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Milwaukee Road 261 to Duluth and the Minnesota Zephyr Dinner Train 5/17-20/2002

I needed a vacation after two weeks of Stanford Achievement Testing Ninth edition at McFadden Intermediate and the students on this year's case load. I was eager for this school year to be over. The idea for this journey came to me after I bought tickets online for the two-day excursion to Chicago behind Milwaukee Road 261 in June. I looked at the Friends of Milwaukee Road 261 website, thought why not, and purchased tickets for this trip as well then used my Alaska Airlines miles for a flight on Northwest Airlines, a Mileage Plan partner, and made the hotel reservations. AAA reserved a rental car for me and I made a reservation on the Minnesota Zephyr Dinner Train and was set.

I packed and was ready to go the night before.

I drove our family's van to Orange County Airport, said goodbye to my mother and stood in line for fifteen minutes at the Northwest ticket counter to obtain my boarding pass. That was followed by going through post 9/11 airport baggage security screening and it did not feel any different than my previous flights, until I reached the gate where random passengers were further screened. I listened to "Chicago 17" while waiting to board and we left on time but had to sit on the runway until after 7:00 AM as there is a curfew against takeoffs before that time. I enjoyed my flight with highlights being the Grand Canyon, Goosenecks of the San Juan and Pike's Peak. We arrived at Minneapolis on time and I made my way to the Hertz rental car counter.

At Hertz, they not only took my Amtrak Guest Rewards card, but also my Alaska Airline Mileage Plan card, so I received credit for both. I rented a Kia Rio which was a very nice car and drove Minnesota Highway 55 into town and paralleled the construction of their new light rail line.

I drove to Harrison Street where I found Milwaukee Road 4-8-4 261 and train then checked into the Best Western University Hotel and relaxed for about two hours.

I drove to Stillwater by way of the Minnesota Commercial Railway and after signing a release, was free to take all of the pictures I wanted. Here is Minnesota Commercial RS18 82, ex. Canadian Pacific 1839, nee Canadian Pacific 8783, built by American Locomotive Company in 1958. I stopped by the dispatcher's office to say thanks and he gave me directions on where to find their hump set working. I thought driving out to Stillwater would be easy, but it was bumper- to-bumper on the only road that leads out to Wisconsin from the Twin Cities, which made my journey more taxing than I had expected. I made it to Stillwater and found a Rexall Drug Store for some Alka-Seltzer Plus for my now-dripping sinuses.

This dinner train has been operating out of Stillwater for over twenty years and serves a five-course, white linen dinner on a six-mile route which travelled along the St. Croix River bluffs, then turns westward and follows a stream.

I saw I was at the right spot when I saw Minnesota Zephyr Dinner Train F7A 787, ex. Colorado and Eastern 716, exx. Cadillac and Lake City 716, exxx. Burlington Northern 9756, exxxx. Burlington Northern 716:2, nee Spokane, Portland and Seattle 804 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1953.

I visited the Stillwater Depot, which houses a railroad and logging museum then caught up writing the trip so far in the parking lot prior to going into the depot to wait for boarding. The train consisted of F7A 788, baggage car (former Milwaukee Road), St. Croix dome-club car (former Missouri Pacific), table car "Lake Winds" (former Chesapeake and Ohio), table car "Stillwater" (former Chesapeake and Ohio), table car "Northern Winds" (former Chesapeake and Ohio) and the Grand Dome. I was assigned to "Northern Winds" and after I was seated, I asked Laura, my attendant, to take a picture of me with my camera which she happily did. She then suggested that I tour the Grand Dome, the former Southern Pacific home-built built at the Sacramento Shops. I wished Bill Wallace of Bananafish Tours could see this car as he used to own a sister car.

The Zephyr Cabaret, a group of singers in United States Army costumes, sang as they walked through each of the cars. My tablemates were from Plymouth, a suburb of Minneapolis and on the tables as we arrived was shrimp cocktail, followed by chicken and wild rice soup. I chose pink lemonade as my drink of choice this evening.

