Milwaukee Road 261

Milwaukee Road 261
Preparing for an excursion from Minneapolis Junction
Power type	Steam
Builder	American Locomotive Company
Serial number	71974
Build date	June 1944
Configuration	4-8-4
UIC classification	2′D2′ h2
Gauge	4 feet 8+1⁄2 inches (1,435 mm)
Driver diameter	74 in (1.880 m)
Fuel type	Coal
Boiler pressure	250 lbf/in² (1.72 MPa)
Cylinders	Two
Cylinder size	26 × 32 in (660 × 813 mm)
Tractive effort	62,119 lbf (276.32 kN)
Career	Milwaukee Road
Class	S3
Number in class	2nd of 10
Number	261
Retired	August 1954
Restored	1993[1]
Current owner	Friends of the 261
Disposition	occasional excursion service based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, currently undergoing boiler re-certification.

The Milwaukee Road 261 is a 4-8-4, steam-powered locomotive owned and maintained by a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization known as the Friends of the 261, which runs seasonal train excursions. The steam engine, rebuilt in 1993,^[1] has logged more than 25,000 miles under its own power since that time.

On Friday, May 7, 2010, National Railroad Museum operations manager Bob Lettenberger announced that the Museum had sold Milwaukee Road No. 261 to the Friends of the 261 for a low six-figure price. That money will go into preserving or restoring other railroad equipment at the Museum. The formal announcement of the sale occurred on May 8, 2010 – National Train Day.

The locomotive is undergoing federal mandated overhaul. Once rebuilt, Friends of the 261 will be able to resume an excursion schedule across the Upper Midwest and to the eastern United States.^[2]

History

Built by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in Schenectady, New York in June 1944 in the 4-8-4 configuration, was originally operated by the Milwaukee Road when that rail company was officially known as the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific. The locomotive, which weighs in at 460,000 pounds, is rated at a maximum horsepower of 4500 and maximum speed of 100 mph, is coal fueled. It operated on the Milwaukee Road until retired in 1954, and was donated to the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in 1954. The new museum's first acquisition, the 261 was moved to the museum site in 1958.

In 1991, the newly formed "North Star Rail" selected 261 for restoration for mainline excursions. The 261 was selected for a variety of reasons. The engine was large enough to handle the expected trains at track speed. It featured several modern features for a steam locomotive, including easier to maintain roller bearings. It also already had its asbestos lagging removed, which is very expensive to remove for environmental and safety reasons. Finally, the 261's relatively short 10 year service life meant that the engine's boiler was in remarkable shape, meaning it would take less work to rebuild the engine.

North Star Rail and the National Railroad Museum came to an agreement in November 1991 for a ten year lease (which was later renewed ten years later). The 261 was moved from Green Bay to Minneapolis to the GE shops at Humboldt Yard in September 1992. There, a full time staff rebuilt the engine. Work progressed quickly, allowing for a hydrostatic test in June 1993, a test fireup in July, and the eventual restoration completion in September. After passing the FRA inspection on September 14, the engine deadheaded over Wisconsin Central in time for its first public excursions on September 18–19, 1993. The engine later returned to its new home at the leased Burlington Northern Minneapolis Junction.

The following year, the 261 had an extensive season including excursions on Wisconsin Central and the Twin Cities and Western. Notable events included "Chocolate City Days" excusions, campaign trains, a movie shoot painted as "Lackawanna 1661", running over CSX for the famed "New River Train", and a wrap up celebrating the engine's 50th birthday.

The most recognized event that the 261 participated in was the Steamtown Grand Opening in July 1995. Over five days, the 261 deadheaded from Minneapolis to Scranton, PA. The 261 was the largest engine running at Scranton for the Grand Opening. The locomotive stayed in Scranton for the next year pulling numerous excursions, including rare mileage trips, a rare snow plow run, and the engine's first steam doubleheader with Susquehanna 142.

The 261 returned to the Midwest after almost a year at Steamtown. On its way home, the 261 made its first runs over the newly formed Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway. It pulled a few sets of excursions in 1997 and 1998 over BNSF and the TC&W.

