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12/26/2024
 
 
 
 
 
By:S.L. Dixon
Dates:1/1/1970 - 4/1/1980
Album Info:A very interesting 10 years of MILW trains in Bellingham. Before the BN merger, MILW Bham was just a couple SD7/9's and a switcher. After the BN merger, everything Tacoma had for power ended up in Bham at some date/time until the MILW left the West Coast 3/31/1980.
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MILW 532 in the roundhouse
Title:  MILW 532 in the roundhouse
Description:  Doesnt get better than this being a 17yr old kid walking around the MILW roundhouse facilities with your camera and actually try composing a picture. I've had a time trying to tell if the locomotive is crooked or the building is crooked..the answer is both.
Photo Date:  2/17/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:26:51 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  MILW 532(SD9)
Views:  402   Comments: 0
MILW 619 on the turntable
Title:  MILW 619 on the turntable
Description:  MILW 619 was assigned for a while in the early 1970's.
Photo Date:  3/25/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:30:21 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  MILW 619(SW1200)
Views:  472   Comments: 0
MILW roundhouse trackage
Title:  MILW roundhouse trackage
Description:  Think most of this rail is still from Bellingham Bay & British Columbia days of ownership..the railroad that built this whole MILW line in Whatcom County. As sphagetti as it looks I dont remember any derailments here.
Photo Date:  7/1/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:34:26 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Yard,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  459   Comments: 0
MILW roundhouse
Title:  MILW roundhouse
Description:  My first pictures of the place with a 35mm camera when I was 17yrs. What more do you need to know about Bellingham and the Sumas Branch of the MILW Road than SD7/9's and 35-40 MILW ore jennies on every train.
Photo Date:  7/1/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:33:43 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Yard,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  330   Comments: 0
MILW 76093 on the turntable
Title:  MILW 76093 on the turntable
Description:  The MILW roundhouse was also the RIP track and ore cars would need repairs. Seems there was always a half dozen ore cars sitting around the roundhouse facility.
Photo Date:  7/1/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:32:25 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Yard,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  657   Comments: 0
Put a stick under the wheel...
Title:  Put a stick under the wheel...
Description:  Just another postcard from railroad history.
Photo Date:  7/1/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:33:05 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Yard,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  259   Comments: 0
MILW 514 on the turntable
Title:  MILW 514 on the turntable
Description:  Bellingham on the MILW Sumas Branch was the land of the SD7/9's since the MILW ordered them in 1953 to replace all the steamers. Well from 1953 to about 1973 their was very little change as maybe 5 different SD7/9's ever run out of Bellingham.
Photo Date:  7/17/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:21:56 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  MILW 514(SD7)
Views:  434   Comments: 0
MILW 514
Title:  MILW 514
Description:  I was 17 in 1971 and bought my first 35mm camera...a Zenit-E russian made camera from Ritz Camera. It was what I could afford and I shot a lot of train pictures with it. This shot is probly from the first few rolls of film I took. I got to the MILW roundhouse via my bicycle all of 1971.
Photo Date:  7/17/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:21:25 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  MILW 514(SD7)
Views:  392   Comments: 0
MILW 531-532
Title:  MILW 531-532
Description:  Roundhouse personel doing some work on the 531 sitting on the TT.
Photo Date:  7/18/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:24:36 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  MILW 531(SD9)
Views:  367   Comments: 0
MILW 531-532
Title:  MILW 531-532
Description:  Getting some experience shooting B&W film under the "noontime sun". Still worthy for historical purposes.
Photo Date:  7/18/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:23:47 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  MILW 531(SD9) MILW 532(SD9)
Views:  406   Comments: 0
MILW 532-533
Title:  MILW 532-533
Description:  MILW 532 never looked so good in B&W.
Photo Date:  7/19/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:27:52 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  MILW 532(SD9) MILW 533(SD9)
Views:  643   Comments: 0
MILW 618
Title:  MILW 618
Description:  I think I actually was down in the turtable pit for this shot.
Photo Date:  7/20/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:28:38 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  MILW 618(SW1200)
Views:  329   Comments: 0
MILW 618
Title:  MILW 618
Description:  MILW 618 spent most its life in Bellingham or between 1970 and 1980.
Photo Date:  7/23/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:29:39 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  MILW 618(SW1200)
Views:  325   Comments: 0
MILW 514-532
Title:  MILW 514-532
Description:  It was pretty easy access to whatever you wanted to photograph at the MILW roundhouse in 1971.
