Milwaukee Road 261

COLUMBUS, WI

In June of 2006, I had the privilege of seeing the first mainline superpower steam locomotive I'd ever seen, Milwaukee Road S-3 4-8-4 no. 261. This was an awesome sight to behold, and it would've been more awesome if we were able to chase it to Milwaukee, but couldn't due to a fuel pump problem in the car we were in. My 13 year old self was convienced that someday, I would see the 261 alive in steam again.

In October of 2009, my 16 year old self was informed of a conflict between the Friends of the 261 and the National Railway Museum. The engine's 15-year lease was due to expire soon, and the head honcho of the group, Steve Sandberg, tried to negotiate with the NRM to extend the lease, but to no avail. Now sources say that 261 is slated to be stuffed and mounted inside The Great Hall along with Big Boy 4017, GG1 4890 and A4 60008 Dwight D. Eisenhower. The 261 is one of America's best renowned steam locomotives, and has run several successful first class excursions in partership with Amtrak and Canadian Pacific over the course of its fifteen year lease. Sandberg and The Friends of the 261 are a credit to the railfanning world. I wish them well, and godspeed to them, as well as extend my personal thank you for fifteen years worth of a top-notch excursion career in the American Midwest.


P.S. Don't bother trying to ignore the shaky camerawork. I was 13 when I shot this, and wasn't really professional at it as a result.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Milwaukee
• Road
• 261
• 4-8-4
• Hiawatha
• Cedar
• Rapids
• Super
• Dome
• Columbus
• Wisconsin
• WI
• Canadian
• Pacific
• Amtrak

[Conductor261]

She is coming back to service in 2012 hopefuly!  Thats what the plains are!

[NCStL576]

@Conductor261 2012? Oh crap. XD

[scotsman125]

@NCStL576. She's going back to England!

[jackpark7927]

Anyone think to give a location to this? Would be nice. It's like filling in the "where" hole of a news story.

[Dinosorable]

@tweetsie12engineer The friends of 261 rebuilt her, and got her back on track. They saved her! :D

[HTTVChannel]

Yup!  2012! My godfather is an engineer on it! He said early spring!

[ThePrestonSteamer]

Bring back 60008 Dwight D Eisenhower we run her over here its better than being stuck in a shed over in america

[pdxsteam]

Good news! 261's coming back! (or so i have heard) As of May 2010, the Friends of 261 bought her back. Plans are to finish the rebuild and hopefully return her to operation again.

[RailsandRoads]

i call for a moment of silence for the 261

[tweetsie12engineer]

hopefully some one will buy 261 and run her but im not so sure i hope she survives she is a crown jewl to railroading just like #265 if not retured to steam R.I.P! PLEASE SOME ONE SAVE STEAM TRAINS THEY ARE A DIEING ERA!!!