The year of 1998 presented 261 on its biggest assignment yet as it was the first steam engine to pull BNSF's Employee Appreciation Special. The engine led a BNSF diesel and a dozen of BNSF's business fleet around the upper Midwest portion of the BNSF's route. This brought the engine back to Chicago before heading north to North Dakota and Montana, then through Minneapolis into Iowa before the EAS concluded at Topeka Railroad Days. The 261 ended the 1998 operating season after a few more days on BNSF.

The 1999 season was short with a weekend excursion in May from Minneapolis to Duluth along with runs on the Lake Superior Railroad Museum's tracks, along with another excursion in September. The year 2000 saw the 261 leading excursions out of places like Chicago, Omaha, and Kansas City. The engine also led an AAPRCO special on August 29 to Duluth. The engine then led a long circle trip over the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range as well as the North Shore before heading back home. The 2001 season had excursions out of Minneapolis and Montevideo over BNSF and TC&W tracks during June and July. The trips were notable as they showed off a rare matched consist of all Hiawatha passenger cars. The next year, the 261 pulled an almost matching consist between Minneapolis and Chicago. At this point, insurance rates were skyrocketing due to outside events as well as new FRA guidelines. The Friends of the 261 had an insurance policy to run through 2002, making these trips among the last time that the group could afford to have 261 run solo.

In the following months, some major changes were made to the Friends of the 261's operations. With insurance being too high to charge reasonable ticket prices, the group decided to team up with Amtrak. Amtrak is self insured, so the added cost of excursion insurance was much less. However, Amtrak requires that all equipment meet Amtrak certification. The 261 became the second steam engine to become Amtrak certified, and the Friends of the 261 began to buy or rebuild coaches that would meet Amtrak specifications. The first team up with Amtrak occurred in October 2003 with the engine's return to old Milwaukee Road tracks between Minneapolis to Winona. These trips have been repeated each year since.

Milwaukee Road 261 - June, 2002

Most 261 excursions are assisted by modern diesel-electric locomotives, required by and provided by Amtrak. Those engines can help pull longer trains or provide motive power if 261 were to break down en route. The diesel can also provide head end power for the passenger cars. In recent years, these have usually been GE P42 locomotives.

Part of the success of the Friends of the 261 has been the purchase of numerous passenger cars for use on excursions. One that fans might recognize is the first tool car, the "Earling". The car was built by the Milwaukee Road as a "cat-tailed" observation in 1939, but was rebuilt into a tool car in 1959. The car was donated to the Friends in 1992, and was the main tool car until 2003. The car's age made it expensive to upgrade to Amtrak spcifications, so a new tool car, "Grand Canyon", was bought and repainted. For ease, here is a list of the cars now owned by "Friends of the 261". All are painted in the Milwaukee Road's famed "Hiawatha" orange and maroon unless otherwise noted.

Amtrak Certified

• Tool Car/Dormitory "Grand Canyon" 1615. Former U. S. Army, later Amtrak. Bought in 2002.
• Coaches "St. Paul Pass", "Arizona" and "Lake Pepin", numbers 7613, 7615 and 7616. Former Pennsylvania Railroad clocker coaches. Acquired in 2003. Each holds 88 passengers. Painted in Amtrak colors after a movie shoot.
• Open Window Coach "Wenonah" 202. Former Louisville & Nashville, later Pittsburgh & Lake Erie, later Fort Wayne Railway Historical Society. Bought in 1994.
• Concession Car 2450. Former Union Pacific, later Amtrak.
• Lounge "St. Croix Valley" 3101. History to come. Bought in 2009.
• Lounge "Wisconsin Valley" 3103. Former U. S. Army, later Amtrak. Bought in 2002.
• Sleeper "Minnesota River" 31. One of the last new cars bought by the Milwaukee Road.
• Super Dome 53. Former Milwaukee Road, later Canadian National, later Chicago & Northwestern, later North Carolina Department of Transportation. Bought off eBay in 2006.
• Skytop Lounge "Cedar Rapids" 186. Original and distinct to the Milwaukee Road. Bought in 1999.
• Observation "Lamberts Point" 800702. Former Norfolk & Western, late Norfolk Southern. Leased to Canadian Pacific steam program between 2004 and 2009. For sale.
• Reportedly, a former Milwaukee Road business car has also been purchased.

