WWfSi Dispatch
Dedicate
Volume 14, Issue No. 4 December 2001 HARLOWTON
By Bill Wllkerson - Begins on Page 4
SD's #556/505/522/513 are E/B with 41 loads and 12 empties totalling 4350 tons crossing bridge #NM-1026 over a County road by Hoosac MT. This was typical power for NML trains between Harlowton MT and Great Falls MT from c. 1973 to operations end in 1980. This track was oper• ated to Geraldine MT by BN from March 1980 to April 1983. It is still in use by the Central Montana Railroad who took over in the Fall of 1983. This track is also part of the run of the dinner train from Lewistown MT. Scan of original Art Jacobsen taken February 10,1980. Page 2
Upper - X553E is switching the U.S. Gypsum plant at Heath MT on 10/30/79. Prior to 4/77 this line ran east to Grassrange MT, and from 1917 to mid-1972, it went Winnett MT. BN continued this operation for five years after 3/80, when USG closed this mine and operation. Lower - Same train as on page one is at Geraldine MT. 1940 caboose #991891 is on the main while the power switches the elevator, which burned down April 2001. Scans of Art Jacobsen slides. Page 3 MilWest 2002 Annual Meet Dues Reminder Lewistown MT August 8-10,2002 The membership renewal slips for 2002 were included in the previous Dispatch. Many of you have already To be held at the Yogo Inn Best Western renewed and we thank you for that. However, some 211 E. Main (this is the former MILW depot) of you have not and this is a gentle reminder to you to send in your 2002 renewal now! Don't put it off Reservations only at 800-860-9646. Rates are or you may forget. This is the last issue for 2001 and favorable, and include breakfast. We have if you are not renewed by the first issue of 2002, you blocked 20 rooms for MilWest so when making will not receive it. Renew today! - Rocky your reservations be sure they know you are part of the MilWest Meet. This is very important this MilWest Management year as the amount of rooms taken will impact t4ilWest is a Washington State non-profit corporation founded in October, 1987 It serves to )reserve and promote the history of the (former) CM&PS, CM&StP, CMStP&P, MILW Lines the rates we pay for the meeting rooms. Complete Vest Meet details should be in the first 2002 issue of Vnnual membership is based on the calendar year, cost $10 00 (US), and is due no later than anuary t Please make all remittances payable to "MilWest" and send to die Secretary Per- the Dispatch. The hotel is set but we are still ons joining during a year will receive all issues of the Dispatch for that year Other back is- ues are available from the Managing ^ijor working on a possible train ride. It is possible, rhe MilWest Dispatch welcomes contributions of non-
Topyright 2001 by MilWest Reproduction in whole or in part by permission only Some other lodgings in town are as follows: f you move, please notify the Secretary of your new address promptly
Super-8, 102 Wendell Ave., 406-538-2581, or WHOM DO I CONTACT? 800-800-8000 nationwide. Mile S of the Yogo. Vlatters pertaining to MilWest policy, annual meetings, etc., contact th< jeneral Manager. Mountain View, 1422 W Main, 406-538-3457. Near the Super-8. ^ew membership applications and inquiries, non-receipt of the Dis- jatch, address changes, contact the Secretary.
B & B, 520 E Main, 877-538-3563. Three blocks Existing member renewals ONLY! - Please send direct to the Treasur- SW of Yogo. 'urchase back-issues of the Dispatch - Contact the Managing Editor.
Sunset, 116 NE Main, 406-538-8741. One block BOARD OF DIRECTORS N of Yogo across former N MT line track. General Manager, Tony Dell, 1580 SW Meinecke Rd Sherwood, OR 97140-7314. Trails End, 216 NE Main, 406-538-5468. Two [email protected] blocks N of Yogo across former N MT line track. Ass't General Manager Ray Alkofer, 1015 S. 37th Ave- Mtn. Acres Mobile Home Park &. Campground, lue, Yakima, WA 98902. [email protected]
103 Rocklyn Ave, 406-538-7591. Off U.S. 91 Secretary, Kevin McCray, 6 Park Place, Clancy, MT 2/3 of a mile NW of Yogo. 59634-9759. [email protected]
Treasurer, John Henry, East 2406 South Altamont Blvd., Spokane, WA 99202
FEATURES THIS ISSUE staff Assistant, Larry Zeutschel, P.O. Box 206 East Hele- 'age 3: Annual Meet Notice la, MT 59635 'age 4: Harlowton - Bill Wilkerson 'age 5: DFW 5taff Assistant, Casey O'Neil, One Milwaukee Road 'age 5: Waybills Lake City, MN 55041. [email protected] 'age 5 : Member Comments 'age 6: Final Call Vlanaging Editor, Rocky Gibbs, 444 W. 15th Ave. 'age 13: Editor's Desk Spokane, WA 99203-2110 [email protected] nsert - 2002 Calendar Page 4 should have been in the Musselshell division, HARLOWTON and would have except for the Montana Railroad By Bill Wilkerson crews with prior rights from Lombard, Montana, 157 miles through Harlowton to Lewistown. The Harlowton, Montana was a very impor• Milwaukee had purchased the Montana Railroad tant terminal on the Milwaukee Road western ( Jawbone) in 1905 to obtain a route through the extension and is also very, important to my Belt Mountains from the Musselshell river valley memories of the Milwaukee as I grew up there. to the Missouri river valley. The Montana Rail• Over my 41 years in engine service, I spent a lot road had been incorporated in 1894 and was in of time working into Harlow^ton, both in passen• operation on the entire 157 miles when the Mil• ger and freight, so to me it is well worth remem• waukee bought it, so this gave their crews prior bering. rights on the railroad after the Milwaukee bought The Trans-Missouri division ended at the it. To ftirther complicate the situation, the Mon• east switch at Harlowton MP 1335. The Harlow• tana Railroad continued to operate as a separate