1997 MSOE Society of Model Engineers New Member Orientation Program

These pictures were taken at various locations in the Milwaukee area during the Milwaukee School of Engineering Society of Model Engineers New Member Orientation Program in December 1997, and were saved from the SOME files. All of these locations have some connection to trains.

Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory

The Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory, more commonly known as the Mitchell Park Domes, consists of three glass conoidal domes designed by Donald L. Grieb Associates and built between 1959 and 1967, covering 45,000 square feet. During the winter, one of the domes features a garden railway display.

Southridge Mall Train Ride

This train ride operated inside the Southridge Mall in the Milwaukee suburb of Greendale, Wisconsin. The Southridge Mall opened in 1970. This train (later repainted to resemble Thomas the Tank Engine) apparently operated until 2012 before being replaced by a trackless train in 2013.

Watertown Plank Road Overpass

This bridge in the Milwaukee suburb of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, was built in 1910 by the Cleary-White Construction Company of Chicago for the Milwaukee, Sparta & Northwestern Railroad, as part of a 9-mile double track line that opened in 1911 from West Allis north to Butler, location of a 21-track yard with a capacity of 1500 freight cars intended to relieve congestion from the yards in downtown Milwaukee. The 175-foot 7-panel riveted Parker through truss main span was built by the Pennsylvania Steel Company of Steelton, Pennsylvania, and carried the railroad over the route completed in 1855 by the Milwaukee & Watertown Railroad, a predecessor of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. Four approach spans built by the American Bridge Company of New York extend the bridge to a total length of 490 feet, crossing Underwood Creek and Watertown Plank Road, which began as a toll road in the 1830s. In 1912, the Milwaukee, Sparta & Northwestern Railroad was taken over by the Chicago & North Western Railway, which was merged into the Union Pacific Railroad in 1995. Meanwhile, the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad was purchased by the Soo Line Railroad in 1985, which was subsequently absorbed by its parent company Canadian Pacific in 1992.

Special Train in Rainier, Oregon, on May 16, 1999

On April 29, 1999, the Portland & Western Railroad reopened its Astoria Line to Astoria, Oregon, after clearing a landslide that had cut off rail service to Astoria in February 1996. To celebrate the reopening of the line, Portland & Western operated a special train to Astoria on May 15, 1999, carrying a number of elected officials.

On May 16, the locomotive was operated to the very end of the line at the Port of Astoria, where an impromptu ceremony was held. This was the 101st anniversary of the first train to operate from Astoria to Portland. The special train then returned to Portland. These pictures are of the return trip as it passed through Rainier, Oregon.

The locomotive that was used for this train was Portland & Western SD9R #1851, Hillsboro. It was originally built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in April 1954 as Southern Pacific #5360. In 1965 it was renumbered to #3819. On January 11, 1971, it was upgraded at Southern Pacific's Sacramento General Shops as SD9R #4326. It was retired by Southern Pacific on February 12, 1993, and was sold to the Willamette & Pacific on April 4, 1994, where it became #1851. It was transferred to the Portland & Western in May 1995.

The train consisted of only two cars, one of which was Business Car Casper Mountain, which was originally built by Pullman in 1924 as Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Business Car #35. It was originally assigned to the Assistant General Manager of the Eastern Lines. It was reassigned to the General Manager of the Gulf Lines in 1966. It was renumbered to #57 in 1973. It was retired in 1980 and sold to a private owner. It was restored to its original number#35 and named Louisa. It was sold again and renamed Casper Mountain. It carries the road name Wyoming & Pacific on the letterboard, but this railroad does not exist; it was merely a reference to the owner's home state, though at this point I believe it had been purchased by the Portland & Western. Its official reporting mark and number is PPCX #800182.

The other car in the train was Willamette & Pacific Baggage Car #1119, which hosted a historic photo exhibit and an Operation Lifesaver display. The ribbed sides and porthole windows in the baggage doors clearly identify this car as having been built by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad. If #1119 is its original Milwaukee Road number, it would have been built in 1934, and would have been renumbered to #1128 around 1965.

