Worst Investment- MILW Lines West

February 2024 TRAINS sure teed off on "my MILW" stating that "Lines West" (W of Mobridge SD) was amongst the poorest investments made by a road.

All I know that starting with them after college and through December 1981, the paycheck never bounced.

But I'm afraid that history has shown this to be the case, even if so much of the Northern tier lacks competitive rail service (sorry Mr. Meyer and Uncle Warren).

But I do take heart in that so much of what remains of the MILW is a vital part of the CPKC system.

Yep, it's probably not the best investment ever made.

Historically, it was a failure within 20 years of its construction, and contributed to its first bankruptcy in 1925. Because of how hard it was to shed unprofitable assets prior to Staggers, it took almost 50 years to correct the mistake...

Granted, without the extension, the MILW would probably be viewed a lot less iconic.

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Were Brooks Stevens' Skytop Lounges inspired by the planning for the Olympian Hiawatha, or would they have been built for the Chicago-Minneapolis Hiawathas anyway? (Sic transit gloria -- Autocorrect changed Skytop to Skycap until I caught it.)

Also, didn't Lionel model the bipolars? That would never have happened.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Sun Dec 31, 2023 9:22 am
But I'm afraid that history has shown this to be the case, even if so much of the Northern tier lacks competitive rail service.

This is one of those myths that (evidently) tend to be repeated over and over with the hope that doing so will make it true. It isn’t. “So much” is relative. But most of the states in the “Northern Tier” indeed have competition to BNSF with UP and CPKC/UP. Montana has little competition, but this is hardly an anomaly. Other examples are Southern Idaho, almost all of Nevada, all of Florida except the east coast, and the metro areas of Nashville, San Diego, and Tucson, most of which with much larger populations than Montana. It can also be said that rail competition is poor in South Dakota, but this also is rarely mentioned because the primary rail routes are ex-Milwaukee Road.

It should also be noted that the mere presence of more than one railroad does not constitute “competition.” If the Milwaukee really was competitive with its competitors, it would have (as the competitors did) had the financial wherewithal to upgrade its infrastructure and safety appliances. That never happened.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Sun Dec 31, 2023 9:22 am
But I do take heart in that so much of what remains of the MILW is a vital part of the CPKC system.

It must be noted, however, that the link between the primary routes of the ex-CP and ex-KCS is a weak one: The ex-MILW route to Kansas City, clearly the inferior route between Kansas City and Minneapolis or Kansas City and Chicago due to profile and circuity. This, coupled with KCS’s meandering route through Texas (including trackage rights on UP through the busy Houston Terminal) creates a Laredo (TX)-Chicago routing 25% longer and with a much more challenging profile than Union Pacific. And (unlike UP and BNSF), zero alternate routing options. We'll see how Mr. Creel's much-touted "single line" route fares against much-superior competitors.

--Mark Meyer (Mr. Norman: I know you'd have been disappointed had I not responded)

Mr. Meyer, first I presume you now are looking at a monthly bank credit from the RRB and that your blood is again "Rocky (as distinct from Uncle Warren's 1:1 Lionel) Orange".

It must be noted, however, that the link between the primary routes of the ex-CP and ex-KCS is a weak one: The ex-MILW route to Kansas City, clearly the inferior route between Kansas City and Minneapolis or Kansas City and Chicago due to profile and circuity. This, coupled with KCS’s meandering route through Texas (including trackage rights on UP through the busy Houston Terminal) creates a Laredo (TX)-Chicago routing 25% longer and with a much more challenging profile than Union Pacific. And (unlike UP and BNSF), zero alternate routing options. We'll see how Mr. Creel's much-touted "single line" route fares against much-superior competitors.

I noted that very point within your immediate over here:

https://www.railroad.net/post1621941.html#p1621941

Finally, again let it be noted, I "pulled the pin" December 1981 to go into private practice as a CPA. I was not going to be Leonardo Dicaprio looking for a deck chair to cling on to.