PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For Additional Information Contact: Bob Lettenberger
Phone: 920-437-7623, x-16
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 09-15


Milwaukee Road #261 to Return to Museum

Ashwaubenon (Green Bay, Wis.) – In an e-mail dated Tuesday, November 17, 2009, Steve Sandberg, COO of the Friends of the 261, informed the National Railroad Museum that his organization has decided to discontinue operating former Milwaukee Road steam locomotive #261, according to Michael E. Telzrow, executive director of the National Railroad Museum. Per the terms of the current agreement, The Friends of the 261 are now responsible for returning the locomotive to the Museum.

“The Museum wishes to see #261 continue its excursion operations,” stated Telzrow. “The locomotive is a living piece of America’s railroad heritage and offers a unique perspective on a bygone era. For these reasons, the Museum is exploring options which involve continued operation and eventual exhibit at the National Railroad Museum.”

The former Milwaukee Road locomotive is the first piece of railroad equipment acquired by the Museum, arriving at the facility on March 10, 1958. In railroad service, #261 had a brief career as a freight and passenger locomotive from 1944 to 1954. The Milwaukee Road assigned the locomotive to Chicago. From here it worked as far west as Kansas City and Omaha and north to Minneapolis-St. Paul. Having been built under World War II technology restrictions, #261 is a conglomeration of designs that existed at the time.

The Friends of the 261 have operated the locomotive for the past 18 years under a lease agreement with the National Railroad Museum. The 261 has appeared at rail events in the Midwest and eastern states. The locomotive has also led numerous excursions in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Founded in 1956, the National Railroad Museum is one of the oldest institutions of its type in the U.S. The Museum works to foster an understanding of railroading and its significance to American life. Visiting the National Railroad Museum offers you an opportunity to explore our railroad heritage. Sit in the cab of the Union Pacific Big Boy, the world’s largest steam locomotive. View Gen. Eisenhower’s World War II command train. Examine the future of railroading in the sleek 1955 General Motors Aerotrain. The Museum is one of the oldest and largest institutions of its kind in the U.S.

FOR MEDIA USE — Photos of Milwaukee Road #261 are available at the Museum’s website – http://www.nationalrrmuseum.org/en-Us/n ... fault.aspx.

-30-

Too bad, but that is a business decision.

IMHO, the MILW 265 at IRM would be a good candidate for the 261 crew as the learning curve would be much shorter with an almost identical locomotive..

Not bad. Three threads on the same subject.

Later!
Mr. Ed

First of all, we owe a great debt of gratitude to the Friends of the 261 for making the last 15 years possible. Especially the Sandberg family who supported the project 110%. In addition there are so many crew members I know by sight, but do not have their names at my disposal, who spent countless hours volunteering to keep this beauty on the rails. There is a line in the movie version of M*A*S*H, where the surgeons refer to themselves as the ''Pro's from Dover". This is what my friends have always called them, as they were professionals, and could always deliver.

I only started riding the 261 in 1998, and living in Kansas City, was limited to about one trip a year. But those rides down the old "Q" side of the Mississippi River will never be forgotten, along with 1000 other ones. Kudoes to The Sandbergs, Bob Franzen, Don Crimmin, and the others who I am unable to name, for a job well done. And don't forget the beautiful train that was assembled from a dozen sources. I used to refer to her as "The Morning Hiawatha the day the Diesels Failed".

There is a great deal of frustration with the museum in Green Bay that they were never able to come to terms with the Friends of 261 over continued operation. Business is business, and that's all I'll say about that.

A remark a friend made the other night about the parallel to the demise of the much-missed C.B.& Q. 5632. I will hopefully quote Shakespeare correctly or a close paraphrase, "...it ended not with a bang, but with a wimper." Best of Luck to the Friends of 261, you always made our day.

H. Jebone,
Kansas City, MO

Not Shakespeare, but T.S. Eliot penned these words in his poem "The Hollow Men."

This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.