Hello, could someone share some photos and insight into the operation of milk trains? I know some railroads had dedicated trains and others had the milk cars on the front of passenger trains, but that's the extent of my knowledge.
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The Kalmbach Guide to Trackside Industries has some info:
https://books.google.com/books...k%20cars&f=false
Also, Robert Mohowski's MILK CANS, MIXED TRAINS, and MOTOR CARS, though about a specific railroad, has lots of information that applies to the entire Northeast US milk industry.
Finally, Robert Liljestrand's photo books on milk cars are a great resource.
Thank you guys!
There were at least 4 volumes in soft cover form titled Railway Milk Cars. Lost of photos. I have a couple and they have a lot of info. . You can find them still. On Amazon or perhaps Rons Books. The ones I have pretty much cover the northeast.
I'm in the process of putting together a Rutland train headed for NY. city. If you want to be somewhat prototypical. It's important to research which creameries were served by each railroad as well as there destination. My NY bound train features Sheffield Farms , Bordens cars and New York Central. My Boston bound over the B&M features mostly Hoods, White Brothers and a Brookside's
As you mentioned. They pretty much ran as scheduled trains. The Rutland usually had a baggage and combine bringing up the rear. For this I'm redoing some MTH woodsides.
R W Nimke's series of books about the Rutland contain a wealth of information about the makeup and operation of milk trains
Jan
rattler21 posted:Will, Please either add your Internet address in your profile or contact me off list. Thank you, John in Lansing, ILL
I added my email on my profile
You are milking this for all it is worth.
And it is OK! This is part of the old head end express business, and it made a lot of secondary passenger trains very interesting!