The Milwaukee Road Racine & Southwestern Division: The Rest of the Story

by Jerry Pyfer

Publisher: The Garbely Publishing Company (in partnership with South Platte Press)
Released: March 17, 2026
ISBN: 979-8-9946504-2-4
Pages: 80
Format: 8.5"x11" softcover

The Milwaukee Road Racine & Southwestern Division: The Rest of the Story continues Jerry Pyfer’s previous Tales from the Racine & Southwestern, his firsthand account of life on one of the Milwaukee Road’s most memorable divisions during its final years. Rather than a traditional corporate history, this book captures the everyday reality of railroading in southeastern Wisconsin and northwestern Illinois through personal stories and a wealth of photographs, many published here for the first time. Pyfer draws on his own experiences working train service between 1971 and 1978, presenting railroading as it was lived — imperfect, demanding, and deeply human.

Arranged largely in chronological order, the book allows readers to follow the evolution and decline of the Racine & Southwestern Division as the Milwaukee Road faced aging infrastructure, power shortages, and financial collapse. Richly illustrated and candidly told, The Rest of the Story is an essential companion to Tales from the Racine & Southwestern and a compelling read for Milwaukee Road enthusiasts, railroad historians, and anyone interested in the working railroad of the 1970s.