Kettle moraine valley railroad shop

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

Steven -

Thanks for posting the photos of WP&Y 3' gauge #61.

Les

John Risley · **Joined:** Tue Aug 24, 2004 10:34 pm **Posts:** 965

I thought the Polson #2 was miserable to climb under and around the inside of the frame. I would have to loose 30 lbs work on this WP&Y #61. Not to worry Steve, you take it to CO. and I won't have to worry about it! Best fishes, John.

chris barney · **Joined:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 1:43 am **Posts:** 12

Hello Everyone,
I am new to the forum but am VERY interested in all things KMRR, including any KMRR memorabilia that is out there (postcards, BB caps etc.). My grandfather, Sylvester McAdams, was a Milwaukee Road employee for 53 years (1901-1954), the last 37 as an engineer. I look forward to interacting with all of you.

Chris Barney / Franklin, WI

Tavor · **Joined:** Fri Dec 21, 2012 4:32 pm **Posts:** 200

chris barney wrote:

Hello Everyone,
I am new to the forum but am VERY interested in all things KMRR, including any KMRR memorabilia that is out there (postcards, BB caps etc.). My grandfather, Sylvester McAdams, was a Milwaukee Road employee for 53 years (1901-1954), the last 37 as an engineer. I look forward to interacting with all of you.

Chris Barney / Franklin, WI

I'm also interested in the KMRR. What ever happened to that "cute as a button" Davenport that they used to have? Is it still at the former KMRR shops, or did it get sold and moved? Is it still operable?

mmichaud · **Joined:** Sun Jul 01, 2012 11:03 pm **Posts:** 14

The Davenport is still out at the KMRY property. For the most part the locomotive can operate. The orginal engine was changed out may years ago. If I recall it has a ford v-8 in.

I am in the process of converting over some old VHS videos of the KMRY. Here is a video of the Heisler running in the early 90's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9EbXjUcTIc

Mike

John Risley · **Joined:** Tue Aug 24, 2004 10:34 pm **Posts:** 965

Some nice footage of the #9. Always had a thing for that engine. Cheers, John.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPfq8fUFkRM

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

John -

My first ride on the KM was that last day of operations. Wish now that I had made it up there more often. Thanks for the posting and reminder.

Les

John Risley · **Joined:** Tue Aug 24, 2004 10:34 pm **Posts:** 965

Les...Don't even want to talk about it. I knew Richard back when I was a little kid and young adult, only live maybe 130 miles from KMRR and never made it until long after they quit running. Would of loved to visit Richard again, though I am sure he wouldn't of remembered me. He was much closer to my older brother than me. I remember when he got the #9 running for the first time. She looked pretty rough in the original steam up days. As a kid I didn't think it possible she could even run. Recall her tender had multiple patches in the bottom already back then. Even then I knew what thin rusty steel was. Guessing he made a new tank eventually, tires looked meaty too in the video. All that was a long time ago already. Watching the #9 run makes me very sad I got too busy to keep up with local steam events. A lot was going on in the 80's and 90's and I missed most of it working and buying old houses and a farm. Could of been worse, could of bought my own steam locomotive. Ha! Cheers, John.

K.R. Bell · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:37 pm **Posts:** 298

Did the Kettle Moraine use a rule book and employee timetable?

Was it all-volunteer, or did they pay their crews?

Is there an all-time KM loco & equipment roster that somebody can post here?

Wasn't the Polson #2 (now at Mid-Continent) on the KM back in the 70's? Did it run there? During what years? Why did the engine leave?

Also, can somebody in-the-know please sketch a track map of all the KM sidings and switches and post it here?

Thank you in advance.

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

Got permission from Steven to go on to the property so last Friday I stopped by on my way up to visit my daughter and her family for Easter.

My first impression of the site was that it was like walking into a 1950's short-line railroad time capsule. Equipment sitting around. An eerie quiet overall, except for the gentle sound of melting snow runoff. Depot still there, with the North Lake station names removed (hopefully, not illegally). Steam engine parts up on flat cars. A very old passenger car. Even some 3' gauge equipment on the property. Except for my shoeprints in the slushy snow, I left everything untouched.

Les

SPsteambuff · **Posted:** Tue Apr 02, 2013 10:42 pm

Any photos Les?

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

Took a few. Will try to get them posted.

SPsteambuff · **Posted:** Wed Apr 03, 2013 4:53 pm

Excellent! Thank you Les and Steve for informing us of everything!

chris barney · **Joined:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 1:43 am **Posts:** 12

I am also looking forward to current photos of the site, Les - thanks for that!

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

Les Beckman wrote:

Took a few. Will try to get them posted.

Okay, here is the first one. Steven posted a couple of photos of the running gear of WP&Y #61 earlier in this thread. This photo shows the boiler for the Consolidation.

BTW, bear with me on posting these photos of my visit to the old Kettle Moraine in North Lake, Wisconsin. All of these photos have to be resized. This is not an easy thing for me to do considering I am basically illiterate when it comes to computers.

Les