THE PLAN

A 1946 Milwaukee Road Caboose, designed and built in the railroad's shops, will be restored as an Interpretive Center for the public and school groups, open five days weekly and by appointment. It's funding is by grants and contributions, and is entirely separate from The Old Hotel's operating budget.

VISITORS MAY ENTER from it's platform or from the gallery's side exit to view an exhibit of The Milwaukee in Othello, 1906-80, presented in photo/narrative form. A replica Conductor's Work Station is planned. 

IS THIS CABOOSE IMPORTANT? We think so, for without it's original railroad economy our community would not have been in place for today's agriculture. Few Othello adults, and none of our children remember the Milwaukee today.

THE RIB-SIDER CABOOSE

BY THE END OF WWII IN 1946, the new metal freight cars were getting taller. By allowing observation of the wheels and tracks from a bay window instead of the old top dash side cupola, the caboose crew kept a closer watch on trouble. And the steel siding of horizontal ribbing provided safer walls. 

RIB-SIDERS WERE ALL BUILT without electricity. A coal stove and kerosene lighting served well enough, and the toilet dumped straight onto the track.

THIS MODEL OF CABOOSE stayed in operation until the dissolution of The Milwaukee, when they were all sold for scrap or to second owners during bankruptcy proceedings, 1979.

LOOKING BACK

• 1906-08 Right-of-way purchased, tracks laid West (& East) out of Lind
• 1909 First passenger train thru Othello, an excursion from Chicago to AYP Exposition in Seattle
• 1910 The Chicago, Milwaukee and Puget Sound Railway of Washington schedules service.
• Reorganization results in new name: CMSt.P&P Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific.
• 1920 First Electric engines based in Othello
• 1940's Name familiarizes to: The Milwaukee Road
• 1946 Bay-window caboose designed & built
• 1946-48 First diesel engines in Othello
• 1954 Last steam engine out of Othello
• 1961 Last passenger train out of Othello
• 1972 Last electric engine out of Othello
• 1980 Last train out of the Othello yards; the Milwaukee Road is gone

Please click on the image to view a larger version.

Drawings by Tom Kokott
Milwaukee Road Historical Association

For more information contact:

THE OLD HOTEL ART GALLERY

33 Larch, Othello, WA 99344
509-488-5936; email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

We gratefully acknowledge:

FUNDING ASSISTANCE

• Adams County Economic Development Council
  
• Casey Albert T. O'Neil Foundation
  
• City of Othello
  
• Foundation Northwest
  
• Greater Othello Chamber of Commerce
  
• Milwaukee Road Historical Association
  
• MilWest
  
• Othello Community Museum
  
• USBank
  
• Washington State Commission for the Humanities
  
• Washington State Heritage Resource Center
  
• and Individual Donors ( names available on request)

WORK IN PROGRESS

• Alan Hanks
  
• Jesse Rodelo
  
• Rattlesnake Construction
  
• Carpet Carrousel
  
• Johnson's Glass
  
• Hickman Painting
  
• Lumberman's Building Center
  
• Othello Welding