ton yard was in the Rocky Mountain division, company until taken over by the Chicago, Mil• but it was the home terminal for the Trans-Mis• waukee and Puget Sound Railway in December souri division crews operating east 105 miles to 1910. This company was established to take over Melstone. Trans-Missouri engine crews operated all the Milwaukee construction companies and the switch engines in the Harlowton yard wdth the Montana Railroad through Sixteen Mile can• Rocky Mountain switch men. This unusual ar• yon. rangement was caused by the Northern Montana The Milwaukee built a new railroad with branch that operated north from Harlowton to easier grades, curves and tunnels and established Great Falls and on out to Agawam, with two their terminal at Three Forks, 19 miles west of other branches working north and east out of Lombard. To frirther complicate the Harlowton Lewistown. situation, the crews worked from Harlowton Operating, divisions were established in north to Lewistown from 1910 to 1913 when 1911 for the newly constructed extension from Lewistown was established as a home terminal Mobridge, South Dakota to the Puget Sound and the crews then worked from Lewistown south terminal at Tacoma, Washington. This also es• to Harlowton. tablished seniority districts for the employees. In 1913, branch lines were buih north and At Harlowton, there was a unusual con• east out of Lewistown and the Northern Montana dition. The newly formed Musselshell division division was established with headquarters in extended from the east switch at Harlowton, 341 Lewistown. Lewistown was established as the miles east to Marmarth, North Dakota, (MP 995) terminal for the branches working north to Great with headquarters in Miles City. The Rocky Falls and north to Roy and Winifred, east to Mountain division extended from Harlow•ton Winnett and south to Harlowton. west 226 miles to Deer Lodge with home termi• During construction, many employees nals at Deer Lodge working east 112 miles to kept working west and had compensated service Three Forks and Three Forks working east, 114 to establish seniority on a number of divisions. miles to Harlowton with Headquarters in Butte. The company and the unions established March This made Harlowton the away from home ter• 1, 1914as a cut off date and employees had to minal for the Three Forks crew, but it was their make their choice of divisions by that date. yard and roundhouse. The dispute wasn't settled until after 1914. Under union agreements in effect in 1913, Rocky Mountain Superintendent Foster had the the branch went to the division where its home right idea in my opinion. He proposed combining terminal was located, if the branch worked on its the Musselshell and Rocky Mountain divisions side of a line drawn north and south through the and work 3 ways out of Harlowton. He wanted center of the depot. The branch to Lewistovm crews to work from Harlowton to Deer Lodge, operated out of Harlowton east of this line and Continued on Page 7 Page 5
ThonmUKEE Road
WEST
DF\N This column serves for miscellaneous new items about the former WAYBILLS MILWAUKEE ROAD's operations. Like the symbol for "Dead Freight - West" it utilizes, the subjects found here are a "catch-all" from a variety of sources. WANTED - Does anyone know the wheelbase NEWS RELEASE - Milwaukee Railfan and wheel size of the Inspection Car so often Meet: The West Coast railfans have scheduled pictured at the old Tacoma Station? Also would their 20th annual MILWAUKEE ROAD MEET like to know where I could purchase books with for Saturday, March 23, 2002 at the Boeing photos (many) of Tacoma in the 1940's and Employee Recreation Center in Kent, WA. The 1950's. Eddie Miller Lebron, P.O. Box 557, rec. center is located just north of Highway 167, LuquiUo, PR 00773-0557. off Central Avenue. Turn west on 224th and go to 22645 83rd Road South. MEMBER The event is scheduled to start at 1:00PM COMMENTS with a break for dinner. Participants are encour• aged to bring items of interest to Milwaukee WA - Would be nice to see a membership list? railfans. Each year we are fortunate to see, often TN - How can I get a list of members? the first public showing, slides, movies, videos, photo albums, models and other memorbilia per• This question comes up periodically. Each time taining to the Milwaukee Road. Bring your swaps it was discussed at the next Annual Meets, it was and trades. decided by the members present to treat the There is no admission charge, but dona• membership list as confidential. The list is for tions will be collected to defray expenses. THE MilWest required use only. The Secretary keeps SHOW IS OPEN TO EVERYONE INTER• the official membership list, and the Editor keeps ESTED IN THE MILWAUKEE ROAD. Con• a mailing list based on the membership list. Even tact: Gary O. Ostlund, MILW Lines West, Box the rest of the Board does not have a member 37, Wauna, WA 98395. list. Without a policy change approved by the members at large, we will not make the member 2002 Annual Meet list available to other members, or public. Lewistown MT August 8-10 Yogo Inn Best Western NY - Love the color pictures. Any idea what the Plan now to attend Continued on Page 13 CHARLES PAUL ADAMS Passed away on Tuesday, December 4, 2001 in Malta, Mon• tana at the Philips County Hospital at the age of 89, Chuck, worked for the Milwaukee Road as a Brakeman (Seniority Date 12/11/35) and as a Conductor (12/11/39) on the Rocky Mountain Division working out of Three Forks, Montana. Chuck, retired in 1976. He served as Local Chairman for the (Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen and the United Transpor• THE FINAL CALL tation) for many years.
