I awoke at the Best Western Dakota Ridge at 5:30 AM and after a brief continental breakfast, I left the hotel and drove Interstate 35E to Interstate 94 then exited, finding my way to Minneapolis Junction, the home of Milwaukee Road 261. I parked my rental car and walked down for a picture of my train.
It consisted of Milwaukee Road 4-8-4 261, auxiliary tender, Amtrak P42DC 198, tool car NSR 1615 "Grand Canyon", coaches "Lake Pepin" 800799, "St. Paul Pass" 800798, "Arizona" 800861 and NSR 202 "Wenonah" 800261, baggage concession car NSR 2450 800237, sleeper NSR 31 "Minnesota River" 800195, lounge NSRX 3103 "Wisconsin Valley" 800787, Amtrak Great Dome 10031, Super Dome 800862 and skytop observation car "Cedar Rapids" 800040.
A nice touch had been added to the side of the cab of P42DC 198, the Hiawatha emblem, a piece of Milwaukee Road history.
Amtrak's Empire Builder passed the steam engine on its way to Midway station this morning.
The uniquely wonderful "Cedar Rapids" brought up the rear of our excursion train. I went down and waited to board and at first, the crew did not believe me when I said Judy had upgraded me to the Great Dome so I had to walk with the crew member back to the "Cedar Rapids" where they found my name on the list for that car. I returned and found my seat.
My name on the table that was nicely decorated.
At 8:43 AM, Milwaukee Road 261 departed Minneapolis Junction and proceeded out towards the mainline.
The downtown Minneapolis skyline was seen as we left.
The view from the dome looking at Milwaukee Road 261 steaming ahead.
Our train went by the softball fields at the University of Minnesota.
We then passed the future university football stadium.
We went by a few grain elevators on the way out of the city.
Some of the Minnesota Transportation Museum's equipment at the Jackson Street Roundhouse before we went down Westminster Hill.
The St. Paul skyline as seen from the train.
We started to parallel the Mississippi River.
The Dayton Bluffs in St. Paul.
Passing Canadian Pacific's facility at Pig Eye Yard. I decided to walk back through the Premium Class end of our train.
The view from "Cedar Rapids".
Good friend and excellent videographer Joe Harper, who rode these two trips instead of filming. Everyone deserves a chance to relax and enjoy a few trips every now and again.
Interior views of "Super Dome".
The author in this former Milwaukee Road full dome car which Canadian National owned for several years. I returned to my seat in the Great Dome and the crew served Eggs Benedict Strata, sausage and fresh fruits. I had three links of sausage since I cannot eat eggs.
Looking across Old Man River, the Mississippi River.
Passing Lock and Dam 1.
The steam train approached the lift bridge across the Mississippi River.
Making its way out across the Mississippi River bridge at Hastings.
Our crossing of the river. After that I walked forward to see who I might find aboard that I knew. Up in the first coach was Cary and his family from Alabama, whom Chris Parker and I met when we were last in that state. I made my way back to the Great Dome before a quick servicing stop at Red Wing.
The Milwaukee Road Red Wing station built in 1905. A plaque on the building states "The construction of this building began in 1904 following an agreement in which the city of Red Wing provided trackage concessions and the railroad agreed to construct this depot and donate money toward construction of Levee Park. This building was designed by the railroad company architect, J.M. Nettenstrom, in a style influenced by the neoclassical revival of the 1893 Chicago Columbian Exposition." The building is a contributing property to the Red Wing Mall Historic District, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The train ran through the valley with no road construction being done on Sunday, much to the happiness of our train chasers today.
Looking east across the Mississippi River at Wisconsin.
Milwaukee Road 261 took one of the many curves along the Mississippi River on the Minnesota side. One reason I love these trips is visiting with so many people I know only because of this steam engine and the Friends of the 261, who ride the train. This group has so many heroes whom the general public never knows about. The car cleaners who work throughout the night, the engine staff who keep the fire going all night long and the car workers who keep everything working correctly. Without these and many more, these trips would never be as successful as they always are!
The mighty Mississippi River and Wisconsin on the other side, where we will be riding on later on this trip back to the Twin Cities.
Passing the football stadium in Winona.
The Milwaukee Road freight house built in 1888.
We arrived at the Winona station and stopped briefly.
Views along the Mississippi River as we ran through Dakota and Dresbach.
Milwaukee Road 261 reached the junction at La Crescent and unlike yesterday, would turn east and cross the river into Wisconsin and a stop at La Crosse.
At La Crescent.
Making the large turn to reach the Mississippi River bridge.
Coming out onto the Mississippi River lift bridge to enter Wisconsin.
The train curved into La Crosse with a pair of Canadian Pacific locomotives off to the left.
Milwaukee Road SD9 500:2, ex. Milwaukee Road 530, nee Milwaukee Road 2224 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1954.
The train pulled into the La Crosse station and everyone was given a drink and detrained for our boxed lunches. After I received mine, I went to take a few pictures.
Milwaukee Road 261 being serviced, after which I walked the length of the train.
Amtrak Great Dome.
The beautiful Super Dome.
The beautiful Cedar Rapids.
I walked back to the station and found a table and ate my pork sandwich then watched Frank Sandberg being interviewed and added a few comments before returning aboard the train and waiting for departure time in the Great Dome.
