Waterford Ave/Powerton

Here is my favorite spot. It is a grade crossing on the south side of Milwaukee, WI. The street is Waterford Ave. It is also called Powerton. Because at one time it was an interchange point between the Milwaukee Road and the TMER&L Co. (The Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Co.). The TM used to come down to Powerton with steeplecab electrics and pick up hoppers of coal for a power plant in St Francis about 5 miles east on Lake Michigan. The TM tracks were pulled up in the late 1960's. The grade crossing is at the crest of a pretty steep grade coming out of Milwaukee. Occasionally trains will stall and need helpers or have to double the hill. There is almost always a railfan sitting near the crossing. The shot below was taken on Saturday June 21, 2003 during our annual Equinox day when we catch all of the daylight we can.

For more information on Powerton check out my webpage at
www.geocities.com/kaschmidt626/index.html

Keith Schmidt