At 7:30 PM, the train started its slow march towards Duluth Junction and we ran north along the St. Croix River seen through the trees along the highway below the cliff, then climbed a short grade that took us over Highway 95. As we climbed away from the river, there were retaining walls to hold the slopes in place. This area was Dutchtown as the train ascended to the west following Browns Creek up the 2.2 percent grade to gain 250 feet in elevation. I walked the rest of the train and rode in the St. Croix dome, having this car to myself while the rest of the passengers were enjoying their salads. I enjoyed the cascading miles of Browns Creek and the journey to the top of the grade at the Oak Glen Country Club.

I returned to my table and minutes later, the largest piece of prime rib I had ever had arrived. The train rolled by the Sawmill Country Club and later a beautiful lake on the right of the tracks. We reached the turn-back point near Duluth Junction and during the stop, the engineer walked back through the train to switch ends. We asked to see a picture of his girlfriend and he showed us a picture of Diane Swayer of Good Morning America fame with him and his wife. We returned to Stillwater, making the same slow trip and started with a dessert of cheesecake. I was stuffed!

Out of the blue, our conductor asked me if I wanted to ride in the engine. You know what my answer was, so we walked through the Grand Dome into the engine room and finally into the cab of F7A 787. As a child, this was my favourite type of engine and today was the first time I had had the opportunity to ride in one of them. At three-and-a-half miles per hour, this was the slowest trip I had taken, displacing the Eureka Southern for that title forever. We arrived in Stillwater and as I walked off the train, had a few thoughts to share about this trip. Laura was an excellent server, the food was top rate and the ride will always be a memorable experience. I drove back to Minneapolis and had a good night's sleep.

I was up early filled with excitement as I prepared for the day's activities. After checking out, it was about a five minute drive to where the steam engine was kept. I parked and found a seat in the former Central of Georgia coach "Nokomis" and was greeted by Tim, who was my car attendant for the excursion.

Milwaukee Road 261 and train left departed on time starting slowly before briefly stopping at Van Buren Street. I walked back to the concession car to obtain my souvenir ticket then returned to my seat as the train started through Northtown Yard and proceeded to Coon Creek where we left BNSF's Chicago-to-Seattle mainline and entered the Hinckley Subdivision. We stopped and were told a man had handcuffed himself to the rails because he disliked steam trains, something that was never substantiated. The many horses we saw were always running at full speed away from the steam train and once we cleared the green flag at Cambridge after forty miles of 25 miles per hour slow orders, Milwaukee Road 261 finally was able to stretch her legs. The countryside was undulating with lakes in any of the low spots, since Minnesota is the 10,000 lake state. We highballed through Brahm and Grasston after crossing Snake Creek before reaching Brook Park and crossing several branches of Pokegama Creek.

Just before Hinckley, we stopped to lubricate the steam engine before a double photo runby was performed. There was a diabetic emergency but the medical personnel on the train took good care of the person then once on the move again, after passing through Hinckley, we crossed the Grindstone River prior to running to Sandstone, where we crossed high above the Kettle River then passed through miles of forest and marshes. Milwaukee Road 261 ran through Askov and Bruno before crossing the Net River on a 396 foot high trestle and a short distance later, entered Wisconsin. In the siding at Foxboro was a Union Pacific baretable train waiting for us to clear, then we crossed the Nemadji River and a few miles later, crossed the Black River on a 1,600 foot trestle, the longest on the trip.

We arrived at the junction with the former Great Northern line to Fargo at Boylston and met an empty BNSF coal train on the double track segment of our route before passing the BNSF yard at Saunders then crossing over the Duluth, Winnipeg and Pacific, as well as the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range, tracks on a bridge. Next we ran through M&J Junction and at Central Avenue, met a train with Wisconsin Central power. We travelled through Superior with the BNSF yard to the north to Lake Superior Terminal and Transfer junction, where the steam engine was walked around the curve with crew members ensuring that 261's drivers stayed on the rail. We then crossed the Grassy Point Drawbridge, authorized by the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota in 1887 to cross Saint Louis Bay at the shortest possible location. It was built by the Minneapolis and Duluth Railroad, which was later acquired by the Northern Pacific. The bridge allowed to move trains between their railroad lines on either side of the Twin Ports Harbor. The east end of the bridge connects to the BNSF 28th Street Terminal, and a massive maze of rail yards and side tracks (now mostly gone). The current iron and steel bridge was built in 1912 to handle two parallel railroad tracks, but only one track is installed on the swing span. It is the only swing bridge still in use and one of two key railroad crossings that cross the border.