MARLIN "EDDIE: TESTO PAUL JOHN RILEY Passed away on Thursday, October 25, 2001 at his home in Monti- Passed away on Monday, September 10, 2001 in Tacoma, Washington at the age of 79. He worked for the Milwaukee cello, Minnesota at the age of 74. He worked for the Milwaukee Road Road as a Fireman (Seniority date 11/15/47) and as an Engi• in the Police Department for 30 plus years. He was a WW II veteran neer (Seniority date of 05/08/57) on the Coast Division work• servicing with the U.S. Marine Corps in the Hawaii. ing out of Tacoma. He was a WWII veteran serving in the U. S. Navy.
CLARENCE W. RASMASSEN Passed away on Friday, October 19, 2001 at the Kittitas Val• ley Community Hospital at the age of 85. Clarence, worked for the Milwaukee Road in the Maintenance of Way Depart• ment. He moved to Beverly, Washington 64 years ago and retired as Section Foreman at that point.
GEORGE W. KATALINICH Passed away on Saturday, October 27, 2001 at Elk Camp af• ter a three year battle with colon cancer at the age of 68. George worked for the Milwaukee Road as a Brakeman (seniority date of 7/07/52) and as a Conductor (seniority date of 7/07/56) on the Idaho Seniority District. He was a Veteran of the Korean War. He also worked on the Washington Cen• tral Railroad after the Milwaukee Road abandoned Lines West. Retired in September 1995 fi-om railroad work as an engineer.
HAROLD REAY Passed away on Monday, November 12, 2001 at his home in Cle Elum, Washington at the age of 90. Harold, worked for the Milwaukee Road in the B&B department. Started work• ing in the department in 1948 and was promoted to foreman in 1955. He retired from the Milwaukee Road in 1975. He was a Veteran of World War II served in the 133rd Naval Construction Battalion (Seabees). He saw action at Iwo Jima being in the third wave to hit the beach. He was a witness to the flag raising on Mount Suribachi.
JOSEPHINE "JOE" RICE Passed away on Thursday, November 15, 2001 in Harlowton, Montana at the age of 75. "Joe" worked as an operator for the Milwaukee Road for over 30 years most of the time in Har• lowton. Also, Worked in Mobridge, South Dakota and Mar• marth, North Dakota. She retired from service in April 1980. Page 7
HARLOWTON, from Page 4 the Montana Flour mill located on the Northern Montana branch at the east side of town. Most Harlowton to Lewistown or Great Falls and Har• of the mill workers lived on what is still called lowton to Miles City. This would have taken care Mill Hill close to the mill and most of the Mil• of the prior rights problem, but it would have waukee employees lived on the flat close to the eliminated terminals at Three Forks, Lewistown railroad. The mill closed after World War II but and Melstone. It was impractical because freight is still used as a grain storage elevator. The train speeds were not fast enough to cover the Milwaukee closed down in Harlowton March 31, 226 miles to Deer Loge, 217 miles to Miles City 1980 and the rails have been torn out. In spite of and 196 miles to Great Falls yard. Working three all it's bad luck with it's two major employers, ways out of Harlowton would have still been a Harlowton still has about 1,000 people and good idea even just going to Three Forks, Lewis- Wheatland county is now the major employer as town and Melstone. In March 1914 the Milwau• Harlowton is the coimty seat. kee was well advanced on their proposed electrification and as it would start at Harlowton, it was the reason for Foster's recommendation THE HARLOWTON ROUNDHOUSE of Harlowton for the main terminal. However his idea was never put into effect. To most people, the roimdhouse is prob• ably a fiinny looking that they never gave much When you had two groups of enginemen, thought to, but in its roughly 73 years of service, both belonging to the same imions and both sawy it has undoubtedly contributed more to the econ• in railroading and the advantages of seniority, omy of Harlowton than any other building or you had a very interesting situation. Neither combination of buildings. group was going to give up anything that was an In it's 73 years, it housed and service advantage to them. The Trainmen established a thousands of locomotives from the small 4-4-0 Northern Montana seniority district to settle their type measuring about 52 feet long and weighing dispute. The enginemen were able to keep all of about 75 tons, to the massive 4-8-4 type weighing the Montana Railroad rights intact and this gave 444 tons and measuring 110 ft-6 1/2". It housed the Northern Montana to the Rocky Mountain electric locomotives from April 1916 imtil Jime enginemen. To compensate the Musselshell en• 15, 1974 and diesels from the first test nm on ginemen, they were given the switch engines in passenger in 1936 imtil it was shut dovm March the Harlowton yard. Some of the old timers used 31, 1980. to complain they traded a horse for a jack rabbit. Considering the difference in mileage and earn• I have not been able to find any company ing power it was more like an elephant for a records to confirm the date of construction of the mouse. The roundhouse hostling jobs were given Harlowton roundhouse, but there are other meth• to the Rocky Moimtain because of the electric ods I could use. locomotives and Harlowton was the eastern ter• The need to service steam locomotives of minal of what would become 440 miles of Elec• that time would dictate that the roimdhouse would trified railroad. These were vmdesirable jobs as be one of the first buildings built at a new termi• far as the Three Forks enginemen were concerned nal. Milwaukee locomotives were shipped over and they would just as soon not had to protect the Northern Pacific to Lombard and then back them. They were always filled by physically to Harlowton Jimction located 3.8 miles west of disqualified enginemen, or the most junior men Harlowton on the Montana railroad. Harlowton until they were discontinued in 1960. was an intermediate station on the Montana and had no engine service facilities there. They had Harlowton was a very important terminal. a small two stall engine house at Lombard, but It was where the mountains meet the plains and that was 95 miles west and at Lewistown 60 miles steam met electricity. I don't think the population north. All their