Non-Amtrak certified coaches include the "Earling" (1959), three more coaches ("Hiawatha", "Minnehah" and "Nokomis", numbers 200, 201 and 203 originally of L&N and Central of Georgia heritage), and concession car "Shoreview" (9107, one time New York Central) which is leased to and painted in Canadian Pacific colors. Though the cars are not Amtrak certified (as of writing), they are used for added capacity for non-Amtrak insured excursions. In addition, the Friends of the 261 own a water car, number 250002. The water car was once a tender used behind an L&N "Big Emma" 2-8-4, and later became a water car for the Southern and Norfolk Southern steam program. The water car was bought at an auction in 1995 when NS ended its steam program.

Trains pulled by the 261 usually feature the distinctive Skytop lounge Cedar Rapids, created by the noted industrial designer Brooks Stevens, and built by the Milwaukee Road shops for Hiawatha service in 1948. This car, completely upgraded in 2004, is equipped with 36 seats, one drawing room/kitchen, shower, TV, VCR, CD and stereo. It is commonly paired with a 68-seat vista dome former CMStP&P 53, now "Super Dome #53", built by Pullman-Standard for the Milwaukee Road in 1952.

The 261 crossing the Mississippi River in Hastings, MN

In June 2004, the engine made its first return visit to Milwaukee since being restored, overnighting on its way to Chicago to participate in the Grand Excursion. It departed from Chicago, Illinois (arriving in Rock Island, Illinois to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first railroad bridge to cross the Mississippi River) to the Quad Cities (Rock Island Illinois and Iowa. During the Grand Excursion the 261 made a day trip to Bureau Junction, Illinois). The train then traveled north along Iowa rails near the Mississippi River including a stop in Sabula, up to the Twin Cities, stopping at a number of communities along the way. For a day, the locomotive was joined by the Canadian Pacific 2816, pulling the train in a "doubleheader" setup.

The 261 ran an excursion from Minneapolis to Duluth over BNSF rails in both 2005 and 2007.

Three June 2006 excursions were launched from 261's hometown of Milwaukee: a dinner train Friday the 23rd to Sturtevant, Wisconsin, and Saturday & Sunday treks (24th & 25th) to the Wisconsin Dells. For these runs, the train was turned at New Lisbon. These excursions would be repeated in August 2008.

Triple-headed excursion train stopping for water at Atkinson, Illinois, on September 16, 2006; 261 is the third locomotive in the train.

In September 2006, the 261 and its train visited Rock Island, Illinois as part of RiverWay 2006, a Quad Cities celebration of the 150th anniversary of the first railroad bridge across the Mississippi River in 1856. As part of the festivities, 261's train was coupled to a pair of Chinese-built QJ 2-10-2 steam locomotives for a trip to Homestead, Iowa, on September 15, 2006. The next day, 261 was added to run a "triple-header" from Rock Island to Bureau Junction, Illinois; then, on the following day, the QJs pulled the train, without 261, to Muscatine, Iowa, and back. Diesels were not used on any of these excursions.

In September 2007, the Canadian Pacific 2816 and 261 reunited for another doubleheader to Winona. No diesels or water cars were used on the trip. The Friends of the 261 had helped the Canadian Pacific plan the 2816's return to the United States, as well as providing half of the consist 2816 led.

In May 2008, the 261 was featured on a photo charter on the TC&W. Following this, the engine was deadheaded to Chicago for filming in "Public Enemies", a movie based on the life of John Dillinger and staring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. Though the 261 was built ten years after Dillinger died, the engine did fit the bill for a steam engine that could be filmed at Chicago Union Station. The engine's final excursion before the required Federal Railway Administration's "15 year inspection" for the 261 was a run in September 2008 on both Canadian Pacific's ex-Milwaukee Road line from Minneapolis to Winona with a return on BNSF's ex-Burlington line between LaCrescent to Minneapolis. Following the engine being pulled from service, the Friends quickly began the teardown for the rebuild. The 261 had set an impressive record, as it had been able to pull at lease one public excursion for each year between 1993 and 2008.

