Q: What was the western terminus of the MR&T, your HO scale staff layout? — Phil Stead
A: Jim Kelly explained the concept behind the Milwaukee, Racine & Troy in “Meet the MR&T” in the December 1989 Model Railroader. “You may have already guessed that the initials in MR&T stand for Model Railroader and Trains, which were the only magazines Kalmbach had when we started building the railroad. Finding local town names starting with M and R was no problem, but T was a stretch. Troy is an unincorporated “village” about 25 miles southwest of Milwaukee and just west of the better-known East Troy, home of a trolley museum.”
He then went on to explain the MR&T system. “The MR&T (often called the ‘Myrt’) is a hypothetical bridge line extending from Milwaukee to Fort Madison, Iowa. The line’s lifeblood is interchange with the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, giving heavy machinery and other goods manufactured in southeastern Wisconsin a quick start on journeys west. Much of the eastbound traffic (distressingly light of late) is destined for Europe and Africa via the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway. The MR&T’s main selling point is that it avoids Chicago.”
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