Milwaukee Road branchline combine?

skytop45 · **Joined:** Mon Dec 06, 2010 12:01 pm **Posts:** 50

To further refine the list of known cars...the car in Limon is the 2758 so:

So, an updated list of the known surviving cars:

2705 in Milbank, South Dakota

2708 in French Lick, Indiana

2713 in Mendota, Illinois

2716 in Dunlap, Illinois

2756 in Chisago City, Minnesota

2758 in Limon, Colorado

275x in Marion, Iowa

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6468

Thanks skytop45, for the Milwaukee Road number for the car in Limon, Colorado. Our knowledge of these unique CMStP&P passenger cars continues to slowly grow.

Les

skytop45 · **Joined:** Mon Dec 06, 2010 12:01 pm **Posts:** 50

I had the chance to visit the car (#2708) in French Lick and was greeted with the following:

And interior:

This is a link to all the photos in the set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33672589@N08/sets/72157630721879952/

And photos of car #2758 in Limon, CO:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33672589@N08/sets/72157629923687426/

Trolleyguy · **Posted:** Sat Sep 29, 2012 12:09 pm

Attachment:

File comment: Iowa Trolley Park 1990

Mil Road combine Iowa Trolley Park 1990.jpeg [ 240.69 KiB | Viewed 10205 times ]

In 1990, I visited the Iowa Trolley Park in Clear Lake. I got a picture of the combine at the time.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Mon Dec 17, 2012 1:37 pm

Trains Magazine's online Newswire is reporting that the 2705 in Milbank, S.D. along with an ex-Milwaukee rib-side caboose, No. 01879 built in 1940 at the Milwaukee Shops and later renumbered 991879, were acquired by the Iron Horse Central RR in Chisago City, Minn.:

http://www.ironhorsecentral.com/

Photos of the move, including more trucking-trailer photos that don't transfer well here: http://www.ironhorsecentral.com/about37.html

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6468

Obviously the Iron Horse Central is trying to "corner the market". They now have TWO of these surviving cars; both the RPO/baggage/coach version (#2756) and now the "regular" combine version (#2705).

Actually this is great news. Congrats to the Iron Horse Central on their latest acquisition. I'll amend the original list again.

Les

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6468

skytop45 wrote:

To further refine the list of known cars...the car in Limon is the 2758 so:

an updated list of the known surviving cars:

2705 in Chisago City, Minnesota (formerly in Milbank, South Dakota)

2708 in French Lick, Indiana

2713 in Mendota, Illinois

2716 in Dunlap, Illinois

2756 in Chisago City, Minnesota

2758 in Limon, Colorado

275x in Marion, Iowa

skytop45 · **Joined:** Mon Dec 06, 2010 12:01 pm **Posts:** 50

I had an opportunity to visit the car in Marion last week and learned that it is the X-831, former 2753. It was formerly located at the Iowa trolley park (as seen in the photo posted earlier in this thread). Photos of the car are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/33672589@N ... 437687149/

So the list now reads:

an updated list of the known surviving cars:

2705 in Chisago City, Minnesota (formerly in Milbank, South Dakota)

2708 in French Lick, Indiana

2713 in Mendota, Illinois

2716 in Dunlap, Illinois

2753 in Marion, Iowa

2756 in Chisago City, Minnesota

2758 in Limon, Colorado

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6468

Skytop45 -

Thanks for the news that the car in Marion, Iowa is Milwaukee Road #2753. Your photos of the car are terrific!

Les

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Thu Feb 25, 2016 6:26 pm

Les Beckman wrote:

While looking for something on the internet, I stumbled across Randall Hicks wonderful Hicks Car Works site and his section on roadside railroad diners:

http://hickscarworks.blogspot.com/2008/ ... iners.html

There is a restaurant listed called The Siding in Peru, Indiana. A photo shows a couple of Milwaukee Road cars as part of the restaurant, including what looks like it could be one of their homebuilt branchline combines. But there appears to be too many passenger car windows in the one photo, although it is hard to tell for sure because of the camera angle. I found some recent reviews of the restaurant on the web, but no additional pictures. I wonder if there are any photos of the car that someone might be able to post. Thanks.

To bring this full circle five years later:

http://www.kokomotribune.com/news/forme ... 0fe06.html

Quote:

PERU – Ron Short’s legacy in Peru was opening The Siding, a quirky restaurant packed full of historic memorabilia that allowed patrons to dine inside the two historic train cars attached to the building.

The 76-year-old Peru native opened the restaurant in 1969, and it eventually became one of the most popular places to eat in north central Indiana, as well as the oldest restaurant in the city.

But in December, Short announced he had sold the property at 8 W. 10th St. to Draper’s Auto Sales, which now plans to demolish the building and turn the property into a car lot.

The Siding will soon be only a memory, but its legacy will live on.

That’s because Short has donated the two restored train cars that became the restaurant’s calling card to the city.

Peru Mayor Gabe Greer said the donation is a generous gift they hope to turn into an attraction for residents and visitors.

“Everybody knew The Siding restaurant and loved going there,” he said. “It was a big part of our identity. Now that it’s gone, we can repurpose those cars that people knew and loved.”

The question, now, is how exactly that will happen.

Greer said the city currently is considering placing one of the train cars along the Nickel Plate Trail, which runs through the city, and another one near the restored Peru Depot at the corner of Broadway and Canal Street or along the City Riverwalk along the Wabash River.

More at the link.

More on the two cars: http://hickscarworks.blogspot.com/2008/ ... .html#Peru

Quote:

This restaurant incorporates two Milwaukee Road Hiawatha lightweights: 1351, a baggage-dormitory converted from the 1947 Touralux Mount Stuart, and 1948 coach 524, converted to leg-rest and renumbered 612.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/33672589@ ... 579934794/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/33672589@ ... 477152803/

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6468

Thanks for the update. Speaking of the subject CMStP&P branchline combines, the wife and I were in the French Lick area last year, and upon leaving town, I noticed that the Indiana Railway Museum has a new (new to me anyway) location. Their tie in with the casino located there, seems to have brought them a new prosperity. Anyway, I happened to notice that their particular example of these cars (#2708) was over at that location. I wonder if there are plans to restore it? Anyone happen to know?

Les

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6468

Les Beckman wrote:

Thanks for the update. Speaking of the subject CMStP&P branchline combines, the wife and I were in the French Lick area last year, and upon leaving town, I noticed that the Indiana Railway Museum has a new (new to me anyway) location. Their tie in with the casino located there, seems to have brought them a new prosperity. Anyway, I happened to notice that their particular example of these cars (#2708) was over at that location. I wonder if there are plans to restore it? Anyone happen to know?

Les

I asked the above question about 3 and a half years ago now, and I wonder if anyone knows whether car 2708 at IRM in French Lick was ever restored?

I also happened to stumble across a website for the Limon Heritage Museum & Railroad Park in Limon, Colorado and they had this page on their railroad equipment:

http://limonmuseum.com/traincars.html

Note that there is a partial view of their example of the Milwaukee Road combine, number 2758, and the comment that the interior of the car is not restored. At least the exterior paint on the car looks good.

Les

Milwaukee Road branchline combine?

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