SigMT

Local history, wildlife, and hearty meals take center stage at the 1028 Steakhouse and Fireside Lounge in Winifred, Mont. Natural wood complimented with black metal and wood accents give the restaurant a clean, steam punk-like atmosphere, honoring the Milwaukee Road steam locomotive, No. 1028. "e 1028 was the first steam engine to come to Winifred in 1913," explains Frank Carr, a fih-generation Winifred resident who serves as building general manager with his wife, Pagie. "A small group of locomotives the 1028 belonged to were based out of Lewistown (Mont.) and made thousands of trips to Winifred between 1913 and 1954, when diesel locomotives took over." Normally, a replica steam engine circles the restaurant and into the lobby on a train track suspended from the pitched ceiling. "We had a rail car derail, and it broke," says Pagie. "e locomotive is down until we can find someone to fix it." e track even includes replica buildings, representing the train stops in northern Fergus County, Mont. – Hilger, Suffolk, Christina, and Winifred. "e train connected all the communities, just like it is shown on this track," says Tiffany Rowell, restaurant manager, while pointing to the replica buildings. "at's how this restaurant got its name." Modern ambient lighting sets an intimate tone while accenting the iron and wood decor in the 1028 Steakhouse, named and designed to pay tribute to the 1028 engine and railroad that once connected the small towns in the area. Photo by Summer Foran SIGNATURE MONTANA | 85

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