Tuesday, May 25, 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 Geraldine, Montana with a bus return (about 66 miles one-way). This trip was called The Jawbone Express and included a sandwich lunch. 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).


Central Montana Rail GP9 No. 1824 arrives to latch up to our train about 10 a.m. May 25, 2004. It had come from CMR's headquarters at Denton, Montana, about 25 miles north.


A closer shot. It is about to cross Highway 426 to our boarding area.


Artsy photo of 1824's reflection in a pool of water before we left. The train departed shortly after 11 a.m.


Ready to depart Kingston Junction at 11 a.m.


First runby occurred at 11:22 a.m. over the Judith River Trestle at milepost 75.7. There was such a steep walk down the hill that I decided to stay safely on board the train!


We went around a curve to this bridge over Sage Creek (NM1020), photo taken from the train. We had a runby here at 12:02 p.m.


After most got off the train, it backed over the Sage Creek Trestle for the runby, milepost  84.1.


Starting the runby at 12:26 p.m. May 25.


About to exit the trestle over Sage Creek.


Our train at CMR's headquarters in Denton, Montana about 1:20 p.m.


Central Montana Rail's other 5 GP9's at Denton, Nos. 1809, 1810, 1814, 1817, and 1838.


A BN unit in Denton used for parts.


Here is a runby close to Surprise Creek at milepost 109. Believe me, we were in the 'Badlands of Montana' here and were warned of rattlesnakes and ticks.


1824 brings our passenger cars to us arond the curve. It was about 130 p.m.


The end of track north of Geraldine, Montana, 414 p.m.  We then back to the depot where buses were waiting to take us back to Lewistown.


The Geraldine depot, on this former Milwaukee RR line, has been refurbished


Inside the refurbished Milwaukee depot in Geraldine, Montana.

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