4449 Heads East for Train Festival 2009: Private Cars in Portland on October 22, 2009

…Continued from Private Cars in Portland on October 21, 2009.

NYC #3 Portland in Portland, Oregon on October 22, 2009

The next day, October 22, 2009, NYC #3 and Goombay Sunrise had been turned.

NYC #3 Portland in Portland, Oregon on October 22, 2009

They were coupled together at the north end of Track 1.

Goombay Sunrise in Portland, Oregon on October 22, 2009

North Star Rail's #3101 and #202 were unturned behind them, where pictures were impossible.

Amtrak P42DC #170 in Portland, Oregon on October 22, 2009

Amtrak P42DC #170 was added to the eastbound Empire Builder to provide extra muscle to pull MKT Business Car #403, Sleeping Car Minnesota River, Super Dome #53 & Skytop Observation Cedar Rapids, which doubled the regular length of the Empire Builder's Portland section.

MKT #403 leaving Portland, Oregon on October 22, 2009

Minnesota River leaving Portland, Oregon on October 22, 2009

Super Dome #53 leaving Portland, Oregon on October 22, 2009

Cedar Rapids leaving Portland, Oregon on October 22, 2009

Cedar Rapids leaving Portland, Oregon on October 22, 2009

Cedar Rapids leaving Portland, Oregon on October 22, 2009

Cedar Rapids leaving Portland, Oregon on October 22, 2009

Continue to Private Cars in Portland on October 23, 2009…

4449 Heads East for Train Festival 2009: Private Cars in Portland on October 21, 2009

…Continued from Goombay Sunrise.

Union Station in Portland, Oregon on October 21, 2009

MKT Business Car #403, Sleeping Car Minnesota River, Super Dome #53 & Skytop Observation Cedar Rapids remained in Portland on October 21.

Super Dome #53 in Portland, Oregon on October 21, 2009

I think they were supposed to depart on the day's eastbound Empire Builder, but something caused the westbound Empire Builder to be terminated in Spokane.

Super Dome #53 in Portland, Oregon on October 21, 2009

The Empire Builder passengers were moved by bus, and the private cars remained in Portland another day.

Super Dome #53 in Portland, Oregon on October 21, 2009

Super Dome #53 in Portland, Oregon on October 21, 2009

Super Dome #53 in Portland, Oregon on October 21, 2009

Cedar Rapids in Portland, Oregon on October 21, 2009

Cedar Rapids in Portland, Oregon on October 21, 2009

Super Dome #53 in Portland, Oregon on October 21, 2009

Despite not going anywhere for another day, Super Dome #53 & Cedar Rapids received a thorough cleaning.

Super Dome #53 in Portland, Oregon on October 21, 2009

Super Dome #53 in Portland, Oregon on October 21, 2009

Cedar Rapids in Portland, Oregon on October 21, 2009

Cedar Rapids in Portland, Oregon on October 21, 2009

NYC #3 Portland in Portland, Oregon on October 21, 2009

The three other remaining cars were parked at the south end of Track 1.

NYC #3 Drumhead in Portland, Oregon on October 21, 2009

Most prominent was New York Central #3 Portland, which had been mid-consist for both of #4449's runs, and now got to display its Empire State Express drumhead.

NSRX #3101 in Portland, Oregon on October 21, 2009

The other two cars that weren't in #4449's eastbound trip were still here too. Lounge car #3101 is owned by North Star Rail, the operator of Milwaukee Road #261.

NSRX #3101 in Portland, Oregon on October 21, 2009

This car was originally built in 1954 as U.S. Army Hospital Car #89536. It later became Amtrak Lounge #3101.

NSRX #3101 in Portland, Oregon on October 21, 2009

Before coming to North Star Rail it was Georgia Southwestern Railroad (GSWR) #2003 and still wears that road's colors.