Once we had traversed this bridge, we were back into Minnesota and I noticed about twenty-five teddy bears on the pilings of the draw span and I wondered the reason for them? The crew walked 261 around another curve before we ran along the west side of Duluth along the harbour's waterfront, passing the ore docks, now served by conveyor belts rather than trains, then passed the BNSF yard with two wye tracks before arriving at Duluth Union Station, ending a wonderful excursion behind Milwaukee Road 261.

I immediately toured the Lake Superior Railroad Museum housed in the lower level of Duluth Union Station and attempted to take photographs under the train sheds of the old station for the museum's collection which was in very poor light. I then returned to where the shuttle buses were to load, finding a very long line of passengers who had not even been taken to their hotels yet. Since it was almost 5:00 PM and having a train to catch at 6:30 PM, two couples and I decided to find some food and to check in to the Best Western when we returned from the evening trip. We ended up at the Incline, a bowling alley where I had chicken drumettes then returned to wait to board the evening trip.

This excursion was to be a diesel pulling Milwaukee Road 261 and train to Two Harbors, with the steam engine pulling us back to Duluth. At least that was the plan until 261 and the train was reversed down to the wye in the yard to turn it for the return trip to Minneapolis tomorrow, as well to lead on the return from Two Harbors tonight. We were told that on the crossing on one leg of the wye, that two of the driving wheels rode up and over the rails so a decision was made, with all passengers waiting out in the cold at the depot, that Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range SD18 193 would pull the entire consist back to the depot and it would take the train out solo.

After the North Shore Scenic Railways train arrived, 193 pulled the train into the depot and it was announced that because we were all patient, drinks would be free as their way of saying thanks for waiting. That did not affect me at all since I was now sober. I was first in line and was given an opportunity to ride in "Cedar Rapids". With this car tonight and the former Missouri Pacific car last night, I wondered how many more types of cars I had yet to ride. The consist also included the museum's Great Northern "Lake of the Isle" dining car and Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range combine W-24.

We departed by reversing out of the depot with the glass observation end providing an excellent view then proceeded forward on the former Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range tracks behind an former DM&IR locomotive on the North Shore Scenic Railway, going first through the London Road Tunnel, a freeway underpass, then ran below the Edgewater Best Western, where I would be staying tonight. We crossed Tischer Creek before passing through the eastern suburbs of Lakeside, Lester Park and Rivers. Along the first part of the trip, Lake Superior was clearly seen before being mostly obscured by trees for the reminder. Due to our late start, darkness came quickly so the rest of the journey was in the dark. The rear Mars lights of "Cedar Rapids" was interesting to watch as it lit up the trackside signs for a brief moment and I was certainly glad to be riding in this Skytop observation car.

We crossed the Talmadge River on a trestle bridge, followed by French River along with Big and Little Sucker Creeks. It was pitch black as we crossed the Knife River before running the remaining miles to Marbles, which due to our train's condition, became our outbound destination. The locomotive ran around the train on the siding here before coupling onto "Cedar Rapids" and SD18 193 would pull the train long-hood forward back to Duluth. I took this opportunity to explore the train and to gain passage through one car, the crew made me sing a song each way. Since I was wearing a Jethro Tull shirt, I sang "Trains" from Ian Anderson's solo album "Walk into the Light" going and the Jethro Tull classic "Locomotive Breath" on my return. There was "No way to slow down!"

I enjoyed walking through all of the cars especially "Caritas" as I have several Mexico railroad videos in which the car is featured. The two museum cars were quite interesting as well. I returned to "Cedar Rapids" and watched the engine perform "Sparks will fly!" It was a unique experience to have the locomotive putting on a show right outside the rear window. We arrived in Duluth with Milwaukee Road 261 waiting for us on the station's lead and everyone clapped to give the steam team a thank you for the excellent job of returning Milwaukee Road 261 to service that night. As we pulled by the steam engine, it blew down, steam-cleaning the windows of "Cedar Rapids". We reversed into the depot with 261 now on the stub-end of our track.