heavy work was contracted to the ever reached 2,000 and the Milwaukee was the Northern Pacific, so this would further increase major employer. The other major industry was Page 8 the pressure on the Milwaukee to build a round• laid out in a fan shape, measuring 200 feet from house at Harlowton as soon as possible. the center of the turn table to the outside wall. I have Time Table No. 1, that took effect As originally built, it had the standard 90 ft. at 12: 01 AM December 15, 1907. It shows turntable with a 55 ft apron before the building scheduled trains between Harlowton and Roimd- started. The apron was necessary to separate the up, so it's safe to assure that at least part of the tracks enough to go through the 12 foot wide by roimdhouse was built and in operation at that 16 foot high double doors. time. Inside each stall was 90 ft. of track: over I have negative of photographs taken by inspection pits to enable employees to work under Norman Good in 1911 and two of these help the locomotives. This made the original building pinpoint construction dates. His photograph of 100 feet deep. The inside wall curved in an arc the first west bound Olympian into Harlowton and was 165 ft long, the outside wall measured May 30,1911 gives an exact date. In the picture 315 feet for a 12 stall roundhouse. The stalls were of the train at the depot, you can see two smoke numbered from one on the east to 12 on the west stacks from the boiler room at the roundhouse. and all stalls had concrete floors and inspection The picture was taken west of the depot and at pits. Three big double windows were installed at an angle of about 30 degrees to the locomotive the front of each stall and had a glass area of and train on the main and the smoke stacks are about 7 foot by 8 foot. Small windows were in well separated, so there is no question but that the raised smoke collector that was built above there were only two. the peak of the roof about four foot high and four A picture of the roundhouse and yard, foot wide and ran the entire length of the roof taken from the top of the coal dock, that Norman In it was housed the metal smoke collector and had dated 1911, shows three smoke stacks. Be• smoke stacks over the center of each stall. The cause there are patches of snow, it would have stalls were nice and light until about half way to be late 1911. After 70 years, the negatives are back where most of the work: on the locomotives beginning to deteriorate, so I took, it to a friend was performed. Back along the tenders it would that has an aerial survey and pan business. His get pretty dim unless the big door were open. precision equipment and knowledge produced Built off the east wall between No.l and much clearer prints than I was able to make. No.4 stall was an odd shaped building, actually An interesting discovery was that there a combination of buildings with connecting roofs were only 12 stalls on the roundhouse at that and walls, that extended 89 feet 8 inches east, time. I had always wondered why there was a then 95 feet north and 115 feet west to the brick wall between stalls 12 and 13, so that roundhouse wall. answered that question. The 12 stall roundhouse Going through a door in the east wall of seemed, to be a standard design for the Milwau• No.l stall was a 15 foot 8 inch by 20 foot kee during construction. Mobridge, Marmarth enginemen's register and locker room. It had a and Melstone all had 12 stall roundhouses. Miles door opening to the south so the enginemen could City had a double one with 24 stalls and all were come in and go out with out having to go into built on the same design. the roundhouse. A Dutch door in the east wall It is obvious now that stalls 13 to 17 were led to the 15 foot by 22 foot roundhouse office. built for the electric locomotives that went into It had a small bay window that let the roundhouse service at Harlowton in April, 1916. The photo foreman look out over the inbound cinder pit also shows that there was no west lead track from frack and the out bound track. There was a door the roundhouse to the west end of the yard and in the south wall too. The top half of the Dutch the yard was much shorter, the west end being door had a black board with white painted lines in the start of the curve just west of the depot. for crews going east, west, and north. There was The basic structure of the roundhouse was also a space for the engine number and time built like no other building in Harlowton. It was called and time rested. It showed both passenger, Page 9 freight and yard assignments. A stick of regular enlarged to 228 feet to house the 224'-3" four round chalk was kept in a small pan of water, so unit electric locomotives. This represented the when it dried on the blackboard it was much final expansion and in 1955 they started tearing whiter and wider than what a dry chalk stick some of it down. The first six stalls were torn would make. A door on the east wall of the office down with the office, machine shop , boiler and went to the store department that occupied the power house were all torn down, along with the rest of the building east of the office. water tanks and coal dock. The old boiler water North of the enginemen's register room treatment building was a brick building, so they and office was a 55 foot by 35 foot machine shop removed the water treatment equipment and con• that you entered through a large sliding door off verted it to the office with a covered passage to No.3 stall. East of the machine shop was a 25 No.8 stall. foot by 35 foot blacksmith shop with a door on Operating the roundhouse was a compli• both east and west walls. A large supply of iron cated and fascinating business on a 24 hour 7 and pipe was out side under covered racks. North days a week basis. The labor force numbered of the blacksmith shop was a 52 foot by 35 foot between 100 and 150 during the steam era and boiler room with three locomotive type boilers. dropped to about 50 during the diesel era. A coal bin was on the north wall and the floor Fitting a 112 foot two unit electric loco• was metal plate, so the coal could be shoveled motive with a 102'-8" wheel base onto a 107 foot out of the three openings for the boilers. West turn table by remote control took