According to The Milwaukee Electrics book, the original electric infrastructure was worn out, and would have required complete replacement from poles to overhead wire to supply lines to most substation equipment. Some upgrading of motor - generator sets on the Rocky Mountain Division had occurred in the early 1950's with the purchase of second - hand equipment from the discontinued NYC Cleveland Union Terminal electric operation. Also, the Milwaukee Board of Directors had dollar signs in their eyes at the thought of the price the scrap copper wire would bring. This was during one of a series of perceived copper shortages. Of course by the time the wire was scrapped, the price had dropped considerably. Milwaukee's Lines West electric trackage rarely enjoyed any support from the main office in Milwaukee.
The initial cost of building the electrical infrastructure was, and is, the biggest deterrent to electrified railroads in the U.S. Never mind that the equipment can last 50 to 60 years, as shown by the Milwaukee Road, as well as Pennsylvania & New Haven RR's. In the last 40 years, BN, Espee, & U.P. have all explored electrifying their busiest mainlines; however all have claimed it as being too expensive.