Electric Locomotives on the Milwaukee Road
Updated January 12th 2003
As in many other fields the Milwaukee Road was unique and in this instance the major freight operator of electric power in North America from 1916 until it was shut down in May 1974 with the last electric locomotive operated on May 1974 into Deer Lodge Montana. It operated 2 separate sections, the first between Harlowton and Avery, 482 miles in length and between Othello and Tacoma/Seattle. It also operated an electric operation under 1500 Volts DC in Great Falls, MT.
For a list of what is available in models for the electrics click here.
Bi-Polars (Class EP-2):
Milwaukee purchased 5 Bi-Polars from GE in 1919, all meant for passenger service. They cost $200.000 each, were 76' long, weighed 265 tons and developed 3200 hp with 123.500 lbs. of tractive effort. They had 12 motors with 28 wheels. All were retired by 1962. Towards the end of their careers, they also operated in Montana, were streamlined and also painted into UP armor yellow for the combined passenger service. E-2 was the only one saved now at the National Transportation Museum in St. Louis.|
Orig No |
Last No |
Bldr No |
Class |
Remarks |
|
10250 |
E1 |
6978 |
EP-2 |
|
|
10251 |
E2 |
6979 |
EP-2 |
|
|
10252 |
E3 |
6980 |
EP-2 |
|
|
10253 |
E4 |
6981 |
EP-2 |
|
|
10254 |
E5 |
6982 |
EP-2 |
|
Little Joes (Class EP-4 & EF-4):
Milwaukee obtained 12 Little Joes. GE had built a total of 20 to be shipped to Russia but the Cold War nixed the deal. GE completed 14 in broad gauge and 6 to standard gauge. Milwaukee bought them between 1949 and 1950 and rebuilt them in their shops to standard gauge and 3000 Volt DC operation. There is some discussion of whether they were named after the St. Joe River in Idaho or Joe Stalin. (On an aside I'm informed there is both a Little Joe Creek and a Little Joe Peak in Montana, likely named after the locomotives). On the Milwaukee Road they were class EF-4 for freight service (10) or EP-4 for passenger service (2). 3 of the original 20 went to the South Shore Line and were operated under 1500 DC (Click here for a link to the Illinois State railway Museum and their preserved unit #803, which they occasionally operate) and the other 5 went to Brazil's Paulista Railway where they are apparently still stored. They weighed 273 tons, measured 88ft 10ins over couplers and had a continuous rating of 5500hp. E-70 is on static display at Deer Lodge.Noel Holley's book says it was after the summer of 1950 that Milwaukee acquired these, rather than 1949 (when the 750 tested for three months and was sent back to GE). (dmg)
What were the freight motors were painted in 1950. Black motors in the late 1940's and colored in the early 1950's, but what where they in 1950?
Schematics of locomotive, driving stand and throttle control.
|
Orig No |
Orig. No |
Bldr No |
Class |
Remarks |
|
E20 |
A1600 |
29922 |
EP-4 |
with Steam Gen. To EF-4 (Freight) in 1956 |
|
E21 |
A1599 |
29921 |
EP-4 |
with Steam Gen. To EF-4 (Freight) in 1956 |
|
E70 |
A1605 |
29927 |
EF-4 |
Built standard gauged. Preserved in Deer Lodge Also was GE 750 |
|
E71 |
A1606 |
29928 |
EF-4 |
Built standard gauged |
|
E72 |
A1607 |
29929 |
EF-4 |
Built standard gauged |
|
E73 |
A1603 |
29925 |
EF-4 |
|
|
E74 |
A1604 |
29926 |
EF-4 |
|
|
E75 |
A1594 |
29916 |
EF-4 |
|
|
E76 |
A1595 |
29917 |
EF-4 |
|
|
E77 |
A1596 |
29918 |
EF-4 |
|
|
E78 |
A1597 |
29919 |
EF-4 |
|
|
E79 |
A1598 |
29920 |
EF-4 |
|
Disposition of the other electrics (3) to Chicago & South Shore (CSS) where they were known as 800s
|
Orig No |
Orig. No |
Bldr No |
Class |
