ArtistikFunk Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 JUNK TRAINS <h6> In the 1860s, Milwaukee banker Alexander Mitchell pieced together several different railroad companies into a unified system that would eventually become the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific – The Milwaukee Road. A north-south connector track was built in 1869 to link the former M&M line in the Menomonee Valley with the La Crosse & Milwaukee at North Milwaukee Junction near 32nd and Hampton. When it was completed, the former La Crosse & Milwaukee track became a 6.2-mile branch line that was officially called the Chestnut Street Line. (Chestnut Street is the former name of Juneau Avenue, the location of the line’s original downtown yard.) But the railroad through Riverwest was destined to play a significant role in the New Milwaukee Road, Generating more freight cars & revenue per mile than any other part of the vast Milwaukee Road system. With four major breweries, Miller, Schlitz, Pabst, and Blatz, 3 of them near the southern end, it’s not surprising the railroad soon acquired its “Beer Line” nickname. Beer was big business for the line. On some days, more than 350 railroad cars were loaded with beer and dispatched over the line. Train after train rolled through Riverwest. As many as 100 cars in some trains – a moving steel wall of Beer cars nearly a mile long. In the 1950s and 1960s, the railroad maintained a tiny “crossing shanty” at the corner of Locust and Humboldt. As the trains approached, an elderly man would emerge from the little shack and wave a sign to stop traffic. A heavy train climbing the river bluff from North Avenue would take 10 minutes to struggle through the intersection, But there were many more customers for the railroad, The Beer Line was lined with heavy industry, including American Motors Body Plant, which required 40 to 50 freight cars a day. Other major shippers included Continental Can. The Beer Line grew up with the brewing industry and it faded when brewing faded from the Milwaukee scene. Blatz closed in 1959. Schlitz, which once accounted for hundreds of carloads a day, began to unravel, finally closing in 1982. Pabst, also gave up on rail service. In the mid-1970s, American Motors sharply scaled back production at its Capitol Drive facility. By the 1980s, the plant was shut down. The Railroad in financial trouble- reorganized & shed two-thirds of its trackage. The Milwaukee Road itself was in a death spiral, soon broken up and sold off in pieces, It was acquired by the Soo Line Corp. on February 21, 1985, which operated it as the Milwaukee Road, Inc., until merging it into the Soo Line on January 1, 1986. Despite its financial difficulties, the Milwaukee was innovative. It pioneered long-distance electrification (656 route miles), construction of all-welded freight and passenger cars, and operation of high-speed intercity passenger trains. (The steam powered Hiawatha commonly ran over 125 mph.) The road employed thousands and touched millions of lives during its operation - It's legacy continues today through the interests of hobbyists and historians alike. </h6> <h5> Long live The Milwaukee Road!!</h5> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistikFunk Posted May 27, 2004 Author Share Posted May 27, 2004 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistikFunk Posted May 27, 2004 Author Share Posted May 27, 2004 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistikFunk Posted May 27, 2004 Author Share Posted May 27, 2004 <h5>Click on image to see this small video clip ( 5 minute download)</h5> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IRON HEAD Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 RUMOR Nice lil video... I LUV SIMPLOTS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelACKson Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 cameo, rumor, sien5 doooope Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeefJerky Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 RUMOR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neskoner Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 coupe dark hest sever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krowteN Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 cha aest rumor shae sien5th metr coup and bump for the artistik. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rob deer Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 YEAH BUDDY! i caught that hevs back in milwaukee in 96 word up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistikFunk Posted May 27, 2004 Author Share Posted May 27, 2004 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ionno. Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 dope fliks bump for the movie production...everything about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crave Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 Originally posted by nelACKson cameo, rumor, sien5 doooope Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsallafarce Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah!!!!!....that lil clip was cool....and so is this post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InDY_500 Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 Originally posted by itsallafarce yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah!!!!!....that lil clip was cool....and so is this post You said excatly what i wanted to say... side note: love the ass.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
railspike Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 yeah that vid is mad dope, feelin the soundtrack too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IRonE_gee Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 bootilicious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
