Friday, June 3, 2011

Visit to Madison

I happened to be in Madison, Wisc. for the day, so here a couple of views of railroad preservation.

The Milwaukee Road station is now a bicycle store. The platform area has been fenced off and is used for bicycle storage. Madison almost appears to have more bicycles than people.


Next to the station, on a section of disconnected track, sit a Milwaukee Road locomotive and four streamlined passenger cars.

(L) One from the NYC, and two (R) lettered for MTA, but probably also NYC. These are being used as offices by investment bankers and so on.




And the open platform obs car "Camp Randall." The sign says it's available for lease!





Finally, I thought this switch was mildly interesting. It leads into a coal-fired power plant near the middle of town. Originally the switch would have been located in the middle of an intersection, so the rails were extended out about 50' to put the mechanism on open ground.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

The car lettered MTA in the photo is most likely an ex New York Central "Empire State Express" car from 1941. The fluted roof gives away its Budd built origins, while the double equalized trucks date it as being from before WW2.

Thanks for the opportunity to indulge in some sleuthing.

Artschwartz

Randall Hicks said...

Yes, as I looked at it again, I think you're right. Thanks. I've updated the text.

Anonymous said...

Is that power plant the one downtown by the University?

Randall Hicks said...

Yes. This is the corner of Spring and Charter St. we're looking at, and this line was originally an IC branch into Madison.

Al Reinschmidt said...

Wonder what AREMA (AREA) standard plan covers that turnout

Jeron G said...

That's the UW Heater. I switched it a couple times when I worked at WSOR. After the hoppers are unloaded, a front end loader pushes the emptys toward where you're standing and to the end of the stub which is the former IC Freeport Sub.