Photo Date:  7/30/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:22:51 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  MILW 514(SD7) MILW 532(SD9)
Views:  362   Comments: 0
MILW 8003-8000 approaching the BN/MILW crossover at Pine Street
Title:  MILW 8003-8000 approaching the BN/MILW crossover at Pine Street
Description:  Pine Street Bellingham had 2 BN/MILW crossover diamonds within a 100 yards over each other. The most used one was the BN/MILW diamond at AMFAB as this was the southward exit of MILW trains to enter BN tracks to Everett. The other BN/MILW crossover at Pine Street went to the defunct MILW Ferry Dock.
Photo Date:  7/30/1971  Upload Date: 2/4/2015 12:01:43 AM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard,Track,Action
Locomotives:  MILW 8003(U33C) MILW 8000(U33C)
Views:  535   Comments: 0
MILW 532 Sumas Local
Title:  MILW 532 Sumas Local
Description:  Sumas Local heading for the yard.
Photo Date:  8/1/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:42:32 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Track,Action
Locomotives:  MILW 532(SD9)
Views:  365   Comments: 0
MILW local over the BN Army St crossover
Title:  MILW local over the BN Army St crossover
Description:  I'm glad I found this negative I shot long ago as its priceless piece of MILW/BN history in Bellingham. It was rare to catch the Sumas Local returning before darkness but I lucked-out one day.
Photo Date:  8/1/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:41:36 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Track,Action
Locomotives:  MILW 532(SD9)
Views:  590   Comments: 1
MILW switcher
Title:  MILW switcher
Description:  Late summertime in the MILW Bellingham yard and the grass is taller than the tracks.
Photo Date:  8/1/1971  Upload Date: 2/4/2015 12:22:47 AM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Yard,Track,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  212   Comments: 0
MILW 532 Sumas Local inbound
Title:  MILW 532 Sumas Local inbound
Description:  Only late summer may you see the MILW Sumas Local return to Bellingham before dark but mostly this was a nightime train.
Photo Date:  8/5/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:43:42 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Track,Action
Locomotives:  MILW 532(SD9)
Views:  274   Comments: 0
MILW 615 at AMFAB
Title:  MILW 615 at AMFAB
Description:  MILW and the BN had a shared deal here at the GP Amfab warehouse. FF to 2015 and everything in this picture is gone.
Photo Date:  8/11/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:45:20 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,RollingStock,Yard,Action
Locomotives:  MILW 615(SW1200)
Views:  898   Comments: 0
MILW 01832
Title:  MILW 01832
Description:  I forgot this angle originally.
Photo Date:  8/15/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:49:26 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard
Locomotives: 
Views:  275   Comments: 0
MILW 532 Sumas Local
Title:  MILW 532 Sumas Local
Description:  Yes the MILW train crews were friendly to me always with a wave.
Photo Date:  8/24/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:39:34 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Action
Locomotives:  MILW 532(SD9)
Views:  349   Comments: 0
MILW Sumas Local
Title:  MILW Sumas Local
Description:  MILW conductors..I like the hat and shades.
Photo Date:  8/24/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:40:14 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  238   Comments: 0
MILW 532 Sumas Local
Title:  MILW 532 Sumas Local
Description:  Its sort of a "low-fi" shot but I've worked with this picture a lot over the years to make it the best it can be because it represents a time where this scene played out day after day in my youth and I made countless trips by bicycle right after school down to this place to watch the MILW Sumas Local navagate the BN diamond and slapboards at Army Street. The train pulled far enough to clear the slapboards and a trainman lined back the slapboads to the BN position and got back onboard and "Highball". This was also a stretch of MILW track that could be called "street-running" across the Whatcom Creek bridge.
Photo Date:  8/24/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:38:00 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard,Track,Action
Locomotives:  MILW 532(SD9)
Views:  472   Comments: 0
MILW switchstand
Title:  MILW switchstand
Description:  This switchstand is on the MILW car ferry dock. Looks old.
Photo Date:  10/1/1971  Upload Date: 2/4/2015 12:27:33 AM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  245   Comments: 0
MILW switcher
Title:  MILW switcher
Description:  This is the 2nd of 2 BN/MILW crossovers at Pine Street Bellingham. Its original purpose was a MILW crossover the GN/BN to get to the MILW car ferry dock. That used ended early 1960's but a new business happened on this spur in the early 1970's as the MILW got new business but that dint last long. The prime focus of this picture is to show the MILW switcher having to make a run up the "connector" to the roundhouse.