skill and was of the boiler room was the power house with a interesting. The 3000 volt direct current trolley big industrial stem engine and air compressor. line extended over the turn table, but for safety The west wall tied into the roundhouse between reasons could not be wired into the roundhouse stalls 5 and 6. stalls. When the locomotive was on the turntable, From the jigsaw pattern of the roofs, it they would drop the pantograph and turn the table looks like the office building and boiler room to line up with the stall they were going to put power house buildings were built first as they the locomotive in. They would then pull a long had gable roofs and then the roofs for the machine heavy cord out and attach it to No.37 contactor shop and blacksmith shop was built to fill in the on the EF-1 locomotives or other places on the space between the buildings. other locomotives. The cord was laid on the One of the first modifications was to outside of the rail and plugged into one of the enlarge the turn table to 107 feet and build stalls three plug-ins on the inside wall and one on the 13 to 17, 129 feet deep to house the two unit west end of 17 stall. These were all connected electric locomotives that went into service April to a controller located between 15 and 16 stall. 1916. No. 17 stall had a door in the west end and There was a motor generator in a room just off a lead track out to the west end of the yard. The the front of No. 13 stall that supplied 230 volts west lead made it easier for the motors to get to direct current to the control stand. One employee the west end of the yard. would ride in the cab to set the engine air brakes In 1930, stalls 9 and 10 were lengthened when needed and another would operate the to 118 feet to house the new 101 foot long SI controller and bring the locomotive in or out by and 94 foot long F6 steam locomotives. These remote control. stalls were long enough to house the 110'-62" Because they were evenly balanced, turn• S2 steam locomotives when they arrived in 1937. ing a motor on the turn table wasn't as compli• The inside wall now measured 240 feet and the cated as turning the 110 foot 444 ton S2 steam outside wall with it bulges measured 519 feet. locomotives with their 96 foot wheel base. The In 1932, the Milwaukee started operating front with the boiler and driving wheels was three unit electric locomotives so stall 17 was longer and heavier (63 -feet 5 inches ,weighing lengthened to 182 feet to house the 167 foot long 490,500 pounds) to the tender's 57 feet inches three unit locomotives. In 1936 stall 17 was weighing 390,000 pounds. They always tried to Page 10 have the tender nearly fiill of coal and water when mand. It was a dual service engine and had the they put it on the turntable so it would balance. air compressor piston on the same piston rod as Under the best conditions, they had to have the the steam piston, so they moved back and forth rear tender wheels almost to the end of the together. There was always a blast of air as the turntable track before it would balance. If it didn't compressor cut in or out and you could hear the balance, the table couldn't turn. To me, it was thump, thump in the big air tank as the compres• always worth watching even in foul weather. No sor pumped air into it. Everything that couldn't 17 with it's door on the west end was the easiest be hooked up to the main power shaft was run to get into. They would run the motor back and by compressed air, so it took a lot of compressed, just before they got to the door, they would drop air. the pantograph and roll in on a slightly descend• A large flat belt supplied power to the ing grade. power shaft that ran through the wall into the For years, Harlowton lived by the round• Machine shop. There was a steady slap, slap as house whistle. It was loud enough to "be heard the belt coupling contacted the flywheel and all over town even on a windy day, but it had a pulley each time. Power was delivered to the nice sound . It blew at 6 AM to wake you up. It various machines by a combination of shafts and blew at 7:45 AM to get employees started to belts. All of this was in constant motion. When work. It blew at 8 AM to start work . It blew at a machine operator wanted power on his ma• noon for lunch. It blew at 12:30 PM to go back chine, he used a hardwood handle that slid his to work. It blew at 4 PM. It blew for the curfew, belt from the idler pulley onto a power pulley. It it blew for anything they needed a whistle for. 1 was very dependable and lasted until they tore always wondered how towns without a round• down the power house in 1955. I was always house whistle got along. impressed by how nice and clean the power house Under the whistle was the boiler room and engine was kept and it had that nice smell with three big, locomotive type boilers. They of hot valve oil and steel. were hand fired with a power house engineer on Besides the boiler room, power house, duty 24 hours a day. They were set three abreast, machine shop and roundhouse, there were other facing south and the coal bunkers were in the interesting things that need to he remembered. north wall about 6 feet fi-om the firebox door. In The original shower was in a little shed addition to the water glass, gauge cocks, steam built off the east wall off the boiler room, that gauge and an injector on each side, there was a you entered fi-om a door on it's east side. It had long throttle like lever that controlled the draft a little room to undress and hang your clothes on plate in the big individual stack. The stacks must the hangers and then step into the shower room have been 25 to 30 feet tall and could create quite onto a hard wood grating. You only had cold a draft especially with a strong wind blowing. water and a steam valve, so you regulated your They would spot a gondola fiiU of coal on a track: own temperature, very carefiilly. It was either just north of the boiler room and they had to warmed water or cooled steam, but once you got shovel the coal into the three bunkers by hand. it properly set, you could stand under it all day The boilers were large enough to supply power and never run out of hot water. and heat for every thing even over to the depot Then there was the