MSOE Society of Model Engineers Layout in 1980

These pictures are from the archives of the Society of Model Engineers model railroad club at the Milwaukee School of Engineering. I scanned these pictures in November 2003 so they could be posted on the club’s website. The website is no longer online, so I am posting them here.

The Milwaukee School of Engineering’s Society of Model Engineers was featured in the March 1980 issue of Model Railroader magazine in an article by Jim Kelly. A number of photographs of the club’s HO-scale layout were taken by Model Railroader’s Andy Sperandeo for use with the article. Considering the publication date, these pictures were taken either in late 1979 or early 1980. The club acquired large black-and-white prints of these photographs, which I scanned in November 2003. Some of these pictures were reproduced in color with the article, while some were not used at all. Since the pictures that were used in the article had captions, I do have some information about them.

This picture shows 10 of the club’s 13 members in the meeting room. Standing from left to right are John Emery, Bob Weber, Leo Hendersin, Mike Hansen and Paul Gehrke. Seated from left to right are Jim Schultz, Mike Polsgrove (secretary), Steve Dozler, Tad Volkmann (president) and Paul Lund. Not pictured are Kurt Lichtenfels (vice president), Greg Mross (treasurer) and John Emery.

This picture shows a bar called “The Spot” (the building with the Best Hardware sign on it) in the town of Lake. In the background is the John Figie Memorial Bridge, built around 1975 and named after its builder, John Figie, who modeled it after a C&NW prototype on Milwaukee’s north side. This photo was printed in color with the article.

A Virginia & Truckee 4-4-0 steam locomotive is on static display in Glenview. A Milwaukee Road FP45 passes by. This photo was printed in color with the article.

This view shows club member Bob Weber operating one of the two elevated cabs.

Club member Steve Dozler watches Overland Western Lines Extra 119 West pass Tad Volkmann’s blue-and-silver Minneapolis Northern Snowflake streamliner at Lake. This photo was printed in color with the article.

Mike Hansen operated from the “Portacab” at Glenview, while Jim Schultz and Mike Polsgrove operate from the elevated cabs. The East Superior yard is in the foreground.

Paul Gehrke and Tad Volkmann operate the East Superior yard. Tad is communicating with the club’s four-channel telephone system. Paul is an honorary member who works for Walthers.

This view of East Superior shows a printing company in the center, with the Ni-Hard Foundry and a scrapyard on the right. The coaling tower in the foreground is used by the foundry for storage. An early Overland Western Lines paint scheme can be seen on an SD45 in the lower left corner.

The Milwaukee Road is well represented in this view of the East Superior yard.

A Milwaukee Road extra crosses the John Figie Memorial Bridge on its way into Lake.

This picture of a Milwaukee Road freight train led by F-units across an overpass at Lake is my personal favorite of all these pictures, but it wasn’t printed with the article.

This picture of Mike Polsgrove and Tad Volkmann checking out Tad’s Minneapolis Northern Snowflake streamliner at Glenview wasn’t printed with the article.

This picture of Paul Lund operating the East Superior yard control panel wasn’t printed with the article.