NATIONAL RAILROAD MUSEUM, GREEN BAY

On July 25 I visited the National Railroad Museum. It features a short train ride, lots of  steam locomotives, including a Big Boy, a few Alco switchers and other diesels, maintenance of way equipment, and interesting cars. It even had a Shay narrow gauge locomotive, unfortunately in sad (unassembled) condition.

As usual with railroad museums not supported by government funds, much of the equipment has not been restored. The best items are displayed  in the building behind that containing the gift shop and include the Big Boy and Pullman car shown below and a Pennsylvania RR GG-1 electric loco. The Dwight D Eisenhower locomotive, used in England by Ike during WW II, was just returned to the museum after two years on display in York, England. The museum is located near Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers. It was well worth the $10.00 price of senior admission which included a two circuit ride on its loop track. Photos were taken in the Canon A1100 IS 12 mp point and shoot camera.

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The red building houses the cream of the museum’s collection of restored equipment.

 

The train rides depart from this depot.

 

The 2:00 PM train ride was well-attended with parents bringing their children. The loco is an Alco. The  passenger car reminded me of the cars on which we rode during WW II from Beloit WI to Madison or Chicago.

Nicely restored Pullman car. The signs tell the story of colored porters on the Pullman cars gradually obtaining better working conditions through a union. The union excluded colored female maids who also served on the Pullman cars.

 

Here is a lower Pullman bed made up, and below is an upper. I have never ridden in a Pullman car, but they have been on trains on which my mother took me (coach class) on trips in the 1940s. Perhaps in place of a future cruise, we will take a roomette on a Canadian VIA rail from Vancouver east.

This 0-4-0 switch engine has the water tank mounted around the boiler to keep  it short for tight turns and poor clearance in switching cars at plants.

The Big Boy articulated locomotive is the largest built in the US. It pulled heavy loads in the mountainous west. A few of the myriad of valves to be set in its operation are shown below. It was a real treat to be permitted to go into the cab of the loco.

 

 

A star of the displays is one of the two remaining lightweight Aero Train units built as an experiment by General Motors in 1955.

The locomotives reflected automobile styling of the era. The passenger cars were based on bus bodies built by GM and had one axel at each end. At  speed they were uncomfortable for the passengers, so after experimenting with them on various runs, the three made ended up in commuter service around Chicago. One was junked and the other is in a museum at St. Louis.

 

This is the interior of  RPO (rail post office) car on which workers sorted the mail as the car was speeding to the next town.

 

Here is a brawny wrecking crane and boom car with a lifting capacity of 80 tons. It was built 110 years ago to lift cars and locomotives involved in wrecks.

This Milwaukee Road 1000 hp switcher was built by Fairbanks Morse in Beloit WI.