The Sioux was a named passenger train of the Milwaukee Road that operated between Chicago, Madison, Wisconsin, and Rapid City, South Dakota, via Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin and northern Iowa. The train, #11, westbound, and #22, eastbound, operated coaches, dining cars and sleeping cars through most of its history.

Sioux
Overview
Service typeInter-city rail
Statusdiscontinued
LocaleMidwestern United States
First service1928
Last serviceApril 30, 1971
Former operator(s)Milwaukee Road
Route
TerminiChicago, Illinois
Rapid City, South Dakota
Distance travelled140 mi (230 km)
Train number(s)11 (westbound)
22 (eastbound)
On-board services
Seating arrangementsReclining seat lounge coaches
Sleeping arrangementsSections and drawing room; (eastbound only: compartment also available) (1948)
Catering facilitiesParlor-dining service
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Route map
Distance
Station
0 mi
Chicago Union Station
17 mi
27 km
Glenview
50 mi
80 km
Fox Lake
74 mi
119 km
Walworth
89 mi
143 km
Avalon
99 mi
159 km
Janesville
107 mi
172 km
Milton Junction
115 mi
185 km
Edgerton
124 mi
200 km
Stoughton
133 mi
214 km
McFarland
140 mi
225 km
Madison
237 mi
381 km
Prairie du Chien
Mississippi River
239 mi
385 km
Marquette
328 mi
528 km
Charles City
356 mi
573 km
Mason City
456 mi
734 km
Spencer
534 mi
859 km
Canton
613 mi
987 km
Mitchell
708 mi
1139 km
Chamberlain
755 mi
1215 km
Murdo
Central/Mountain Time
899 mi
1447 km
Rapid City

On the route the train included a dining car serving breakfast, and a first-class parlor car. However, by the post-war 1940s, the parlor car was combined with dining car functions.[3] West of Madison it also operated as a mail train, making frequent stops. The train crossed the Mississippi River on the Pile–Pontoon Railroad Bridge.

On October 1, 1951, the train was cut back to a Chicago to Canton, South Dakota, service with prepaid taxi connections to nearby Sioux Falls. In the 1950s, the Sioux itinerary between Chicago's Union Station and Madison, Wisconsin was limited stops between Chicago and Walworth; and service in that latter territory was handled by suburban Milwaukee Road trains.[4]

In 1960 the train was further cut back to a Chicago to Madison coach service.[5] The train ceased operation on May 1, 1971, when Amtrak assumed responsibility for providing a national rail service.

References

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  1. ^ Milwaukee Road (1970-02-01). Madison Train Service timetable.
  2. ^ Milwaukee Road timetable, January-February-March, 1940, Tables 18, 19 http://streamlinermemories.info/Milw/Milw40TT.pdf
  3. ^ "Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific R.R., Equipment and Condensed Schedules". Official Guide of the Railways. 81 (3). National Railway Publication Company. August 1948.
  4. ^ Milwaukee Road timetable, 1956, Tables 9, 19, 31A http://streamlinermemories.info/Milw/Milw56TT.pdf
  5. ^ Dorin (1978) p.30
  • Dorin, Patric C. (1978). Milwaukee Road East. Burbank, California: Superior Publishing Company. pp. 29–30. ISBN 0-87564-702-2. LCCN 78003834.