I was born and raised in Milwaukee not far from Miller Brewery. Miller was situated in a valley through which the Menomonee River flowed. As the river flowed it's way southward through the enclave of Piggsville it swung eastward and made it's way out of Milwaukee through the Menomonee River Valley - in which the famed Milwaukee Road shops were located - and then outward to Lake Michigan. The origin of the name Piggsville (sometimes spelled Pigsville) is a bit contentious. Some claim it was the pig farms located there which gave it it's name, while others claim it was one particular farm owned by someone who's last name was 'Pigg'. In any case I remember Piggsville as having quaint little houses nestled between the river banks.
If memory serves me right, Miller could be accessed by driving northward through Piggsville, or by getting on State St. and traveling westward. I had taken tours of the brewery a couple of times and even applied for a job there before deciding to join the Air Force. There's more memories I can convey about Miller but I'll leave you with just one more. At certain times during the brewing process - and if the winds were just right - one could smell the sweetness of the hops wafting through the air. I'll you what, if you live in an industrial area, there's lots of odors than can assail you, but this one was actually a treat as the whole air was infused with an earthy sweetness!
Through the years, Lionel has put out several Miller beer reefers and of course I just had to get one right!? This one was from Lionel's MPC era (1970-1985) and is full 'O'-scale (1/48th scale) making it larger than their normal line of rolling stock at the time. I have absolutely no qualms about mixing scale and semi-scale trains on my layout. To me they're all toys and are meant to be run. Now I just need to get the other Miller reefers Lionel produced. Maybe I need to put together a unit train of Miller reefer's! Enjoy! Opa Fritz
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