Interested in learning more about the history of the Milwaukee Road in Washington? Here are some resources.
Virtual Tours
Interested in learning more about the history of the Milwaukee Road routes in Washington that have been turned into trails? Follow our virtual tours:
| Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail |
| This tour extends from the westernmost trailhead at Cedar Falls, WA (near North Bend) to the end of the trail at the Washington/Idaho border and beyond to Plummer, ID. |
Timeline of significant dates
1900s
- 1906 – The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway announced its plan to build a “Pacific Coast Extension” to Puget Sound.
- 1909 – Railroad officials held a Golden Spike celebration for the completion of the Pacific Coast Extension on May 19, 1909, at Garrison, Montana.
- 1909 – The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul started through freight service between Chicago, IL and Tacoma, WA on July 4, 1909.
1910s
- 1910 – The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul started through passenger service on July 10, 1910.
- 1911 – The “Olympian” and “Columbian” passenger trains entered service between Chicago and Tacoma on May 23, 1911.
- 1915 – The “Olympian” was the first train to go through the Snoqualmie Tunnel on January 24, 1915.
1920s
- 1920 – Milwaukee Road officials and press party inspection train from Seattle to Cle Elum commemorating the opening of the 207-mile Coast Division electrification on March 5, 1920.
- 1925 – The Milwaukee Road files for bankruptcy and enters receivership for the first time on March 18, 1925.
- 1928 – Milwaukee Road exited receivership on January 13, 1928 as the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad.
- 1927 – The last part of the electrification was completed on July 4, 1927. It was a 10-mile segment from Black River Junction (near Renton) to Seattle Union Station.
- 1927 – The railroad changed the mileposts on the route to originate in Chicago.
1930s
- 1935 – The Milwaukee Road entered bankruptcy because of the Great Depression on June 29, 1935, This was the railroad’s second bankruptcy since 1925.
1940s
- 1941 – The Milwaukee Road purchases its first diesel locomotive.
- 1945 – The railroad reorganized following its second bankruptcy.
- 1947 – The “Olympian Hiawatha” streamliner was inaugurated on June 29, 1947, replacing the Olympian.
- 1949 – The ski lodge at Milwaukee Ski Bowl burned to the ground on December 2, 1949.
1950s
- 1950 – The Milwaukee Road celebrates its “Centennial Year”.
- 1952 – Superdome cars were added to the “Olympian Hiawatha”.
- 1955 – The “Columbian” passenger train was dropped from service.
- 1958 – The Milwaukee Road inaugurated truck trailer on flatcar “piggyback” freight service.
- 1958 – Bipolar electric locomotives were transferred from the Coast Division to the Rocky Mountain Division (Idaho & Montana).
1960s
- 1961 – The Milwaukee Road ended passenger service in Washington when the Olympian Hiawatha discontinued west of Deer Lodge, MT on May 23, 1961.
- 1963 – “XL Special” (westbound) and “Thunderhawk” (eastbound) expedited scheduled freight trains were inaugurated by the railroad.
1970s
- 1970 – Burlington Northern merger on March 2, 1970 (The Milwaukee’s major competitors joined together.)
- 1972 – Coast Division electrification ends on November 13, 1972.
- 1974 – Cle Elum was eliminated as a crew change point on October 31, 1974. This ends lunchroom, bunkhouse, and continuous station operation at Cle Elum. Tacoma crews run through to Othello.
- 1977 – The Milwaukee Road filed for bankruptcy on December 19, 1977. This was the railroad’s third bankruptcy since 1925.
1980s
- 1980 – The last train departs Tacoma on March 15, 1980.
- 1985 – The Milwaukee Road was sold to the SOO Line on February 19, 1985.
- 1986 – The Milwaukee Road was absorbed into the SOO Line on January 1, 1986.
Research website
Visit our research website to view material from our archival collections.