NSRX #202 Wenonah in Portland, Oregon on October 21, 2009

North Star Rail's Coach #202 Wenonah was built by American Car & Foundry in 1947 for the Central of Georgia's Atlanta-Savannah Nancy Hanks II, and was later painted in Illinois Central colors for use on the City of Miami. It was sold to Algoma Central in 1973 and acquired by North Star Rail in 1994.

Continue to Private Cars in Portland on October 22, 2009…

4449 Heads East for Train Festival 2009: Skytop Observation Lounge #186 Cedar Rapids

Continued from Homecoming…

Cedar Rapids in Stevenson, Washington on October 20, 2009

Of the cars in the westbound train that were not in the eastbound train, former Milwaukee Road Skytop Observation Lounge #186 Cedar Rapids was the most noticeable as it was the last car on the westbound train.

Cedar Rapids in Portland, Oregon on October 20, 2009

The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific railroad, or Milwaukee Road, had a total of 10 "Skytop" lounge cars built in 1948, all with styling by famous industrial designer Brooks Stevens that included a rounded glass-paned solarium end.

Cedar Rapids in Portland, Oregon on October 20, 2009

Cedar Rapids was the first of four cars numbered 186 through 189 the Milwaukee Road built in its own shops. These four Rapids-series cars, Cedar Rapids, Coon Rapids, Dell Rapids and Priest Rapids, featured 24 swiveling parlor seats, a single drawing room and lounge seating under the glass in the end of the car. These cars were used on the Hiawatha service between Minneapolis and Chicago until 1970.

Cedar Rapids in Portland, Oregon on October 20, 2009

By the end of 1948, the additional 6 Skytops, numbered 12 and 14 through 18, were delivered by Pullman-Standard. These six Creek-series cars, Alder Creek, Arrow Creek, Coffee Creek, Gold Creek, Marble Creek and Spanish Creek, has eight bedrooms plus a lounge under a slightly longer glass section, and were used on the Olympian Hiawatha between Chicago and Seattle until 1961 and were sold to the Canadian National in 1964 and used on the Montreal-Vancouver Super Continental until 1977.

Cedar Rapids in Portland, Oregon on October 20, 2009

Cedar Rapids was stored by the Milwaukee Road in Milwaukee from its retirement in 1970 until 1985, when it was purchased by Brooks Stevens' son David. The car was restored and operated in excursion service out of Chicago until 1990 when it was sold and soon put into storage.

Cedar Rapids in Portland, Oregon on October 20, 2009

The Friends of the 261 purchased the car in 1998 and it began operating again in 1999. In 2004, it was upgraded to meet the requirements to be pulled behind Amtrak trains.

Cedar Rapids in Portland, Oregon on October 20, 2009

Of the original ten Skytops, there are three Rapids-series and one Creek-series (plus parts of two others) surviving today, in various states of preservation. Cedar Rapids is the only one in operation.

Cedar Rapids in Portland, Oregon on October 20, 2009

Continue to Back Home at Portland Union Station…

4449 Heads East for Train Festival 2009: Super Dome #53

…Continued from Minnesota River.

Super Dome #53 in Portland, Oregon on July 1, 2009

Former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Super Dome #53 was one of 10 such cars built by Pullman-Standard in 1952.

Super Dome #53 in Portland, Oregon on July 1, 2009

It was sold to Canadian National in 1964, becoming #2401, Athabasca, and was later transferred to VIA Rail, remaining in service in Canada until 1982 as #2701.

Super Dome #53 in Portland, Oregon on July 1, 2009

After going through a series of owners, it was purchased by the Chicago & North Western in 1985, numbered #421 and given the name Powder River.

Super Dome #53 in Wishram, Washington on July 3, 2009

Union Pacific acquired the car when it absorbed the C&NW in 1995 and used it on at least one excursion tour before selling it to the North Carolina Department of Transportation in 1996.

Super Dome #53 in Wishram, Washington on July 3, 2009

The Friends of the 261 purchased the car from NCDOT in 2005. At this point, nine of the Super Domes survived, but #53 was the only one operating in Milwaukee colors.

Super Dome #53 in Wishram, Washington on July 3, 2009

Continue to Missouri-Kansas-Texas #403…