washing machine and freight house, it was very seldom they ever located in ft-ont of the No. 1 boiler. It was a 55 had to have all three boilers on at the same time. gallon barrel size laying on its side with a lid on Next to the boiler room on the west side the top to put your overalls in. It had cold water was the power house with a big industrial steam and steam piped in at the center near the bottom. engine that turned a big fly wheel at a constant You would put your overalls in and fill it about speed. The speed was controlled by a ball weight half ftill of water, then shut the water off, close governor spiiming on top of the throttle, con• the lid and turn on the steam that propelled your stantly adjusting steam to meet the power de• overalls around and around as it heated the water to the boiling point. You had to be carefiil as to Page 11 much steam would tear your overalls to shreds, ated for them. The nature of roundhouse work is but it only took about 5 minutes on the dirtiest pretty much dictated by the arrival and departure pair. You would then open the drain valve and of locomotives, so there was always time on when the water was out the steam would practi• every shift when all the employees weren't work• cally dry them. You then hung them on one of ing on locomotives and could do other work. the numerous wires or a injector branch pipe and I always appreciated the friendship of the in a few minutes you had nice warm clean dry roundhouse foreman. They had the authority to overalls. get things done, especially the General Foreman. I don't know when my love affair with Ed Kellum was the first General Foreman I knew the roundhouse first started. We moved to Har• and he was in Harlowton longer than any other lowton in April 1924 when I was three, so it foreman, until his retirement in 1951. Jim Trapp probably started when I went with my Dad to was next until his retirement in 1966, then Jim see when he would get called as a locomotive Girard to 1974, Dick Hunt to 1979 and Ron fireman or just to visit. I clearly remember when Blacquire until they shut down in 1980. I discovered what a wonderfiil place it was and On a trip to Harlowton, I enlisted the aid the value of having friends that worked there. of retired electrician Howard Ahren who went to My brother Tom and I were out exploring work in 1918. Ernie Stein, who went firing in the dumps north of town one nice day. We found 1916 and George Phillippe who went firing in a 26 inch bicycle that someone had run over with 1913, to try and find out who the first and other a car or something. The front fork was badly bent foremen were and when Kellum came to Harlow• and torn loose from the bent frame. We really ton as foreman. While I can't agree with Phil- wanted a bike so after carefiilly studying the lippe's comment that he was probably bom in the damage with the wisdom of 9 and 10 year old roundhouse, I do agree that he was bom to be in boys, we decided that our neighbor Patty Schultz the roimdhouse. In 1928, the Milwaukee started could fix it for us. Patty was the boiler foreman using initials on the enginemen's seniority Hst at the roundhouse, so we carried it down past the and the 1928 list show AEK (2). Two copies to mill and around the east end of the yards up to A.E. Kellum (Harlowton). Before that the cover the roundhouse. We foimd Patty and explained sheet just listed all concerned. It was generally our problem to him. In a couple of days, Patty agreed by my three friends that Kellum had been justified our faith in him and had it welded and the foreman since about 1924 and he followed straightened out. The Milwaukee didn't stock thin Ben Goggin who was there when Philippe went wall tubing, but using the material at hand, it to work in 1913. There were no records in Deer turned out to be hell for stout and a little heavier Lodge to helped establish dates and foremen at but lasted us well beyond our transition into Harlowton. automobiles. That pretty much established a way To me, Ed Kellum was the stereotype of of life for me. Anything I couldn't do at home, the old fashioned roundhouse foreman, the last take it to the roundhouse. of his breed. He always wore a dark blue serge I wasn't alone in that respect. For the most suit with a vest and jacket and a thousand mile part, it was a way of life in every town that had shirt (dark). He had a big cold watch chain draped a roundhouse. I've seen them doing work for the across from one vest pocket to the other with a city, county, ranchers and friends. "Government big watch fob from the machinist union. He work", they called it. They had the equipment always smoked cigarettes in a long holder and and the trained employees and there was very never ever got his hands dirty. In hot weather, I few jobs to big for the roundhouse. have seen him with his suit jacket off, but the Sure the Milwaukee paid for a lot they vest and watch chain were always in their proper didn't t get, but on the other hand they paid out place. thousands of dollars on advertising public rela• After he retired and came back to Harlo tions every year that no where near ever matched visiting, I saw him when I came in on passenger the good public relations their roundhouses cre• run. I asked him if he ever got his hands dirty Page 12 while he was the foreman. He laughed and told lot of friends. me, just once when he climbed up in the cab to Around 9 PM, they would start to fire up chew out a smart young engineer and forgot to the passenger locomotive for the east bound put his gloves on. I believed him. Olympian at midnight. No one ever objected if During the depression of the early 1930's I wanted to shovel enough coal to cover 80 or when things were tough and a lot of railroad men 106 square feet of grate area. When you had were out of work in Harlowton, I don't think he about 6 inches of coal on the grates, they would ever set a steam engine out in dead storage light a big oil burning torch with about a 6 foot without nearly a full tank of coal. He would then pipe and keep moving it around under the grates contact some of the laid off men and ask them until the coal was all burning. They kept the if they would clean out the tender because the house blower connected until the steam