Hallo,
that looks not bad for the beginning, but it’s not absolutely right.
Yes – it’s the Milwaukee Road – that was the easy part
Also country and state has been named right by jacksonbarno so far.
Unfortunately the road is not I-90. Although the I-90 runs close to that particular location it does not cross under the RR-bridge.
Renslow was just a rough guess. Its situated at the MILW but in Washington State rather than in Montana. It could not have been at the Coast Division because the Joe never served at this part of the MILW. The Joes have been used at the Montana Division exclusively.
Ok – there was a Joe moving at the Coast Division but it just was the a “Demonstrator” wearing General Electric paint scheme as GE wanted to sell these locos to the MILW. Originally that locos have been developed by GE for the Russians in the late 40’s. But the beginning of the “Cold War” the US government stopped permission to sell such equipment to the Russians which used to be led by Joseph Stalin back that time.
Due to the fact that this locos used to be far to light for heavy freight services in the USA the MILW was not impressed by the “Demonstrator”. The loco was not heavy enough to provide the needed traction effort. Therefore the Milwaukee Road employees called the locos “Joseph Stalin’s little locomotives”. This nick name became shortened later on to “Little Joe’s – and that name stack.
Eventually the MILW bought the rest of 12 locos which needed to be improved by introducing reinforcements onto the body frame and steel and concrete weights to get the locos more heavy.
Also some of the electrical components warmed up far too much causing damage to other electrical components. Therefore it became necessary to remove these components out of the main part of the locomotive. The best place to store these components became the second driver control stand which has been removed and the emptied room where used as an extended “Machine Room” for thermo sensitive electrical equipment. Therefore the Joes has been turned from original bi-directional locos to single directional locos which caused the need to turn it at both ends of the electrified Montana Division. Also some of the Joes have been used as tandem units coupled permanently – back to back – together.
Anyway – the regular MILW-Joes never saw the Coast Division
Have anybody suggestions about the road name, the county and the towns to the east and to the west – and last but not leased about the name of this place???
Just some help – the place it quite known to Milwaukee Road people and it has been often considered by people who created some MILW model railroad layouts running brass models on it.
Don’t hesitate to post a real life photo if you found one.
Have fun.
Your’s TUME