# Milwaukee Road roundhouse in Deer Lodge, MT



## Chet (Aug 15, 2014)

When I was a kid growing up in Montana, I had quite a few relatives working for both the Milwaukee Road and the Northern Pacific. When I was about ten, I was allowed to start riding in the cabs of steam, diesel and electric locomotives. What a hoot this was for a kid. On the Northern Pacific I got to travel from Laurel, MT to as far as Missoula, MT. 

On the Milwaukee, it was a different matter. I was lucky enough to have covered the entire electrified division in Montana from Harlowtown, MT all the way to Avery, ID. I had relatives all along this route and always had a bed to sleep in and a meal to enjoy all along the route. I had relatives in Harlowtown, MT, Three Forks, MT and Deer Lodge, MT.

Deer Lodge was the last division point westbound before the end of the electrified division before Avery, ID. I was quite familiar Deer Lodge and came across these old pictures which brought back a lot of good memories. 




























In the first picture I can pick out my uncles house in the upper left of the picture. Of course, the Milwaukee Road is long gone and hardly anything is left to show where things were back then. A lumber mill occupies most of the yard area today and all that can be found of the roundhouse is the floor area of a few stalls in what is now equipment storage for the mill. 

The Milwaukee road is still well remembered in Deer Lodge. Many memories are on display in the town. Just south of the old Montana State Prison is a park area with a Little Joe, an E-9 and a caboose are on display along the main street as you drive into town. 










I can well remember the hours I spent riding in the cabs of the Little Joes and box cabs of the Milwaukee Road.


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## bob from pdx (Mar 18, 2014)

Thanks Chet. good info and pictures bob


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