Remarks |
|
801 |
A1608 |
29930 |
800 |
Built standard gauged |
|
802 |
A1609 |
29931 |
800 |
Built standard gauged. On display at GE plant in Erie, PA. (dmg) |
|
803 |
A1610 |
29932 |
800 |
Built standard gauged. Preserved at Illinois State Railway Museum Click here |
Disposition of the balance (5) locomotives to Paulista Railway in Brazil
|
Orig No |
Orig. No |
Bldr No |
Class |
Remarks |
|
450 |
A1601 |
29923 |
|
Last word is, all 5 are still stored somewhere. |
|
451 |
A1592 |
29914 |
|
|
|
452 |
A1593 |
29915 |
|
|
|
453 |
A1591 |
29913 |
|
|
|
454 |
A1602 |
29924 |
|
|
Baldwin-Westinghouse Quills (Class EP-3):
Milwaukee purchased 10 of these, frames and bodies built by Baldwin and all electrical gear by Westinghouse in 1919. They were built strictly for passenger service, and although there were 10 of them (twice as many as Bi-Polars) they were far less well known. They also operated strictly in Montana, whereas the Bi-Polars initially operated on the coast where Milwaukee also did all their publicity shots. All were boiler equipped. They had weak frame problems initially, as well as the springs in the wheels would frequently break. All the frames were rebuilt, but the springs remained a problem. According to Bill Wilkerson though, these engines remained a high favorite with crews. None of these survived the scrapper.|
Orig No |
Last No |
Bldr No |
Class |
Remarks |
|
10300 |
E10 |
51000 |
EP-3 |
|
|
10301 |
E11 |
51844 |
EP-3 |
|
|
10302 |
E12 |
51845 |
EP-3 |
|
|
10304 |
E13 |
52170 |
EP-3 |
|
|
10305 |
E14 |
52215 |
EP-3 |
|
|
10306 |
E15 |
52239 |
EP-3 |
|
|
10307 |
E16 |
52302 |
EP-3 |
|
|
10308 |
E17 |
52347 |
EP-3 |
|
|
10309 |
E18 |
52362 |
EP-3 |
|
|
10303 |
E19 |
52111 |
EP-3 |
|
GE Switchers (Class ES-1 and 2):
There were a total of 5 switchers built, 1 in 1915 (for Great Falls), 2 in 1916 and the last 2 in 1919.
|
Orig No |
Last No |
Bldr No |
Class |
Remarks |
|
10000 |
E85 |
4986 |
ES-1 |
Only ES-1 built. Great Falls Switcher. 1500 Volts. |
|
10050 |
E80 |
5478 |
ES-2 |
Deer Lodge Switcher |
|
10051 |
E81 |
5479 |
ES-2 |
|
|
10052 |
E82 |
6983 |
ES-2 |
|
|
10053 |
E83 |
6984 |
ES-2 |
|
Box cabs (Class EF-1 & EP-1 to start, later EF-2, EF-3 & EF-5):
These were the very first electric engines ordered by the Milwaukee. A total of 84 were delivered between November 1915 and May 1917. They were delivered in sets of two, making for a total of 42 sets, 30 of which were assigned to freight service (EF-1) and 12 were assigned to passenger service (EP-1). By 1920 and after the arrival of the Bi-Polars (Coast) and Quills (Montana), all 12 passenger sets were re-geared and converted to freight service and assumed freight designation as EF-1s. In the early 1930s Milwaukee started making three unit sets, 12 were made by chopping off the pilot wheels and shortening the body and taking the drive cab away (called bobtails) and placing them in the middle of a two unit set. Sets using bobtails were designated as EF-3s. The balance of the sets for a total of 36 was made by inserting the regular units, pilot wheels and all, and these were designated as EF-2s. Even later on, 4 unit sets were made which could have any combination of bobtails and regular units. These were designated EF-5s. EF-4s were already used by the Joes.The original box cab set has been preserved at the Duluth Transportation Museum. Their Website. Because these units do not fit their collection policy, talks have recently arisen about moving these elsewhere (Cle Elum ???). As well a couple of motors were changed to switch engines one of them E-57B at Harlowton.
