Nostalgia & History > Milwaukee Road 2002 TR4A&B? mid 50s steam engine 51

About 3 minutes of some Milwaukee Road action, no identification, out on a mainline, I couldn't find what kind of EMD switch engine this is, also a steam engine shows, #51, what kind of steam engine was this? not the best quality film work, I had to lighten up this one, Unknown photographer, no info as to location or date, my collection, KCRW287

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#51 looks like it might be a 2-6-6-2. Cow and calf diesel. Photog almost gets run over. Interesting video, thanks for sharing.

Tom

Location starts out on the Lake Benewah trestle just west of St. Maries, Idaho, and ends in St. Maries. Not 100% on intermediary locations but sawmill could be the one at Plummer Junction.

The 2002 number visible on the front of the switcher identifies it as an EMD TR-4, these A and B combinations were the “Transfer” option for the SW-7. EMD built the 2002A and B for the Milwaukee in January 1951, one of 5 such sets built that month that joined a sixth TR-4 set built in September 1950.

And the 51 would be one of Milwaukee’s N-3 class 2-6-6-2s, built by the road themselves in 1929 and all retired between 1950 and 1954, so that gives you a 1951-1954 window in which this could have been shot.

https://www.steamlocomotive.com/locobase.php?country=USA&wheel=2-6-6-2&railroad=cmstpp

Thanks for sharing this!

Jeff Moore
Elko, NV

Posted from iPhone

Jeff has it covered. but rather than throwing away the post I was putting together, here it is.

I’d say eastbound over Chatcolet Lake in the Idaho Panhandle. Note in the video, the cars trailing in the background, from the north. 47.35296° N, 116.69538° W. 
There is a picture of it here, number 23, https://northamericabyrail.info/on-the-trail-of-the-milwaukee-road/ 
The sawmill most likely St Maries, ID. There is a picture of the St Maries train station at https://train-orders.com/RFN/STMA/STMA.html 
I found a story of the subsequent St. Maries River Railroad here https://scottlothes.com/photos/stma/

Tom Clavel
Odessa WA
Not a professional, I just like trains

Thanks, great coverage.

After looking at a few things I agree with your assessment, Tom. 

For what it's worth I've always heard the trestle called the Benewah Trestle, topo maps show it across Benewah Lake.  Not sure exactly where the dividing line between Benewah and Chatcolet lakes lies.  The trestle is still in use today by the St. Maries River Railroad, Charles Heimerdinger Jr. got this shot a      

And I can see the sawmill being the one at St. Maries.  

Taken together my interpretation is we are seeing an eastbound freight crossing Benewah/Chatcolet trestle, then between there and St. Maries, and then arriving at St. Maries.  The 2002 goes into a yard track at the west end of the yard, then runs back down to the end of the train to get the caboose, which it then shoves farther east to the depot area.  Lastly, the 51 departs eastbound with a train. 

Thanks again for posting this!

Jeff Moore
Elko, NV      

  

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Thanks for the replies and input on this film, I lost track of it a few years ago and finally figured out where it went, I am glad that the locations were I'ded, was this line a secondary ML or branch line, also does it still exist?  KCRW287

There are several shots of Milwaukee Road trains on the Lake Benewah trestle in George Lentzner's album at the Barriger Photo Archive on Flickr such as this one:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/barrigerlibrary/54812207614/in/album-72177720329260231

Barriger himself shot from the rear of a train crossing the trestle, and caught one of those 2-6-6-2s at St. Maries:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/barrigerlibrary/12346435924/in/album-72157640480040075/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/barrigerlibrary/12346434474/in/album-72157640480040075/

mike woodruff
north platte ne

Actually, I learned something here this morning. 
I had thought that this picture I took in 2012, while on a Couer D' Alene Lake cruise, must have been the Milwaukee Road on its way west to Tekoa WA.
But I just found out, that there two are bridges across Chatcolet Lake, or Benewah Lake, wherever one ends and the other starts.
This one I attached here is the Union Pacific crossing, which is a couple miles north of this Milwaukee Road crossing. In this picture, west is to the left.
Lots of good info, thanks all for posting!

Tom Clavel
Odessa WA
Not a professional, I just like trains

 

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Original video was shot on the Milwaukee’s Pacific Coast Extension main line. I and others have already answered the second “is it still operating” question in that yes, the former MILW line from St. Maries west to Plummer Junction upon which this was all shot is now the St. Maries River Railroad.

And the former UP bridge across the lake farther north was UP’s Wallace branch, later cut back to Kellogg. UP still runs this line to Plummer Junction and the STMA interchange.

Jeff Moore
Elko, NV

Posted from iPhone

JDLX Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Original video was shot on the Milwaukee’s
> Pacific Coast Extension main line. I and others
> have already answered the second “is it still
> operating” question in that yes, the former MILW
> line from St. Maries west to Plummer Junction upon
> which this was all shot is now the St. Maries
> River Railroad.

I can't find an active website for it. Does anyone have a good link?

I assume you mean you are looking for an active website about St. Maries River?  If so, they are now owned by Michael Williams and kind of under the umbrella of his Midwest Pacific Rail Net & Logistics group.  

https://midwestpacificrr.com/

Jeff Moore
Elko, NV

JDLX Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I assume you mean you are looking for an active
> website about St. Maries River?  If so, they are
> now owned by Michael Williams and kind of under
> the umbrella of his Midwest Pacific Rail Net &
> Logistics group.  
>
> https://midwestpacificrr.com/
>
> Jeff Moore
> Elko, NV

Appreciate it!

I added it to my shortline / regional railroad folder,

You're welcome!

Was going to add to my earlier post there is a post on the Western board from back in August about a visit to the STMA, all shots in and around St. Maries.   

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,6062765,6063336#msg-6063336

Jeff Moore
Elko, NV

JDLX Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You're welcome!
>
> Was going to add to my earlier post there is a
> post on the Western board from back in August
> about a visit to the STMA, all shots in and around
> St. Maries.   
>
> https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,
> 6062765,6063336#msg-6063336
>
> Jeff Moore
> Elko, NV

Thanks. Very interesting.

All part of MILW's famed "Gap", sold to Potlatch in 1980, including the line to Bovill.  Avery to Plummer Jct. had signals, which were searchlight by the time the line was sold.

Another great trip down memory lane KCRW! Your films are some of my favorite things to see here on TO.

Posted from Android

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/30/25 00:49 by RailRat.

neat video, and the Pacific Extension tracks look to be in tip-top shape.

I had no idea the Milwaukee had operated a TR4 set out west at any time.   Thanks for sharing this with us.