[milwaukee-electric] Re: Fun Billboard, Just in Time for the Spring Construction Season

[Don L. Leistikow]

Bill Sell and list:   Hillcrest, as it was known, was the site of a very
small Standard Oil facility, a local supply of oil, perhaps, possibly
gasoline.  No one on duty, just the round storage tanks.             

In the old days, tracing old timetables and services, it was apparent
that while some cars ran through to Burlington and East Troy, it was a
common practice to run a stub car between St.Martins and Burlington.
This car, one of the 1107 - 1110 series former MN rebuilds, would use
the wye to turn the car.  So, an East Troy car would then disembark
passengers for Stations on the Burlington line.  Eastbound (north)
passengers coming in from Burlingtion, would make connection with an
Eastbound car from East Troy at St.Martins.                                      

The old original substation, was cleared out and the mainfloor used as a
waiting room for those passengers who lived there or simply made
connecitons.             

With he advent of total abandonment of the B and ET lines in 1938 and
1939, the service was cut back to Hales Corners.  The three wooden
former MN cars, rebuilt into double-ended, air door suburban cars (1102,
1103 and 1104) between PSB and WJ, were now to be used for through
service via WJ to HC                                                          

As the Standard Oil facility and the WEPCO Line Pole Yard were still
located at Hillcrest, trackage was maintained to that location.
Rush-hour traffic became too heavy with gas rationing during WW 2,
requiring either duplex trans or two singles in mu, to handle the
crowds. To accomodate the single ended cars, a loop was constructed at
Hillcrest. Traffic became so strong that meets were arranged at Oklahoma
and Brookfield (Layton Avenue) Sidings.                           

Don L .