Photo Date:  12/5/1971  Upload Date: 2/4/2015 12:25:30 AM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Yard,Track,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  221   Comments: 0
MILW 8001-8003 going through the MILW yard
Title:  MILW 8001-8003 going through the MILW yard
Description:  MILW's answer to the Tacoma to Bellingham trains that came about after the BN merger. Yep 4-U33C's should be able to handle things nicely. The first couple years OK and after that it was whatever Tacoma had ready to offer.
Photo Date:  12/10/1971  Upload Date: 2/4/2015 12:00:35 AM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard,Track
Locomotives:  MILW 8001(U33C) MILW 8003(U33C)
Views:  405   Comments: 1
MILW 8001-8003
Title:  MILW 8001-8003
Description:  This negative/scan took some work with a photo program to make it barely presentable. MILW 8001 was not the most photographed unit as very few pictures exist.
Photo Date:  12/10/1971  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:59:47 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  MILW 8001(U33C)
Views:  353   Comments: 0
MILW Sumas Local departs the yard
Title:  MILW Sumas Local departs the yard
Description:  Had to remind myself that the MILW manage to get some TOFC business on the Sumas Local from time to time and here is proof. Nice look back at the north half of the MILW yard at Bellingham.
Photo Date:  1/15/1972  Upload Date: 2/4/2015 12:05:30 AM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Yard,Track,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  334   Comments: 0
MILW Sumas Local departs the yard
Title:  MILW Sumas Local departs the yard
Description:  Not a great shot but the only one I had showing MILW Sumas local departing from the yard and going north and crossing over the BN at Army Street.
Photo Date:  1/15/1972  Upload Date: 2/4/2015 12:04:32 AM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Bridge,Yard,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  298   Comments: 0
The view from Cornwall Avenue
Title:  The view from Cornwall Avenue
Description:  To get here you need to been going south on Cornwall Ave in Bham which takes you sea-level along the MILW yard. First look up at whats at the roundhouse is what everybody does. Today its a pair MILW U30B's and thats how it was for almost 10 years in Bellingham as a look up at whats the MILW thought up today.
Photo Date:  2/15/1972  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:54:32 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives: 
Views:  292   Comments: 0
MILW 6008-6004
Title:  MILW 6008-6004
Description:  MILW U30B's in town to take a train to Sumas and return. Then go south to Tacoma over BN tracks for the most part.
Photo Date:  2/15/1972  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:57:21 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard,Track
Locomotives:  MILW 6008(U30B) MILW 6004(U30B)
Views:  373   Comments: 0
MILW 618
Title:  MILW 618
Description:  This was the only time I ever saw the MILW switcher go into this track at the foot of Cornwall Ave. To access this spur/track the MILW had to throw some slapboads at a BN/MILW crossover at Pine Street. This crossover was used alot as its the track that leads to the MILW car-ferry dock and thats the way the MILW got their boxcars or any other cars before they made an agreement with GN in the early 1960's to interchange this traffic at Everett and soon after that the ferry dock was usewd no more.
Photo Date:  2/27/1972  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:46:23 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,RollingStock,Yard,Track,Action
Locomotives:  MILW 618(SW1200)
Views:  335   Comments: 2
MILW 618
Title:  MILW 618
Description:  I could say this was a 100 car MILW unit train from Sequim but too many smart people around to pull that off. Try seeing a caboose for the first time crossing Cornwall Avenue.
Photo Date:  2/27/1972  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:46:57 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  273   Comments: 0
MILW 619 crossing Roeder Ave
Title:  MILW 619 crossing Roeder Ave
Description:  When the MILW was running daily until 3-31-80 they crossed Roeder Ave at a weird angle daily. I watched this MILW switch crew in action as they prepare to switch the Bham Cold Storage. I think its call a "double-drop" which I cant esplain right now.
Photo Date:  3/2/1972  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:48:33 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Yard,Track,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  297   Comments: 0
MILW afternoon switcher
Title:  MILW afternoon switcher
Description:  Once the Sumas Local departed Bellingham, the MILW switcher followed to switch out Bham Cold Storage and Mt Baker Plywood and always pushing a caboose. One of the not baywindow cabooses. Another sight I saw after school many days.