In 2009, the work on 261 was halted to concentrate efforts on the Southern Pacific 4449. The famed "Daylight" was to participate in TrainFestival 2009, and the Friends of the 261 played a major part in the engine being able to participate. The group provided several passenger cars for the 4449's excursion from Portland, OR to Owosso, MI as well as TrainFestival 2009. The 4449 was stored in the Minneapolis Junction Shops after the festival until October. Before the engine returned to Portland, it led the annual trips from Minneapolis to Winona.

In November 2009, the Friends of the 261 and the National Railroad Museum had problems with negotiations over lease agreements. The museum was asking too much for the Friends to pay, especially while in the middle of a large overhaul. The Friends of the 261 decided to end the lease with the National Railroad Museum citing the high costs. NRM later put the 261 on sale for an asking price of $225,000 on Sterling Rail. There were reports of someone from California buying it who would let the Friends continue running it, but the sale never followed through. In May 2010, the National Railroad Museum made a final offer to the Friends of the asking price of $225,000. Since this would be the only way to keep the engine on track, they bought it and now completely own it. The locomotive will run again when its 15-year overhaul is complete.

In October 2010, another Fall Color trip was run with an Amtrak P42 in the lead. This trip was used as a fundraiser for the 261's restoration.

Maintenance and Restoration

The locomotive's storage facility and maintenance base is at Minneapolis Junction in Minneapolis, Minnesota near Harrison St. NE. This former Burlington Northern Diesel Shop is home to the locomotive as well as many of the group's rolling stock. Operating with many volunteers and only four employees, the shop crew is able to complete many tasks, ranging from the rebuilding of passenger car trucks, brake systems, HEP, etc. to the upcoming full re-certification of the locomotive's boiler. In September 2008, the locomotive's 15-year FRA boiler safety certification had expired, and therefore required recertification. What this process entails is the removal of all boiler lagging, the cab, and all of the flues inside the boiler. Thereafter, the interior is sandblasted, and the whole boiler will be sonar scanned for thickness of steel.

Excursions

The Friends of the 261 pulled a series of excursions in the Summer and early fall of 2008. The trip which was planned for June 18–23 from Minneapolis to Milwaukee and return was cancelled due to excessive flooding in the midwest and Wisconsin.

The 261 came to Chicago in May 2008 for the shooting of the film Public Enemies (2009 film), starring Johnny Depp.^[3]

The second excursion of 2008 took place in September, and was planned to be the 261's last trip before its boiler recertification.

Sale

In mid-January 2010, the engine was found on the Sterling Rail Daily Express website, stating that there was a sale pending.^[4] The engine was supposedly to be sold to a California-based collector, who would have potentially let the Friends overhaul and operate the 261; however, the transaction was never completed. At the time, Steve Sandberg said he was engaged in talks with other organizations about leasing a different engine. In an e-mail dated November 17, 2009, Steve Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer of the Friends of the 261, informed the National Railroad Museum his organization had decided to discontinue operating #261, according to Michael E. Telzrow, executive director of the National Railroad Museum. Per the terms of their agreement, the Friends of the 261 would be responsible for returning the locomotive to the Museum.^[5] The Friends of the 261 finally were able to purchase the locomotive in May, 2010 for $225,000, keeping it in Minneapolis and returning it to operation upon its rebuild.^[6]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Passenger Train Journal, November 1993, p. 20. Interurban Press/Pentrex.
2. ^ http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20100507/GPG0101/100507146/1207^{[dead link]}
3. ^ "Hollywood Features Milwaukee Road No. 261". http://railroadnation.com/hollywood-features-milwaukee-road-261. ^{[dead link]}
4. ^ "Milwaukee Road 261 sale pending". http://www.sterlingrail.com/547/class.php?id=107. ^{[dead link]}
5. ^ "Milwaukee Road 261 has new Owner.". http://railroadnation.com/milwaukee-road-261-sold/. ^{[dead link]}
6. ^ "Milwaukee 261 sold, will continue operating". Trains. May 8, 2010. http://www.trains.com/trn/default.aspx?c=a&id=6775. Retrieved June 25, 2011. 

External links

• The Friends of the 261
• Milwaukee Road 261 Info, Photos and Video
• Milwaukee Road 261 Photo Gallery
• Milwaukee Road 261 Excursion Archive
• Steam Diary