Milwauke Railroads


Bill Wilkerson 1920-2002


Bill Wilkerson was an artist, writer and engineer on the Milwaukee Road. Based in Miles City, Bill was a very frequent visitor to Harlowton. After his retirement, Bill collaborated with Jerry Miller, publisher of The Times Clarion to publish fourteen books, numerous articles for the newspaper and to publish drawing and art work featuring the Milwaukee Road.

Bill was born in Roundup in 1920. Bill was a Harlo “kid.” He attended school in Harlo and graduated from Harlowton High School in 1939. Bill worked on the Milwaukee from 1939 until he entered the Army in 1942. After his service in WW II, Bill returned home and worked on the Milwaukee until he retired in 1982.

Bill and wife, Dorothy, had three sons and one daughter. Bill and Dorothy made their home in Miles City their entire married life.

In addition to his railroad writing and art work, Bill pursued a passion for restoring old Ford cars.

Bill drew the masthead artwork for The Times Clarion for twenty years. He received numerous awards for both his art work and his writing. Bill is probably best known for his series of books about the locomotives and other aspects of the Milwaukee and Montana Railroads.

Bill passed away in Miles City on February 15, 2002, at age 81. Bill’s books and artwork remain in high demand today and are available through the museum’s internet shop.


Bill Wilkerson Harlowton Montana


Books

•Lines West Memories - 75 pages.
•Electric Passenger Locomotives - 64 pages.
•Fifty Years of Olympians - 48 pages.
•The Jawbone Railroad - 32 pages.
•The E57B - 50 pages.
•Milwaukee G-Class 4-6-0 Locomotives
•Milwaukee F Class Locomotives - 44 pages.
•Milwaukee K1 Locomotives - 32 pages.
•Milwaukee Mallets - 32 pages.
•Milwaukee Road EF-4 Locomotives - 48 pages.
•Milwaukee Road 8-2-8 L-Class Locomotives - 24 pages.
•Milwaukee Road Class EP-3 Locomotives - 24 pages.
•Milwaukee Road Class EP-3 Locomotives - 24 pages.
•The Milwaukee's Transmissouri Division and Yard Memories.


Artwork


Bill Artwork
Photo # S-32 in the museum store.
It is a picture of a bi-polar drawing by Wilkerson.


Engineering Drawings


drawings
Photo # S-70 in the museum store.




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