pressure rules required it and he didn't have enough em• built up enough for the engine blower to work ployees to do the work. When the fall rush was properly. Most of the time it was a F6 (4-6-4) over and no more engines were being put in dead with 80 square feet of grates and you only had storage, Jimmy Dougherty, the General Yard- to throw the coal 10 feet. I soon learned to show master would have the switch engine spot a up late if it was a S2 (4-8-4) with 106 square feet couple of cars of company coal up at the west as you had to throw the coal 12 feet and it was end of the yard or on the top end or the mill track harder to get as you had to take two steps back where they were easy to get to. He would then into the vestibule for each shovel full of coal. My reward was getting to ride to the depot when tell some of the laid off employees with families Pete Farley was the engineer. He was one of my to, "Kick a little off the top so it don't show." idols, but I never got to fire for him because he They could always cover their coal shortages by retired in 1943 while I was in the navy. Years putting just enough on east boimd steam locomo• later, I would get paid to f ire these same loco• tives to safely make Roundup. "Take a full tank motives and even got up to where I was the , they make the stuff there." Yes, I and a lot of engineer on them. other railroad, kids kept warm because of those two men and I will never forget them. As long The Harlo roimdhouse survived longer as it wasn't abusive, I don't know that the Mil• than any of the others. Miles City's was torn down waukee ever questioned their coal records. For in 1955. Because of the mountains to the west the most part, they were always a very good and the Northern Montana branch north, the company to work for. Harlo roundhouse was needed. After they dis• I always enjoyed going to the roundhouse continued the electric locomotives in June 1974, just to see what was going on. It was always nice and more and more main line changes were made, to step into the nice warm 17 stall in cold weather, it's importance began to decline. The diesel units especially after walking over the overhead bridge were fueled at Miles City, so only the slave units with the wind blowing. When I was in high were added at Harlowton. The Harlo roundhouse school, I used to go over on Friday or Saturday played a necessary and important role right up nights and visit night roundhouse foreman Phil to the end in 1980. It was a vital part of Harlowton Leahy. He was a nice guy and I liked him. I for many years. Hundreds of people made a good wanted to learn all I could about locomotives so living working in it or associated with it, myself if I ever got the chance at a job, I could convince included. I am grateful for the years I was able someone I knew enough to get hired. He wanted to be around the Harlo roundhouse when it was such a busy and exciting; place to just walk to train me in the machinist trade, but as lone as through, see what was going on, and visit your the main topic was locomotives, we got along friends. It was always worth the trip for me. just great. At this time, I discovered that my artistic talent in drawing locomotives was going The yard, depot and roundhouse were to work in my favor. Over the years, my drawing given to the city of Harlowton for industrial have opened a lot of doors for me and made a property after the Foster company tore up all the rails. It is now being used for storage of grain Page 13 and fertilizer. It definitely shows the years of OK - Would like to see a buy/sell colurrm. neglect, but is still a sturdy building. Even with We have one of sorts. From the inception of all the tracks and equipment gone, it is still MilWest we have had a "Waybills" column. This enough to bring rack memories to me and a lot is a column for members with which they can of other former Milwaukee employees. - Bill offer items for sale, or solicit items or informa• Wilkerson 12/1988. tion. All items and Subject matter MUST be Milwaukee RR related. The column does not Editor's comments: I enjoy Bill's stories as much appear on a regular basis, but only when I have as most other members do. I think this one is items submitted to me for inclusion. It's possible extra special because it speaks of a love affair, that newer MilWest members may not be aware a love affair with a railroad town. A railroad of this feature. To have your item listed in Way• that for much of its history was provider, care• bills, send it to the Editor, Rocky Gibbs. The taker, friend, and other things to those who address is contained in the masthead on page 3 worked for it, or as told in the story, even lived of each issue. - Rocky. near it. It speaks of life-long friendships and trust of your fellow employee. It shows that what made the railroad great was the employees. They gave FROM THE it a heart and soul. It also illustrates to a degree EDITOR'S DESK what was really lost with the pullout of the Milwaukee in 1980, and why many former em• PHOTO CONTRIBUTIONS ployees feel as they do about the railroad's demise. I have only a few of Bill's stories yet to I'm happy to report that I have been receiving publish, so I was pleased this past June, as I was more photos and slides from members. Most visiting Bill at his home, that he handed me a members submit only a few, and that is just fine. folder full of stories. He was not sure which ones Art Jacobsen has given me a couple of trays I may have already published, but that I can which are appreciated. Larry Zeutschell, howev• determine those I have not. Upon checking, there er, loaned me four slide boxes this past summer, are a few stories in the folder that I did not have and recently, loaned me six more boxes. I have for publishing, the above story being one of them. wanted access to Larry's collection for some time So, I now have a few more of Bill's stories and I am very appreciative of his letting me scan backlogged for future publication. I am so glad them. They will all become part of the MilWest to get them as Bill is mostly done writing stories. archives, but they also give me more availability All Lines West fans will forever be indebted to of good quality slides for publication. I wish to Bill for his