|
Orig No |
Last No |
Bldr No |
Class |
Otr No |
Otr No |
Otr No |
Otr Nos |
Remarks |
|
10100A |
E32B |
5023A |
EP-1 |
10230A |
10509B |
|
|
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55088. "Bobtailed" |
|
10100B |
E30C |
5023B |
EP-1 |
10230B |
10509C |
10230B |
10507C |
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55088 |
|
10101A |
E68A |
5025A |
EP-1 |
10231A |
|
|
|
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55089 |
|
10101B |
E68B |
5025B |
EP-1 |
10231B |
E68B |
E48C |
|
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55089 |
|
10102A |
E39C |
5027A |
EP-1 |
10232A |
E69A |
E39C |
E69A |
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55135 |
|
10102B |
E40C |
5027B |
EP-1 |
10232B |
E69B |
E46C |
E69B |
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55135 |
|
10103A |
E22A |
5105A |
EP-1 |
10233A |
E70A |
E48A |
E70A E69A |
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55136. Streamlined. |
|
10103B |
E22B |
505B |
EP-1 |
10233B |
E70B |
E48B |
E70B E69B |
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55136. Streamlined. |
|
10104A |
E36C |
5106A |
EP-1 |
10234A |
10500C |
10234A |
E73A E37C |
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55137 |
|
10104B |
E25A |
5106B |
EP-1 |
10234B |
10500A |
|
|
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55137 |
|
10105A |
E30D |
5107A |
EP-1 |
10235A |
10501C |
E34C |
E73B E36C |
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55138. "Bobtailed" |
|
10105B |
E38C |
5107B |
EP-1 |
10235B |
10502C |
E35C |
E73B |
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55138 |
|
10106A |
E32A |
5375A |
EP-1 |
10236A |
10509A |
|
|
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55499 |
|
10106B |
E25B |
5375B |
EP-1 |
10236B |
10500B |
|
|
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55499 |
|
10107A |
E33B |
5376A |
EP-1 |
10237A |
10510B |
|
|
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55500 |
|
10107B |
E33A |
5376B |
EP-1 |
10237B |
10510A |
|
|
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55500 |
|
10108A |
E40A |
5377A |
EP-1 |
10238A |
E71A |
E46A |
E71A |
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55501 |
|
10108B |
E40B |
5377B |
EP-1 |
10238B |
E71B |
E46B |
E71B |
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55501 |
|
10109A |
E39A |
5378A |
EP-1 |
10239A |
E72A |
E39A |
E72A |
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55502 |
|
10109B |
E39B |
5378B |
EP-1 |
10239B |
E72B |
E39B |
E72A |
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55502 |
|
10110A |
E30A |
5379A |
EP-1 |
10240A |
10507A |
|
|
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55503 |
|
10110B |
E30B |
5379B |
EP-1 |
10240B |
10507B |
|
|
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55503 |
|
10111A |
E35A |
5380A |
EP-1 |
10241A |
10502A |
|
|
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55504 |
|
10111B |
E49C |
5380B |
EP-1 |
10241B |
10502B |
E35B |
E58A |
To EF in 1920. Alco built #55504 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10200A |
E50A |
5022A |
EF-1 |
|
|
|
|
First set built. Preserved at Duluth Museum. |
|
10200B |
E50B |
5022B |
EF-1 |
|
|
|
|
First set built. Duluth Museum |
|
10201A |
E51A |
5024A |
EF-1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10201B |
E51B |
5024B |
EF-1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10202A |
