Photo by Ben Franske, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Upcoming Events
No ticketed events are currently listed for Milwuakee Road 261 Home Page. Many heritage operators publish schedules seasonally or run on regular open hours instead of dated events.
Check the operator’s website for current hours and special runs, or subscribe to event alerts and we’ll email you when something is scheduled.
About Milwuakee Road 261 Home Page
Riding behind Milwaukee Road 261 means mainline steam at full scale: a 1944 ALCO 4-8-4 that has logged over 25,000 miles since its 1993 restoration. The Minneapolis-based nonprofit Friends of the 261 runs occasional and seasonal excursions, often over former Milwaukee Road trackage on the Twin Cities & Western, including fall-color trips and, in July 2026, a series of USA 250 Hiawatha excursions tied to the Semiquincentennial.
History
No. 261 was one of ten S3-class 4-8-4 Northerns the American Locomotive Company built for the Milwaukee Road during the wartime power shortage; it was delivered from Schenectady in July 1944 and assigned to heavy freight and passenger work between Chicago and Omaha, later handling Chicago–Minneapolis passenger trains. It made its last revenue runs in December 1954 and was formally retired in August 1956, then donated to the new National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, where in 1958 it became one of the museum's first exhibits. In 1991 North Star Rail leased the engine for excursion service, and after a Minneapolis rebuild it passed FRA inspection on September 14, 1993, pulling its first public excursions that month as the first Milwaukee Road steam locomotive to run since 1957. The nonprofit Friends of the 261 took over the lease and operations in 1995, partnered with Amtrak from 2003, purchased the locomotive outright from the museum in 2010, and completed a four-year rebuild in 2013. Since 2022 its parent organization, Railroading Heritage of Midwest America, has also operated a former Rock Island shop complex in Silvis, Illinois.
The Trains
The star is Milwaukee Road 261 itself, a coal-fueled S3-class 4-8-4 weighing 460,000 pounds, rated at 4,500 horsepower with a 100 mph maximum speed, and equipped with modern features like roller bearings. It became the second steam locomotive to earn Amtrak certification, and the Friends of the 261 purchased and rebuilt passenger coaches to Amtrak specifications to run with it — including a complete set of Hiawatha cars used on Minneapolis–Chicago trips. Diesel backup comes from former Milwaukee Road EMD E9 No. 32A, acquired from the Wisconsin and Southern in 2019 and repainted into Milwaukee Road colors in 2021.
Nearby
The 261's home base of Minneapolis is Minnesota's most populous city, set on both banks of the Upper Mississippi River beside the state capital, Saint Paul — together the Twin Cities. Nicknamed the City of Lakes, it holds thirteen lakes plus creeks and waterfalls, with a park system linked by the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway. Saint Anthony Falls, the Mississippi's only natural waterfall, powered its rise as a milling capital, and visitors today find the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Walker Art Center, the Guthrie Theater, and four professional sports teams downtown.
Where to Stay
Bookings made through this map support usatrainrides at no extra cost to you.
Rent a Car
Most heritage railroads sit well off the interstate. Picking up a rental at the nearest airport is usually the easiest way in.
Compare rentals on Discover Cars →Bookings made through this link support usatrainrides at no extra cost to you.
Book tours & activities nearby
Pre-book guided tours and things to do around the area.
Bookings made through these links support usatrainrides at no extra cost to you.
More in Minnesota
All train rides in Minnesota →Train Types in Minnesota
Reviews
0✍ Write a Review
Get Event Alerts
Never miss an event at Milwuakee Road 261 Home Page.