years of writing about the railroad, thank Art and Larry and all others who have and his beautiful drawings he also has produced. submitted photos. I ask that the members keep Our sincerest thanks Bill. - Rocky. them coming. Remember, I can receive scaimed photos by e-mail, or I can scan photos and slides if you send them to me. While I need a continuing Comments, from Page 5 selection of color shots to choose from, don't fate of the rails over Homestake Pass? hesitate to send black &. white shots as well. I Homestake Pass is the route of the Northern simply print them on the non-color sheets of the Pacific's alternate line through Butte. The line Dispatch. - Rocky Gibbs. has been inactive for some years now. The rails are still in place and I believe BN still owns them. PUBLICATION FOLLIES, or, THE There has been speculation in the past that Mon• FUN NEVER STOPS tana Rail Link (MRL) would take the line over, but nothing has ever come to pass. MRL has used The recent Volume 3 of the Dispatch a short section on the east end, above Sappington came out later than planned. First, I was a month to reach a ballast pit. late getting it prepared due to my available time. Page 14
The real surprise came when I took the color the proof would be done using the same produc• masters to the print-shop, only to find they went tion means used for the production run. My out of business in July. My immediate task then mistake. WTiat I should have asked for is a "print- was to find a new print-shop. I chose one close proof." That is to be an actual production sample. to work as that makes it easier for me to deal I believe it is now all worked out for this with. They also have been in business for many 4th issue so I'm hopefiil for better results. I'll use years so one would hope that they will continue this same print-shop as I have no time to search in business. out other print-shops for this issue. After it is To those uninitiated, getting something done, then I will check some other print-shops printed may seem a simple process. For black so that I have some options, and can be sure I'm & white printing that may be true, but color is getting the best deal 1 can for MilWest. And you more difficult. The method involves my produc• all thought it was easy to produce the Dispatch. ing print files from my publishing program. The Its ironic that I think they did a less that problems begin as they try to use them. In the desirable job for me, yet I have received several printing world, the files I give them not only compliments on the color reproduction in the 3rd contain whatever text and photos are included, issue. I'm glad you liked it. I'll try for this 4th but a very complex set of instructions whose issue to have better color. purpose is to tell the print equipment how to set In my continuing efforts to make the everything up for the output. Those instructions Dispatch better, and make it easier for me to have to be specific for each model of print equip• produce, I have upgraded computers and software ment. The first difficulty is that most print-shops again. The laptop I bought this Fall has been use Apple equipment, and I use a PC. They upgraded to Windows XP and 1 purchased Office normally can read the output files as they are XP as well. Last week 1 bought a new desktop Postscript files. Print-shops also do not use the unit with a flat-panel LCD screen and Windows same publishing program I do so they can't read XP. The laptop is setup with a docking station, my native files, only my output files. When keyboard and mouse, making it effectively a dealing with Postscript output, there are many desktop unit. I'm writing this text on it. When I variables I have to choose fi^om. The trick is to wish to take it somewhere, such as the Annual choose the variables that will produce a file that Meet to show digital images with, I simply un- is usable by the print-shop. This often takes dock it and its then portable. The new desktop numerous attempts to get the files correct. That has greatly increased RAM, hard disk space, and was the case here. To shorten this tale, suffice it processing speed over my old machine, itself to say it took another two weeks to finally arrive only a few years old. The technology improves at files they could use. It then took them another so rapidly, and with the economic slowdown this week to produce the actual printed sheets. 1 Fall, there are incredible computer values avail• approved a proof sheet prior to them making the able in the market. Both new machines are net• production run. I did not see the actual production worked to my existing desktop allowing quick sheets until I saw the completed Dispatch. To file transfers among them, as well as printer my surprise, the production run did not match sharing and Internet access. I can have all three on the Internet simultaneously if I wish, each the proof. The colors in the proof were more doing something different. With DSL they are saturated and somewhat different in hue. Upon also fast when on-line. pointing this difference out to the print-shop, their reason was that the proof I saw was pro• As for other changes, Qwest has decided duced on an ink-jet printer. The production run to quit being an ISP, forcing me to change. That is on some other type of more complex equip• is in progress as I write this. 1 do have a new ment. I was somewhat astounded by that answer. e-mail address and can receive at that address To my way of thinking, the purpose of a proof now. It is "[email protected]". Please note this is for me to evaluate that what they propose to should you wish to e-mail to me. - Rocky. print is acceptable. 1 of course "assumed" that Page 15
Upper photo - #353 entering the turntable at Harlowton MT roundhouse, 6/23/74. Lower photo - #352 &354 on the east side of the Harlowton MT roundhouse, 6/23/74. Both scanned from original slides of D. Larry Zeutschel. Page 16
#E57B & E34C, the final "Harlowton Switcher" at work on the west end of the yard, as seen from the highway overpass. This power combination was needed due to the long trains switched here. #E57B performed alone for years, but finally needed E34C to help. Photographer un• known. Scanned from a duplicate slide supplied by D. Larry Zeutschel.