E35C |
5026A |
EF-1 |
10508C |
10202A |
10511C |
E36C E73B |
"Bobtailed" |
|
10202B |
E27C |
5026B |
EF-1 |
10506C |
10202B |
10504C |
|
"Bobtailed" |
|
10203A |
E29C |
5028A |
EF-1 |
10506C |
|
|
|
"Bobtailed" |
|
10203B |
E33D |
5028B |
EF-1 |
10508C |
E31C |
|
|
"Bobtailed" |
|
10204A |
E52A |
5029A |
EF-1 |
|
|
|
|
Alco built #55083 |
|
10204B |
E52B |
5029B |
EF-1 |
|
|
|
|
Alco built #55083 |
|
10205A |
E47C |
5030A |
EF-1 |
E53A |
|
|
|
|
|
10205B |
E45C |
5030B |
EF-1 |
E53B |
|
|
|
|
|
10206A |
E54A |
5031A |
EF-1 |
|
|
|
|
Alco built #55084 |
|
10206B |
E54B |
5031B |
EF-1 |
|
|
|
|
Alco built #55084 |
|
10207A |
E55A |
5032A |
EF-1 |
|
|
|
|
Alco built #55085 |
|
10207B |
E36D |
5032B |
EF-1 |
E55B |
E37D |
|
|
Alco built #55085 |
|
10208A |
E22D |
5033A |
EF-1 |
10505A |
E28A |
E23A |
|
Alco built #55086. Run in Psgr Service |
|
10208B |
E22C |
5033B |
EF-1 |
10510C |
10208B |
10505B |
E28B E23B |
Alco built #55086. Run in Psgr Service |
|
10209A |
E39D |
5108A |
EF-1 |
E56A |
E36C |
E23C |
|
Alco built #55087 |
|
10209B |
E50C |
5108B |
EF-1 |
E56B |
|
|
|
Alco built #55087 |
|
10210A |
E33C |
5109A |
EF-1 |
10505A |
10510C |
|
|
"Bobtailed" |
|
10210B |
E25D |
5109B |
EF-1 |
10505B |
10505C |
E28C |
|
"Bobtailed" |
|
10211A |
E42C |
5110A |
EF-1 |
E57A |
|
|
|
|
|
10211B |
E57B |
5110B |
EF-1 |
|
|
|
|
Harlowton Switcher. Preserved at Harlow. |
|
10212A |
E35B |
5111A |
EF-1 |
E58A |
|
|
|
|
|
10212B |
E41C |
5111B |
EF-1 |
E58B |
|
|
|
|
|
10213A |
E52C |
5112A |
EF-1 |
E59A |
|
|
|
|
|
10213B |
E54C |
5112B |
EF-1 |
E59B |
|
|
|
|
|
10214A |
E38A |
5113A |
EF-1 |
E60A |
|
|
|
|
|
10214B |
E38B |
5113B |
EF-1 |
E60B |
|
|
|
|
|
10215A |
E42A |
5360A |
EF-1 |
E61A |
|
|
|
|
|
10215B |
E42B |
5360B |
EF-1 |
E61B |
|
|
|
|
|
10216A |
E31C |
5361A |
EF-1 |
E62A |
E41A |
|
|
|
|
10216B |
E41B |
5361B |
EF-1 |
E62B |
|
|
|
|
|
10217A |
E47A |
5362A |
EF-1 |
E63A |
|
|
|
|
|
10217B |
E47B |
5362B |
EF-1 |
E63B |
|
|
|
|
|
10218A |
E32D |
5363A |
EF-1 |
E64A |
|
|
|
|
|
10218B |
E50D |
5363B |
EF-1 |
E64B |
|
|
|
|
|
10219A |
E45A |
5364A |
EF-1 |
E65A |
|
|
|
|
|
10219B |
E45B |
5364B |
EF-1 |
E65B |
|
|
|
|
|
10220A |
E49A |
5365A |
EF-1 |
E66A |
E38A |
E66A |
|
|
|
10220B |
E49B |
5365B |
EF-1 |
E66B |
E38B |
E66B |
|
|
|
10221A |
E37A |
5366A |
EF-1 |
E67A |
|
|
|
|
|
10221B |
E37B |
5366B |
EF-1 |
E67B |
|
|
|
|
|
10222A |
E36A |
5367A |
EF-1 |
10511A |
|
|
|
|
|
10222B |
E36B |
5367B |
EF-1 |
10511B |
|
|
|
|
|
10223A |
E31A |
5368A |
EF-1 |
10508A |
|
|
|
|
|
10223B |
E31B |
5368B |
EF-1 |
10508B |
|
|
|
|
|
10224A |
E29A |
5369A |
EF-1 |
10506A |
|
|
|
|
|
10224B |
E29B |
5369B |
EF-1 |
10506B |
|
|
|
|
|
10225A |
E34D |
5370A |
EF-1 |
10504C |
10225A |
10503C |
E26C |
"Bobtailed" |
|
10225B |
E34C |
5370B |
EF-1 |
10503C |
10225B |
E73B |
|
"Bobtailed" |
|
10226A |
E47D |
5371A |
EF-1 |
10505C |
10226A |
10509C |
E32C |
"Bobtailed" Work as switcher. |
|
10226B |
E25C |
5371B |
EF-1 |
10507C |
10226B |
10500C |
|
"Bobtailed" |
|
10227A |
E49D |
5372A |
EF-1 |
10503A |
E26A |
|
|
|
|
10227B |
E45D |
5372B |
EF-1 |
10503B |
E26B |
|
|
Alco built #55496 |
|
10228A |
E27A |
5373A |
EF-1 |
10504A |
|
|
|
Alco built #55497 |
|
10228B |
E27B |
5373B |
EF-1 |
10504B |
|
|
|
Alco built #55497 |
|
10229A |
E34A |
5374A |
EF-1 |
10501A |
|
|
|
Alco built #55498 |
|
10229B |
E34B |
5374B |
EF-1 |
10501B |
|
|
|
Alco built #55498 |
.