As I walked to the bus, I thanked three members of steam crew for all of their hard work. While I slept, DM&IR 193 took the train around the wye before Milwaukee Road 261 reversed onto the train once they returned. I returned up the hill to the Best Western and slept like a rock after learning the Los Angeles Lakers had won game one of the Western Finals of the 2002 NBA playoffs against the Sacramento Kings.

Up early and after my usual morning preparations, I checked out and had toast with orange juice for breakfast then went out to the curb and wrote last night's adventures while waiting for the bus back to the depot then I boarded early and did word fill-in puzzles while listening to music. Our departure was on time and I as I was hungry, went to the concession car for a hot dog. As we passed the BNSF yard, several members of the steam crew showed me where the incident took place last night. The yardmaster would not let them use the wye that they had used on six previous occasions and made them use a wye with a crossing at the end of one of the wye legs. After looking at the track, the crew told the yardmaster that if they went that way, the engine would derail. Well it did not derail, but caused a major problem. A big thanks from all of the passengers to the Milwaukee Road 261 steam crew for all of their hard work last might that was allowing this trip to occur today.

We went back around the harbour and at the Grassy Point drawbridge, I spotted more teddy bears on the pilings on the other side of the bridge. Years later, I finally found the reason. It was part of a strange and a quite eerie row of teddy bears, clowns dolls, peluches and stuffed Disney characters which hang along the timbers of the rotating truss bridge, nailed up by their ears and stuffed paws a few meters above the St. Louis River. Some of them appear brand new, while others are matted, decomposing, faceless, bursting at their seams, or discoloured from years in the sun. Spider webs have been spun and re-spun between their legs and seams, and moss has grown up over their glass eyes while, all that remains of some are just detached ears, arms, and heads. Accessible only by water, this bizarre, unsettling collection was first created by Rick McDonald, who operated the bridge for many years from the now-deteriorating building that sits just above it. It seems that he began purchasing secondhand stuffed animals, fastening them to the wooden beams that supported the bridge. Even the other operators were not certain why he began this odd collection, though it was assumed it was for the entertainment of himself and the boaters that passed by. Then some boaters put some up. In any case, since McDonald's retirement and later his passing in 2006, boaters have continued to make their own additions to the eerie family, making it an ever-changing exhibition.

We slowly walked around the curve at Lake Superior Terminal and Transfer Junction before running over a pair of torpedoes in Superior. Since these are still in the rule book, our speed was restricted for a couple of miles then at Foxboro, we went into the siding to let BNSF 9876 and its 115-car coal train go by on the mainline. During our twenty-eight minute delay, the crew used the time to grease the rods of the engine. As we approached Bruno, the cars on the highway became more amusing with many laws being broken and unique ways to videotape Milwaukee Road 261 observed. Later, short of Mora Junction, they stopped to grease the rods again then we had a nice relaxing slow trip to Coon Creek and once back on the BNSF mainline, Milwaukee Road 261 opened it up and we clocked him at 62 mph. We slowed for Northtown Yard before continuing to 261's home at Minneapolis Junction, where we arrived late but no one cared after such a great trip behind Milwaukee Road 261. I bade the steam engine adieu until June 19th when I would be riding the two-day trip to Chicago then filled the rental car with petrol and stopped at Arby's for dinner before checking back into the Best Western for my last night on this trip.

Up early one more time, I had a waterfall shower before checking out and followed the excellent directions to the airport, where I returned the rental car and took the airport's tram to Lindbergh Terminal and obtained my boarding pass before passing through security. I enjoyed McDonald's hot cakes and sausage prior to waiting for Northwest Airlines Flight 111 to Orange County and watched the random search of passengers before boarding. We came into the clouds near Banning and on the final approach, had to pull up and circle before landing. My mother met me and took me home, where I started typing this story before going to see "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones". All this made for a great long weekend trip with Milwaukee Road 4-8-4 261.

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