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Milwaukee Road Steam Roster: Post 1900

Last revised: September 26, 2024

By: Adam Burns

The Milwaukee Road is best known for its fleet of 4-4-2s and 4-6-4s which led the regional Hiawathas during the 1930s and 1940s; locomotives that were capable of reaching speeds greater than 100 mph.

However, given the railroad's size it generally operated a vast fleet of varying wheel arrangements.  Interestingly, due to the Milwaukee's numerous light branch lines in the Midwest, 4-6-0s and 2-8-0s could be found in freight service along these secondary appendages until the end of the steam era.

During the later years 2-8-2s worked heavy freight service, complemented by the big 4-8-4s which began arriving in 1930.  Passenger assignments were typically handled by 4-4-2s, 4-6-4s, and 4-6-2s along with dual-service 4-6-0s and 4-8-4s.

The Milwaukee Road operated just a small fleet of articulateds, a group of 2-6-6-2s (Class N1 through N3), utilized along the stiff mountain grades along Lines West.

In his book, "Guide To North American Steam Locomotives," author George Drury notes the big compounds began their careers in 1910/1911 working the Bitter Root Mountains.  Following the Pacific Extension's electrifications they were transferred to the non-electrified Idaho Division as well as The Elk River and Metaline Falls branches.

The railroad was quick to adopt the diesel although its vast size meant steam held out for some time.  An S2 4-8-4 leading local freight #91 between LaCrosse, Wisconsin and St. Paul on January 4, 1955 was last known instance of steam used in freight service while 4-6-0 #1004 is recognized as the last to be used in passenger service when it led local trains #158/#157 between Austin, Minnesota and LaCrosse on the night of March 15/16, 1957.

081234172341527418741968125379268903890780.jpgAn American Locomotive builder's photo featuring recently-completed Milwaukee Road 4-6-4 #100 (F-7) at the company's plant in Schenectady, New York during August of 1938. Yes, the caption is correct ("Speed in excess of 120 mph"); these things could fly!

Switchers

Wheel Arrangement Class 1912 Road Number(s) 1938 Road Number(s) Quantity Builder Completion Date(s) Retirement Notes
0-6-0 I4a 1137-1159 - 23 CM&StP 1900-1902 1926-1930 -
0-6-0 I5 1160-1165 - 6 CM&StP 1902-1903 1931-1934 -
0-6-0 I5a 1166-1296, 4500-4534 1400-1522 166 CM&StP 1903-1913 1933-1955 -
0-6-0 I6s 1297-1306 1525-1534 10 CM&StP 1913-1914 1948-1956 -
0-8-0 D1 1400-1401 1550-1551 2 Baldwin 1913 1952 ex-Chicago, Terre Haute & Southeastern Railway
0-6-0 I5b 1535-1536 - 2 Baldwin 1907-1910 1934 ex-Chicago, Milwaukee & Gary Railway

Dual Service

Wheel Arrangement Class 1912 Road Number(s) 1938 Road Number(s) Quantity Builder Completion Date(s) Retirement Notes
4-8-4 S2 - 200-240 40 Baldwin 1937-1940 1954-1956 #200 later renumbered 230.
4-8-4 S3 - 260-269 10 Alco 1944 1954, 1956 -
4-4-0 H7 731-732 - 2 Baldwin 1901 1928 ex-Davenport, Rock Island & Northwestern
4-4-0 H8 900-904 40-42 5 Rogers (Alco) 1904 1934-1951 ex-Chicago, Terre Haute & South Eastern Railway (CTH&SE)
4-4-0 H8 905-908 - 4 Rogers (Alco) 1905 1934 ex-CTH&SE
4-6-0 G6 2300-2332 - 33 CM&StP 1905-1907 1931-1948 -
4-6-0 G6 2334-2336 - 3 Baldwin 1904-1906 1926, 1932 Acquired via acquisition of Tacoma Eastern Railroad in 1909; #2334 sold in 1926.
4-6-0 G6 2337-2340 - 4 Rogers (Alco) 1905 1934 ex-CTH&SE
4-6-0 G6 2350-2368 1140-1160 22 CMStP&P 1914-1918 1932-1954 Rebuilt from Class B2.
4-6-0 G6 2372-2393 1161-1182 22 CMStP&P 1921-1928 1941-1955 Rebuilt from Class B2.
4-6-0 G7 2400-2455 1090-1093 56 CM&StP 1904-1906 1928-1939 -
4-6-0 G6 2700-2712 1123-1133 13 Brooks (Alco) 1909 1930-1948 -
4-6-0 G6 2713-2717 - 5 Baldwin 1907-1908 1935 ex-Idaho & Washington Northern Railroad
4-6-0 G6 2751-2775 1100-1122 25 Baldwin 1915-1927 1940-1954 Rebuilt from Class B3.
4-6-0 G7 2800-2824 1094-1097 25 CM&StP 1909 1929-1940 -
4-6-0 G7 2852-2865 1075-1084 10 CM&StP 1921 1940-1954 Rebuilt from Class B4.
4-6-0 G7 2867-2890 1050-1073 24 CM&StP 1915-1920 1948-1954 Rebuilt from Class B4.
4-6-0 B2 4137-4143 - 7 Baldwin 1900 ca. 1951 A compound design, later simpled and given Class G6.
4-6-0 B3 4201-4225 - 25 Baldwin 1900 ca. 1955 A compound design, later simpled and given Class G6.
4-6-0 B4 4301-4382 - 82 Baldwin 1900-1903 ca. 1955 A compound design, later simpled and given Class G7 and G8.
4-8-4 S1 9700 250 1 Baldwin 1935 1954 -
4-8-4 S1 9701 251 1 CM&StP 1938 1954 -