Photo Date:  3/2/1972  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:47:56 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Track,Action
Locomotives:  MILW 619(SW1200)
Views:  334   Comments: 0
Another MILW Sumas Local sails through the tall grass out of town
Title:  Another MILW Sumas Local sails through the tall grass out of town
Description:  This was back in the days where you actually could still reach the beach along Roeder Ave in Bellingham. This is a shot that can never be repeated ever again.
Photo Date:  3/5/1972  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:36:43 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  177   Comments: 0
MILW cab-hop
Title:  MILW cab-hop
Description:  Probly an extra ore train returning cab-hop to the yard but they got to wait for track repairs...what you mean?
Photo Date:  3/5/1972  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:36:03 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Track
Locomotives:  MILW 532(SD9)
Views:  485   Comments: 0
MILW track
Title:  MILW track
Description:  I found after some searching MILW track in Bellingham a rail-joint that meets critera.
Photo Date:  3/5/1972  Upload Date: 2/4/2015 12:30:50 AM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  158   Comments: 0
MILW track
Title:  MILW track
Description:  Along Roeder Ave in Bellingham the MILW "Hi-iron" could use some track maintainence.
Photo Date:  3/5/1972  Upload Date: 2/4/2015 12:31:53 AM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  212   Comments: 0
MILW track
Title:  MILW track
Description:  One shining steel rail that goes all the way to Sumas Wa.
Photo Date:  3/5/1972  Upload Date: 2/4/2015 12:32:34 AM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  225   Comments: 0
MILW 8000
Title:  MILW 8000
Description:  The MILW intially thought these 4-U33C's (8000-8003) could handle the daily trains from Tacoma to Bellingham over trackage rights from the BN merger but were short lived as they were around just a year or more.
Photo Date:  7/29/1972  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:58:46 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  MILW 8000(U33C)
Views:  294   Comments: 0
MILW 8000
Title:  MILW 8000
Description:  Another GE "snout-shot" of a locomotive that stood perfectly still for this picture.
Photo Date:  7/29/1972  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:58:16 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  MILW 8000(U33C)
Views:  229   Comments: 0
MILW 5511
Title:  MILW 5511
Description:  Cant ask for a better B&W facial of MILW 5511
Photo Date:  7/30/1972  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:52:08 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  MILW 5511(U28B)
Views:  271   Comments: 0
MILW 5511
Title:  MILW 5511
Description:  Who'd think I've seen the amount of U28B's that I have. Thank to the MILW I've got some pretty good pictures of this GE-model.
Photo Date:  7/30/1972  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:52:36 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  MILW 5511(U28B)
Views:  394   Comments: 0
MILW 5511
Title:  MILW 5511
Description:  The BN never ran any GE' s through Bellingham. It wasnt until the early 1970's when the MILW was bringing the whole GE catalog of locos to Bham. Started a picture series of "GE-snouts" as they seemed to be "not much of a snout". Crew protection in a head-on..not much.
Photo Date:  7/30/1972  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:51:41 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  MILW 5511(U28B)
Views:  228   Comments: 0
MILW 6007-6006
Title:  MILW 6007-6006
Description:  Looking back at all the motive power combinations they sent north to Bellingham, seems a pair of U30B's would be the perfect answer to the Sumas Branch and the trip back to Tacoma with some real tonnage. But no combination of power every stayed the same for very long.
Photo Date:  8/1/1972  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:53:39 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard,Track
Locomotives:  MILW 6007(U30B) MILW 6006(U30B)
Views:  668   Comments: 1
MILW 5007
Title:  MILW 5007
Description:  Pretty good B&W of MILW 5007.
Photo Date:  8/5/1972  Upload Date: 2/3/2015 11:50:57 PM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Roster,Yard
Locomotives:  MILW 5007(U25B)
Views:  220   Comments: 0
MILW track
Title:  MILW track
Description:  MILW mainline alongside Roeder Ave Bellingham. This was a messin' around shot that turned out pretty good.
Photo Date:  8/5/1972  Upload Date: 2/4/2015 12:33:27 AM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  129   Comments: 0
MILW fery docks last days
Title:  MILW fery docks last days
Description:  Date is approximate on this picture. So what happened here? Was some attempt at salvage made or did the whole MILW car ferry dock just crumble of old age. Last looks for sure with this picture.
Photo Date:  1/1/1973  Upload Date: 2/4/2015 12:29:27 AM
Location:  Bellingham, WA
Author:  S.L. Dixon
Categories:  Bridge
Locomotives: 
Views:  253   Comments: 0


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