Railroads

The Milwaukee Road

A summary of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad — the line that made Harlowton its eastern electrification terminus and shaped the Upper Musselshell Valley for generations.

Movies & Multimedia

Films, documentaries, and multimedia resources chronicling the Milwaukee Road — from its electrification era to its final years of operation.

Milwaukee Road Resource Library

The museum's curated library of Milwaukee Road materials — books, documents, maps, and reference works available through the Reading Room in the Marshall Building.

The Montana Railroad

A summary of the Montana Railroad — an early short-line that connected communities across central Montana before its absorption into the Milwaukee Road system.

Richard T. Harlow

A profile of the man the town was named after, including excerpts from a recorded interview offering a firsthand account of the railroad's early years in the Upper Musselshell.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad

An overview of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad and its place in Montana's broader railroad history following the decline of the Milwaukee Road.

The Pedersen Collection

One of the largest collections of HO scale Milwaukee Road models in the United States — a remarkable assembly of detailed miniatures on permanent display at the museum.

Bill Wilkerson

Artist, writer, and Milwaukee Road engineer based in Miles City. After retiring, Bill collaborated with publisher Jerry Miller to produce fourteen books and extensive artwork documenting the Milwaukee Road.

White Sulphur Springs & Yellowstone Park Railway

A now-defunct 22.8-mile short-line built in 1910 between Ringling and White Sulphur Springs. Connected to the national rail network via the Milwaukee Road at Ringling — formerly Leader, MT, renamed for John Ringling.

Smoking Boomer Trail

Smoking Boomer Trailhead sits alongside the historic Milwaukee Road Depot in Harlowton — a walkable connection to the railroad heritage at the heart of the town.