Freight Service

Wheel Arrangement Class 1912 Road Number(s) 1938 Road Number(s) Quantity Builder Completion Date(s) Retirement Notes
Shay (37-ton, 2-Truck Class B) X1 1 - 1 Lima 1907 1927 -
2-6-0 NM2 2, 3 - 2 Baldwin 1901, 1908 Sold in 1933. -
Shay (70-ton, 3-Truck Class C) X2 5-6 - 2 Lima 1907 1919 Idaho & Washington Northern Railroad
Shay (50-ton, 2-Truck Class B) X1 25 - 1 Lima 1908 1927 -
4-6-0 G2c 2007 - 1 Baldwin 1904 1931 ex-Tacoma Eastern Railroad
4-6-0 G4g 2185 - 1 CMStP&P 1926 1930 Rebuilt from Class F1 #6000.
4-6-0 G5s 2250-2264 1185-1198 15 CMStP&P 1913-1915 1939-1945 Rebuilt from Class B1.
4-6-0 G5c 2265 - 1 Baldwin 1907 1927 ex-Bellingham Bay & British Columbia Railroad #32.
4-6-0 G5e 2266-2275 - 10 Baldwin 1903 1934 -
4-6-0 G8 2600-2641 1000-1041 42 CM&StP 1919-1925 1948-1957 Rebuilt from Class B4.
2-6-0 M1c 2956-2957 - 2 Baldwin 1901 1930 -
2-6-0 M1d 2958-2964 - 7 Rogers (Alco) 1904-1905 1930, 1934 -
2-6-0 M1e 2965-2968 - 4 Brooks (Alco) 1904-1905 1934 ex-Chicago, Milwaukee & Gary Railway
2-6-0 M2 2975-2978 - 4 Schenectady (Alco) 1905-1908 1927, 1934 ex-Chicago Junction Railway
2-6-2 K1 5000-5049 900-912 50 Brooks (Alco) 1907 1935-1955 -
2-6-2 K1 5500-5519 913-918 20 CM&StP 1908 1935-1954 -
2-6-2 K1 5520-5569 919-936, 955 50 Brooks (Alco) 1908 1935-1955 -
2-6-2 K1 5570-5619 938-950, 957-958 50 CM&StP 1908-1909 1935-1955 -
2-6-2 K1 5620-5644 951-960 25 Brooks (Alco) 1909 1935-1955 -
2-6-2 K1a 5100 - 1 Baldwin 1910 1927 Built as Peoria & Eastern Railway #102.
2-6-0 M1 6004-6005 - 2 Baldwin 1905 1925, 1927 ex-Montana Railroad
2-8-0 C1 7000-7064 1375-1395 65 CM&StP 1904-1907 1934-1949 -
2-8-0 C1 7065-7068 1396 (ex-7066) 4 Baldwin 1901 1934-1940 -
2-8-0 C1d 7069-7078 - 10 Rogers (Alco) 1908-1909 1934-1936 ex-Chicago, Terre Haute & South Eastern Railway
2-8-0 C1e 7079-7083 - 5 Brooks (Alco) 1905 1934 ex-Chicago, Milwaukee & Gary Railway
2-8-0 C1f 7084-7087 - 4 Baldwin 1907, 1910 1934 ex-Chicago, Milwaukee & Gary Railway
2-8-0 C2 7100-7149 1263-1331 50 Baldwin 1910 1936-1954 -
2-8-0 C5 7200-7204 1200-1204 5 CM&StP 1912 1951-1954 -
2-8-0 C5 7205-7239 1205-1239 35 Brooks (Alco) 1912 1945-1954 -
2-8-0 C5 7240-7249 1240-1249 10 CM&StP 1913 1945-1954 -
2-8-0 C4 7500 - 1 Baldwin 1904 1927 ex-Montana Railroad
2-8-0 C3b 7500-7554 1340-1344 5 Rogers (Alco) 1909 1945-1949 -
2-8-0 C3 7555-7560 1345-1347 6 Baldwin 1907, 1910-1911 1934-1951 ex-Idaho & Washington Northern Railroad
2-8-0 C9d 7564 - 1 Baldwin 1901 - ex-Bellingham Bay & British Columbia Railroad. Sold in 1926.
2-8-0 C9e 7565 - 1 Baldwin 1906 1935 ex-Tacoma Eastern Railroad
2-8-0 C2 7600-7624 1250-1311 25 CM&StP 1909-1910 1939-1955 -
2-8-0 C7 7700-7716 1350-1366 17 Schenectady (Alco) 1910-1918 1950-1953 ex-Chicago, Terre Haute & South Eastern Railway
2-8-2 L2 8000-8039 600-682 40 CM&StP 1912-1913 1930-1955 -
2-8-2 L2 8040-8154 612-726 115 Brooks (Alco) 1912 1934-1954 -
2-8-2 L2 8155-8179 661-738 25 Schenectady (Alco) 1914 1935-1954 -
2-8-2 L2 8200-8299 500-598 100 Baldwin 1920-1921 1935-1954 -
2-8-2 L2 8300-8399 400-499 100 Baldwin 1922-1923 1950-1956 -
2-8-2 L1 8500-8519 750-769 20 CM&StP 1909 1940-1954 -
2-8-2 L3 8600-8649 300-353 50 Brooks (Alco) 1918 1938-1955 -
2-8-2 L3 8650-8699 311-399 50 Schenectady (Alco) 1919 1949-1956 -
2-6-6-2 N1 9500-9524 - 25 Schenectady (Alco) 1910-1911 1927-1935 #17 was later simpled and given Class N3.
2-6-6-2 N2 9100-9104, 9600-9610 90-92 16 Schenectady (Alco) 1912 1934-1935, 1949 -
2-6-6-2 N3 9300-9316 50-66 17 Schenectady (Alco) 1929-1931 1950-1954 Simpled and rebuilt from Class N1.