160 Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 This no look real. Why do that? look like so good computer fun This no look right. Why mouth open? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DANKMAN Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 nice post, lots of good shit.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest soneMILWwi Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 yo art i didnt know u got the riverwest currents over on the south side, love your drunk white homie... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hate-u-all Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 big ups to dark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pores Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 aware navy size 21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adderall Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 rumor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newdeal7 Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 my boy perk... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A. peski Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 In the 1860s, Milwaukee banker Alexander Mitchell pieced together several different railroad companies into a unified system that would eventually become the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific – The Milwaukee Road. A north-south connector track was built in 1869 to link the former M&M line in the Menomonee Valley with the La Crosse & Milwaukee at North Milwaukee Junction near 32nd and Hampton. When it was completed, the former La Crosse & Milwaukee track became a 6.2-mile branch line that was officially called the Chestnut Street Line. (Chestnut Street is the former name of Juneau Avenue, the location of the line’s original downtown yard.) But the railroad through Riverwest was destined to play a significant role in the New Milwaukee Road, Generating more freight cars & revenue per mile than any other part of the vast Milwaukee Road system. With four major breweries, Miller, Schlitz, Pabst, and Blatz, 3 of them near the southern end, it’s not surprising the railroad soon acquired its “Beer Line” nickname. Beer was big business for the line. On some days, more than 350 railroad cars were loaded with beer and dispatched over the line. Train after train rolled through Riverwest. As many as 100 cars in some trains – a moving steel wall of Beer cars nearly a mile long. In the 1950s and 1960s, the railroad maintained a tiny “crossing shanty” at the corner of Locust and Humboldt. As the trains approached, an elderly man would emerge from the little shack and wave a sign to stop traffic. A heavy train climbing the river bluff from North Avenue would take 10 minutes to struggle through the intersection, But there were many more customers for the railroad, The Beer Line was lined with heavy industry, including American Motors Body Plant, which required 40 to 50 freight cars a day. Other major shippers included Continental Can. The Beer Line grew up with the brewing industry and it faded when brewing faded from the Milwaukee scene. Blatz closed in 1959. Schlitz, which once accounted for hundreds of carloads a day, began to unravel, finally closing in 1982. Pabst, also gave up on rail service. In the mid-1970s, American Motors sharply scaled back production at its Capitol Drive facility. By the 1980s, the plant was shut down. The Railroad in financial trouble- reorganized & shed two-thirds of its trackage. The Milwaukee Road itself was in a death spiral, soon broken up and sold off in pieces, It was acquired by the Soo Line Corp. on February 21, 1985, which operated it as the Milwaukee Road, Inc., until merging it into the Soo Line on January 1, 1986. Despite its financial difficulties, the Milwaukee was innovative. It pioneered long-distance electrification (656 route miles), construction of all-welded freight and passenger cars, and operation of high-speed intercity passenger trains. (The steam powered Hiawatha commonly ran over 125 mph.) The road employed thousands and touched millions of lives during its operation - It's legacy continues today through the interests of hobbyists and historians alike.----I redid it cause the size was to small---brew city... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistikFunk Posted May 27, 2004 Author Share Posted May 27, 2004 Just trying to enlighten the brotha's with some history on this wonderful R.R, Now you new Jack benchers outhere can see why so much shit rolls threw here.. Hey Sone I like that you're so observant, When I grow up I want to be just like you! For the record: that Alicia piece on the CNW by obi-one is not computer generated that was Actually a Painted piece done back in the day. that is one of the Brew Town classics that got away................ Hey 160, that's his chin not his mouth opened..... Fun in the sun & lampin along the rails! More to Imagery come- been digging hard in the lugz shoe boxes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 wyse. sien5. rumor. collosus of roads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paint junky Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 excellent post. ::tips hat:: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angry orphan Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 everything hot.. glad to see perk on here... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermdog Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 False advertisement!!!! There are no junk trains in this post!!! Nice work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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