Latest News
2012 Spring Northern Lines
MILWAUKEE ROAD 261 GETS ITS WHEELS BACK, BOILER WORK PROCEEDING On Dec. 9, 2011, the rebuilding of Milwaukee Road 261 reached a milestone when the locomotive was placed back atop its four sets of driving wheels. No. 261 had been separated from its wheels since...
Milwaukee Night at Model Railroad Club
Final Night Trains Join the Friends of the 261 & the Twin City Model Railroad Museum on a special Saturday night "excursion" to see the final episode of Night Trains for the 2011-2012 season on Saturday, February 25. Featuring The Milwaukee Road for the entire...
2011 Engine Lift
2011 Winter Project
This summer the Friends of the 261 completed work to upgrade coach No. 203, the Nokomis, to full Amtrak compatibility. This car has a fascinating history, both when it was built and when it came to the Friends. American Car & Foundry constructed the car in 1947...
Super Dome Make Over
Wheel Pressing
During the week of March 6, a special custom-built machine was used to press apart the main driving axle on Milwaukee Road 261. The work was done to inspect the main roller bearings on the wheel, and to establish a better fit of the wheel on the axle hub. Although the...
Loram Specail
In 2011, Loram, along with CP, ran a special train as part of the Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association show held at Minneapolis's own Humboldt yard and Convention Center in downtown. [ngg src="galleries" ids="54" display="pro_tile"...
2011 Spring Northern Lines
PASSENGER CAR MODIFICATIONS, UPGRADES MOVE AHEAD This winter, the Friends of the 261 have been busy making modifications and upgrades to our passenger cars. Crews have been working on Skytop lounge observation Cedar Rapids , parlor car Wisconsin Valley and...
2010 Winter Projects
Every year, the Friends take on some of our bigger projects during the winter and early spring months. Last year we took on the challenge of renovating the upper level of Super Dome 53. This year we have undertaken repairs of the observation end of the Cedar Rapids....
2010 Abduction
<<Gallery August, 2010 – Clocker Coaches used in filming of a new movie, “Abduction" The Friends were contacted by a movie company and asked if we had any coaches they could temporarily paint to look like Amtrak cars. In Mid August the cars were sent to...