Passenger Service

Wheel Arrangement Class 1912 Road Number(s) 1938 Road Number(s) Quantity Builder Completion Date(s) Retirement Notes
4-4-2 A 1-4 - 4 Alco 1935-1937 1949, 1951 Streamlined for the "Morning" and "Afternoon Hiawatha."
4-6-4 F7 100-105 - 6 Alco 1938 1949-1951 Streamlined for the "Morning" and "Afternoon Hiawatha."
4-6-0 G 2769, 2765 10-11 2 - 1926-1925 1951 Streamlined in 1936 and 1937, and listed as Class G6, for the "North Woods Hiawatha." The streamlining was removed in 1945 and the engines renumbered 1111-1112 in 1948.
4-4-2 A1 3013-3017 28-29 5 Baldwin 1903 1934-1940 -
4-4-2 A2 3100-3127 - 28 Baldwin 1901-1903 1926-1929 A compound design.
4-4-2 A2b 3128-3132 5 CM&StP 1907-1908 1927-1929 A compound design.
4-4-2 A4as 3135 32 1 Baldwin 1909 1951 Later classed as B4as.
4-4-2 A4s 3133-3134 30-31 2 Baldwin 1907 1951 Later classed as B4s.
4-4-2 A2c 3500-3511 12 Baldwin 1908-1909 1928-1930 A compound design.
4-6-2 F2 6050 - 1 CM&StP 1905 1929 -
4-6-2 F3 6100-6169 150-198 70 Brooks (Alco) 1910 1929-1954 -
4-6-2 F1 6157, 6160 151, 152 2 Brooks (Alco) 1910 1954 Built as F3a. Given Hudson-styled streamlining in the summer of 1941 at the Milwaukee Shops for the "Chippewa Hiawatha."
4-6-2 F4 6200-6219 875-890 20 CM&StP 1910 1934-1954 -
4-6-2 F5 6300-6349 800-846 50 Brooks 1912 1935-1954 #810 and #812 given Hudson-styled streamlining in the summer of 1941 at the Milwaukee Shops for the "Midwest Hiawatha's" Manilla, Iowa - Sioux Falls, SD section.
4-6-2 F2 6301, 6320 801, 812 2 Brooks (Alco) 1912 1950 Built as F5.
4-6-2 F5 6350-6354 825-857 15 CM&StP 1911-1912 1934-1954 -
4-6-2 F5 6365-6370 832-855 6 CM&StP 1914-1926 1935-1954 Rebuilt from F4.
4-6-4 F6 6400-6413 125-138 14 Baldwin 1930 1952-1954
4-6-4 F6a 6414-6421 139-146 8 Baldwin 1931 1952, 1954 -

Sources

  • Drury, George H. Guide To North American Steam Locomotives: Revised Edition. Waukesha: Kalmbach Books, 2015.
  • Morrison, Tom. American Steam Locomotive In The Twentieth Century. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2019.
  • Murray, Tom.  Milwaukee Road, The.  St. Paul:  MBI Publishing, 2005.
  • Scribbins, Jim.  Hiawatha Story, The.  Minneapolis:  University of Minnesota Press, 2007.
  • Scribbins, Jim. Milwaukee Road Remembered.  Minneapolis:  University Of Minnesota, 2008 (Second Edition).
  • Solomon, Brian and Gruber, John. Milwaukee Road's Hiawatha's, The.  St. Paul: Voyageur Press, 2006.

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