Ever ride your Tricycle down the middle of I-5 ?

[AL WORRELLS KID]

Now as crazy as that sounds, here's what really happened back in the 60's.
 When I was a Kid, the day the Concrete finally dried, along our section of I -5.

My Dad holler's......."You kid's grab something to ride on, were going to do something you'll never be able to do, ever again!" 
I had no idea what he was talking about until I grabbed my Tricycle and followed all our Neighbors I saw heading out past our house.
 When we got to the New I-5, (a couple of blocks away) there was the whole neighborhood as far as the eye could see, on every imaginable contraption propelled by man, riding up and down the Interstate, the first to set wheel's on the Virgin Slab.
 I dare say my Dad was right, (and not a Cop in sight.) 
Now this was big entertainment back then.... Why, the only other time I can remember seeing that many of our neighbors together in one place was when we all lined our Cars up outside the fence at Sea-Tac Airport.
We were waiting to watch one of those New Fangled Planes land something they called a "707 Jet" (instead of the usual Old Prop Plane's.)

Here too is a story of a couple of Guy's, who seeing an opportunity to do something that no one would soon be able to do again, invested in a $400.00 "Speeder" and across the Country they went, (ending up in our neck of the woods.)
Doug
http://newwww.weedroute.com

[hunterofelk]

The Milwaukee Road. An era just gone now.  When I drive over the pass, through eastern Washington and to Montana, I glance at the grade and bridges and it is like looking at artifacts of an ancient civilization.  An electrified train would be good now.  I've heard the tracks weren't in great shape at the end, must have been a hairy ride.  Sometime I'll check those links out in depth. 

[Fletch]

Very interesting and how great that they seized the opportunity!

[pd]

The MR did not make good business sense.  Built much later than the Great Northern (BNSF), the cost of development was much higher.  Plus, electrified only halfway, and the overhead lines were much more expensive to maintain than simple tracks.  Plus, not designed for long haul freight like the GN.  Plus, built for passenger service without realizing trans-continental airplanes were just a decade or two away.  Doomed from the start.

Did you know the MR had regenerative braking?  Made its own electric power on the way down the hill from Snoqualmie.