{"id":112,"ordinal":13,"modified":"2026-04-17 19:58:29","content_modified":"2026-04-17 19:58:29","featured":1,"title":"Railway Electrification","creator":"Dale Martin","description":"<p>Butte was a center of innovation in railway electrification in North America. For much of the twentieth century, Butte was a rare example in the West for railroads using the application of electricity to replace steam locomotives. This was facilitated by Montana’s plentiful hydroelectric power, both established and potential, and cold weather in mountainous terrain that reduced steam locomotives’ efficiency. In addition, two Butte-based companies with linked corporate leadership stood to benefit from railway electrification, either by selling copper (Anaconda Copper Mining Company) or electricity (The Montana Power Company).</p>","postscript_text":"","tour_img":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/ae3e6dbf473ce8b576e8d22435154e37.jpg","items":[{"id":3531,"title":"Butte Street Railway","latitude":46.004017938646001084634917788207530975341796875,"longitude":-112.5221271514237741939723491668701171875,"thumbnail":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/square_thumbnails/ae3e6dbf473ce8b576e8d22435154e37.jpg","fullsize":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/ae3e6dbf473ce8b576e8d22435154e37.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":null,"custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":3532,"title":"Steam Electrification","latitude":46.0429501305435451286030001938343048095703125,"longitude":-112.7947576045335154049098491668701171875,"thumbnail":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/square_thumbnails/bfc0cf4fc6b2857a2a130f4f55d92b11.jpg","fullsize":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/bfc0cf4fc6b2857a2a130f4f55d92b11.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":null,"custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":3533,"title":"Butte, Anaconda & Pacific Railway","latitude":46.00512907049962763039729907177388668060302734375,"longitude":-112.52920067307059071026742458343505859375,"thumbnail":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/square_thumbnails/5eb6453b667e11034e3225bcb5c7f3f8.jpg","fullsize":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/5eb6453b667e11034e3225bcb5c7f3f8.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":null,"custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":3534,"title":"Rocker","latitude":46.00210116513320457443114719353616237640380859375,"longitude":-112.602104186880751512944698333740234375,"thumbnail":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/square_thumbnails/2b8ce868c8f2c658ce319fbdfe5cc03e.jpg","fullsize":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/2b8ce868c8f2c658ce319fbdfe5cc03e.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":null,"custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":3535,"title":"Anselmo Railroad Display","latitude":46.0168989167342914470282266847789287567138671875,"longitude":-112.548313021643480169586837291717529296875,"thumbnail":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/square_thumbnails/ddc46eb4789f214292d15de5d65d7180.jpg","fullsize":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/ddc46eb4789f214292d15de5d65d7180.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":null,"custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":3536,"title":"Milwaukee Road","latitude":45.9835381152979181251794216223061084747314453125,"longitude":-112.53314781162771396338939666748046875,"thumbnail":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/square_thumbnails/58b21efc7224f96d3436062e088017dd.jpg","fullsize":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/58b21efc7224f96d3436062e088017dd.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":null,"custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}}]}