MILW : missing catenary at Deer Lodge in 1974

Why is the catenary on this picture missing?
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=52983

According to the picture informations it was shot at Deer Lodge, MT anno 1974.
Deer Lodge, MT was located in the middle of the Pipestone Pass route (between Avery, ID and Harlowstown, MT)
So the picture didn't show a transfer move between Avery, ID (Pipestone Pass route) and Othello, WA (Pacific Subdivision)

Were there big leaks in the catenary network on boths electrified routes, that underway the pantograph went down and the diesel pulled the train??


confuse greetings from a Milwaukee Road fan

I see the catenary. Look at every third pole. It's there, just the pans are down, on those Little Joes. Look closely, and you can see the wire running above the train, and off to the left of the photo. No idea why the pans are down, though.....

By the time that very unusual photo was taken, June 14, 1974, the MILW was well underway with the last phase of de-electrification, which was completed IIRC during June 1974. The MILW was in such dire straits by then that they deelectrified to sell off the copper. While the catenary hangar poles are still up, the catenary itself may well have been removed in that photo.

Why the Little Joes are up front, I don't know, perhaps a final ferry move?

If the catenary is indeed up, the Joes are up front because of the nature of MU controls. The MU connection between electrics and diesels was devised in-house at MILW. Essentially, a "toy" throttle was mounted on top of the Joe's throttle in the cab, and the two throttle controls were physically tied or linked. The toy throttle then sent a signal via MU cable back to the diesels and as the motorman throttled up or down on the Joes, the toy throttle would slide along too, sending MU signals back to the diesels. Evidently MILW couldn't figure out how to make this work backwards so electrics always lead. Frankly, that's probably a good thing - I bet no motorman wants to sit in the cab of a diesel in a tunnel unless he has to.

"Lash ups' between joes and GP-9's were referred to on the property as "Little Joe and Sputniks'.

Regarding the electrification, the MILW completed the first step in modernizing the electrification (or so was said around the halls of CUS); only problem, there was no longer a railroad on which to start the next step.

Here's a photo at Butte, Montana I took in April, 1975.
Only the support cables remain:
http://viewoftheblue.com/photography/nw_rail/butte2.jpg

Mr. Florianz, let us note that the structure to the left in your photo was the MILW Freight House where I can recall once doing a station audit circa 1972.