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| Title: |
Smokin' It Up |
| Description: |
Now along for the ride after pulling the train west, the 261 smokes it up as her crew awaits the train's arrival at St. Louis Park. Cool, damp weather helped make the 261's smoke gray-white this day. |
| Photo Date: |
9/22/2019 Upload Date: 9/22/2019 7:08:22 PM |
| Location: |
Minnetonka, MN |
| Author: |
Tony Held |
| Categories: |
Steam,Action |
| Locomotives: |
MILW 261(4-8-4) |
| Views: |
151 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Steam and Steel |
| Description: |
Due to cool, damp weather, the 261 was a living picture of steam and steel as she rolled back to town on the eastbound run of the "Gourmet Express." |
| Photo Date: |
9/22/2019 Upload Date: 9/22/2019 7:09:54 PM |
| Location: |
Minnetonka, MN |
| Author: |
Tony Held |
| Categories: |
Steam,Action |
| Locomotives: |
MILW 261(4-8-4) |
| Views: |
123 Comments: 1 |
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| Title: |
Confab In The Cab |
| Description: |
The 261's crew confabs in the cab as preparations for a special trip for Loram employees take place. I love how the Milwaukee Road was one of those railways that proudly identified was class of engine their steamers were, which is an S-3 4-8-4 Northern in the 261's case. |
| Photo Date: |
9/24/2019 Upload Date: 9/24/2019 11:21:55 PM |
| Location: |
Saint Louis Park, MN |
| Author: |
Tony Held |
| Categories: |
Steam |
| Locomotives: |
MILW 261(4-8-4) |
| Views: |
154 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Tending The 261 |
| Description: |
The 261's crew tends to their iron horse prior to their special evening rum for Loram employees. |
| Photo Date: |
9/24/2019 Upload Date: 9/24/2019 11:23:06 PM |
| Location: |
Saint Louis Park, MN |
| Author: |
Tony Held |
| Categories: |
Steam |
| Locomotives: |
MILW 261(4-8-4) |
| Views: |
190 Comments: 1 |
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| Title: |
Red Side Of The Lamps |
| Description: |
I never caught the red side of the lamps on the 261's front so well until I snapped this photo. Old friends can still surprise us. |
| Photo Date: |
9/24/2019 Upload Date: 9/24/2019 11:09:56 PM |
| Location: |
Saint Louis Park, MN |
| Author: |
Tony Held |
| Categories: |
Steam |
| Locomotives: |
MILW 261(4-8-4) |
| Views: |
134 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
There Is The Train! |
| Description: |
Here comes the Frimnds of the 261's special for Loram, almost to its destination down by Brunswick. Cars at left are the coach section from trips run over the Twin Cities & Western the past weekend. |
| Photo Date: |
9/24/2019 Upload Date: 9/24/2019 10:51:01 PM |
| Location: |
Saint Louis Park, MN |
| Author: |
Tony Held |
| Categories: |
RollingStock,Steam,Passenger,Action |
| Locomotives: |
WSOR 101(E9A) MILW 32A(E9A) MILW 261(4-8-4) |
| Views: |
471 Comments: 1 |
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| Title: |
Approaching Wooddale |
| Description: |
The Friends of the 261's special for Loram passes Southwest LRT construction as the train approaches Wooddale late on a warm latf September afternoon. |
| Photo Date: |
9/24/2019 Upload Date: 9/24/2019 10:51:47 PM |
| Location: |
Saint Louis Park, MN |
| Author: |
Tony Held |
| Categories: |
Steam,Passenger,Action |
| Locomotives: |
MILW 32A(E9A) WSOR 101(E9A) MILW 261(4-8-4) |
| Views: |
411 Comments: 1 |
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| Title: |
261 On A Tuesday |
| Description: |
A Loram employee (in blue at left) takes a photo of the 261 late on a Tuesday afternoon prior to a special run sponsored by Loram. I never thought I would see the 261 operating on a Tuesday. Thank you, Railway Interchange conference, for being the catalyst for extra runs of the 261 after a weekend's worth of trips on the old Milwaukee Road west of the Twin Cities. |
| Photo Date: |
9/24/2019 Upload Date: 9/24/2019 11:10:29 PM |
| Location: |
Saint Louis Park, MN |
| Author: |
Tony Held |
| Categories: |
Steam,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
MILW 261(4-8-4) |
| Views: |
156 Comments: 1 |
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| Title: |
I Hope Nobody Was Blasé About This |
| Description: |
There is my old friend the Milwaukee 261, crossing Wooddale Avenue in reverse as a special run for Loram workers reaches its boarding point down by Brunswick. I sure hope one of the motorists waiting for the train were blasé at the sight of the living, breathing 1944-vintage steam locomotive. |
| Photo Date: |
9/24/2019 Upload Date: 9/24/2019 11:24:30 PM |
| Location: |
Saint Louis Park, MN |
| Author: |
Tony Held |
| Categories: |
Steam,Action |
| Locomotives: |
MILW 261(4-8-4) |
| Views: |
184 Comments: 1 |
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| Title: |
My Old Friend |
| Description: |
