05pnw/hiaw1.html

Alan Jacobson
Phoenix, Arizona

In the currentest Milwaukee Railroader (MRHA publication) is an article on the grain branches north of Harlowton to Lewiston, from there west to Agawam, etc ..
The first pic is the Red Coulee bridge at mp. 180.65 between Waltham and Rogers.
Also the long trestle between Lewiston and Danvers over Indian Creek - now run by the CEntral Montana RR.


TCS - happy hunting

Great photo's, If you have any more of the old milwaukie right of way, please post them.

If you are interested in Milwaukee Road train station, they are still in place in Deer Lodge, Harlowton, Missoula and Butte.

I second the suggestion on checking out the Route of the Hiawatha Trail. I biked it in July 2003 and felt it was one of the most best railfan experiences I ever had.

In Missoula, the ex-NP and ex-Milw stations are on opposite ends of the same street in the core area.

Dave

missedcall Wrote:
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> Great photo's, If you have any more of the old
> milwaukie right of way, please post them.

I didn't take a lot of photos of the old Milwaukee right of way when I drove it because I didn't plan on sharing them with anybody else but here are a couple of others.

What surprised me on this drive is that other than the tunnels and bridge you drive over there is very little to indicate this was once a railroad right of way. I saw only 1 signal base (I would have expected more) and one area that still had the code line poles in place (second photo). Now I imagine in the "bike only" section there may be more but I'll have to wait until next year to see that stuff.

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Update: Photo(s) deleted because there are thieves on Trainorders who download and then use other peoples' photos in books, or simply print and sell the prints, for their own enrichment!!! I don't mind downloading them for your personal enjoyment but I draw the line at selling them or publishing them and claiming they are yours. Sorry I have to do this but the actions of a few screw it up for all.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/11/20 11:45 by Railbaron.

1) Further west is the junction of the Royal City Branch with the mainline near Royal City, WA. This view is looking eastward. This part of the Milwaukee, from Royal City to Othello, had been owned by the Toppenish, Simcoe & Western Railroad, which from what I understand has been abandoned.

2) TS&W "motive power" still at Royal City (a similiar photo was posted sometime back on TO).

3) The right of way just west of the bridge at Beverly as it heads west through the Yakima Military Reservation.

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Update: Photo(s) deleted because there are thieves on Trainorders who download and then use other peoples' photos in books, or simply print and sell the prints, for their own enrichment!!! I don't mind downloading them for your personal enjoyment but I draw the line at selling them or publishing them and claiming they are yours. Sorry I have to do this but the actions of a few screw it up for all.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/11/20 11:45 by Railbaron.

And one more of the right of way just north of Tacoma (I can't remember the specific location without digging through my slide boxes right now).

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Update: Photo(s) deleted because there are thieves on Trainorders who download and then use other peoples' photos in books, or simply print and sell the prints, for their own enrichment!!! I don't mind downloading them for your personal enjoyment but I draw the line at selling them or publishing them and claiming they are yours. Sorry I have to do this but the actions of a few screw it up for all.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/11/20 11:46 by Railbaron.