Monday evening, May 24, 2004, the Southern Appalachia Railway Museum (SARM), PO Box 5870, Knoxville, TN 37928, 865-241-2140, ran a special rare-mileage passenger train out of Lewistown, Montana to Moccasin, Montana and return (31 miles one-way). This trip was called The Judith Basin Dinner Train and included a full dinner. The train was operated due to the efforts and permission of the kind employees and management of Central Montana Rail and the Charlie Russell Chew-Choo Dinner Train. In particular, David Murray of the Yogo Inn (located in the former Milwaukee RR train station in Lewistown, ) spent a great deal of time helping to plan this event. This web address is also where you can get information on the regular dinner trains run by the Charlie Russell Chew-Choo Dinner Train.
   Equipment used on our trip: CMR former Great Northern GP9 1824,  ex-Boston & Maine RDCs  (now owned by the Lewistown Chamber of Commerce) 6138, 6906, 6916, 6918 and 6926. No. 6138 is a RDC-1, the others RDC-9s.  Central Montana Rail also owns these locomotives, all GP9's and all ex-Great Northern: 1809, 1810, 1814, 1817, and 1838.  
   All photos taken by Ken Ziegenbein (EMAIL).


This is a scene from our boarding site, about 11 miles west of Lewistown.


This is an out-of-service trestle between Kingston Junction (our boarding site) and Lewistown. It was formerly used by both the Milwaukee Road and the Great Northern.


Our dinner train is ready to depart Kingston Junction, Montana, 6 p.m, May 24.


Inside one of the RDCs, all now having tables for dinner trains.


The train arrives in Moccasin at 720 p.m.


Rare mileage riders and others outside to photograph the train.


On the way back to Lewistown, we had a run-by over the Judith River bridge.


The sun was setting as we re-boarded the train after the run-by. The trestle is to the right of the train.


Another shot of the sunset with old trees making a border.


Here is the setting sun from a train window. It was close to 9 p.m.


This former GN depot in Lewistown has been converted to an Exxon gas station and shop. I don't know if the tracks are still used here or not.


This is where most of us stayed - the Yogo Inn in Lewistown, which is partially located in the old Milwaukee Railroad station.

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