I have been following (and sometimes riding behind or visiting the cab of) the 261 since 1997, back when Union Pacific 4014's boiler was cold but dry out in Southern California. As cool as an operating Big Boy is, the 261, one of the few surviving, and sole operating, Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Pacific steam engines, is my old friend. |
| Photo Date: |
9/24/2019 Upload Date: 9/24/2019 11:09:31 PM |
| Location: |
Saint Louis Park, MN |
| Author: |
Tony Held |
| Categories: |
Steam |
| Locomotives: |
MILW 261(4-8-4) |
| Views: |
263 Comments: 2 |
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| Title: |
Here Comes The Miracle Of The Rails |
| Description: |
The 261 rolls along with the rest of the Loram special as the train arrives at the boarding site in St. Louis Park. May your luck always be good, 261! I could not believe the sight of an operating Milwaukee Road steam engine when I first glimpsed her in the documentary "Lost Twin Cities," but "Trains" and "Railfan & Railroad" soon confirmed the 261's existence. I have now dubbed her "the Miracle of the Rails" due to her long, successful career as an excursion engine. |
| Photo Date: |
9/24/2019 Upload Date: 9/24/2019 11:23:36 PM |
| Location: |
Saint Louis Park, MN |
| Author: |
Tony Held |
| Categories: |
Steam,Action |
| Locomotives: |
MILW 261(4-8-4) |
| Views: |
246 Comments: 1 |
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| Title: |
Steam Returns! |
| Description: |
After an absence of a year, steam returned to St. Paul Union Depot as the Friends of the 261's North Pole Express made its return. Here the train is awaiting the first departure of the day, at 3 P.M., on a relatively mild Sunday afternoon. |
| Photo Date: |
12/5/2021 Upload Date: 12/5/2021 7:25:49 PM |
| Location: |
Saint Paul, MN |
| Author: |
Tony Held |
| Categories: |
Winter,Station,Steam,Signal,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
MILW 261(4-8-4) MILW 32A(E9A) |
| Views: |
157 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Passing Highway 52 |
| Description: |
The North Pole Express passes under Highway 52 shortly after 3 P.M. on the first Sunday in December, 2021. |
| Photo Date: |
12/5/2021 Upload Date: 12/5/2021 7:26:53 PM |
| Location: |
Saint Paul, MN |
| Author: |
Tony Held |
| Categories: |
Winter,Steam,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
MILW 261(4-8-4) MILW 32A(E9A) |
| Views: |
208 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Charging Through Chaska |
| Description: |
Steve Sandburg and company have the 261 running at a good gait as the 2022 "Gourmet Express" charges through Chaska shortly after 1 p.m. on the first Saturday of October, 2022. |
| Photo Date: |
10/1/2022 Upload Date: 10/3/2022 9:01:50 PM |
| Location: |
Chaska, MN |
| Author: |
Tony Held |
| Categories: |
Steam,Passenger,Action |
| Locomotives: |
MILW 261(4-8-4) |
| Views: |
101 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Classy Train |
| Description: |
The consist for the 2022 "Gourmet Express" is back in Hopkins after a weekend of trips out of Chanhassen over the Twin Cities & Western. What a classy train the Friends of the 261 have put together over the years! |
| Photo Date: |
10/2/2022 Upload Date: 10/3/2022 9:04:34 PM |
| Location: |
Hopkins, MN |
| Author: |
Tony Held |
| Categories: |
Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
MILW 32A(E9A) MILW 261(4-8-4) |
| Views: |
151 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Almost Home |
| Description: |
The Milwaukee 261 is almost home as the train pauses to disembark volunteers in Hopkins prior to being led back to town by a PTC-equipped TCWR unit. The fall colors and big building add nice contrasts to this living legend of the rails. |
| Photo Date: |
10/2/2022 Upload Date: 10/3/2022 9:05:59 PM |
| Location: |
Hopkins, MN |
| Author: |
Tony Held |
| Categories: |
Steam,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
MILW 261(4-8-4) |
| Views: |
87 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Close As I Could Get |
| Description: |
I failed to reach Union Depot at an early hour this day, which meant all the parking was either taken or vanishing fast as melting snow. Fortunately, after stumbling about I came upon this vantage point north of the station's spur track which afforded me a brief stop to take a few pics. This was the first. |
| Photo Date: |
12/7/2024 Upload Date: 1/14/2025 11:06:11 PM |
| Location: |
Saint Paul, MN |
| Author: |
Tony Held |
| Categories: |
Steam,Action |
| Locomotives: |
MILW 261(4-8-4) MILW 32A(E9A) |
| Views: |
27 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Best Shot |
| Description: |
This was the best shot I got of the North Pole Express 2024 in a sequence of three. My location just north of the Union Depot spur upon which the NPE operates was due to lack of parking closer by, but never, ever underestimate a railfan's resourcefulness and tenactiy! :-) |
| Photo Date: |
12/7/2024 Upload Date: 1/14/2025 11:12:58 PM |
| Location: |
Saint Paul, MN |
| Author: |
Tony Held |
| Categories: |
Steam,Action |
| Locomotives: |
MILW 261(4-8-4) MILW 32A(E9A) |
| Views: |
26 Comments: 0 |
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