More of the Green Bay and Western Gone

[Anonymous]

Over the summer a crew started removing more of the old Green Bay and Western trackage. They started a few miles West of Green Bay. They proceeded westward to what I was presuming would be Seymour (about 10 miles.) As it turns out (I found out this weekend), they went Westward nearly 40 miles to at least the town of New London. They have alternate access to New London via former C&NW trackage, so this was apparently deemed redundant.

For us Alco fans, the run from Green Bay west was uphill for about 10 miles as they climbed away from the Bay of Green Bay. Train #1 left in the evening, about supper time and in the summer months, you could chase it to Black Creek before it got dark. If you got lucky, the Eastbound Train #2 might make a daylight meet on its way back from a trip the prior day across the state and back.

In the 80's and 90's, the Wisconsin Central used the line from Black Creek to Green Bay, via Trackage rights (before buying GB&W). They used the GBW line to access their yard in Green Bay vs. using their own line along the East bank of the Fox River. The WC track along the east bank of the Fox was former Milwaukee Road trackage which was not in great shape.

Now both lines are gone. Gotta love the Canadian National. Gee, if I were to be Canadian, I'm not entirely sure I'd want that company using my Country name as part of its corparate name.

[dharmon]

[. Gotta love the Canadian National. Gee, if I were to be Canadian, I'm not entirely sure I'd want that company using my Country name as part of its corparate name.

[JoeKoh]

I hope not. dblstack the old wabsh line is in real bad shape here in Defiance.Ask mudchicken about that.I don't like abandonments or railroads leasing to shortlines.I know the old NKP line in Celina Oh(my hometown) isn't what it used to be.I remember seeing 5 and 6 engine trains rock through Celina.There was also a line that ran north to Van Wert and beyond.I can understand you being upset but lets not start namecalling again please
thanks Joe
stay safe

[zardoz]

dblstack -

Very interesting; thanks for the info. I was up there last summer and got some shots of the old tracks and row. Just in time, i guess.

Before the CN bought the WC, the trains were mostly 100 cars or less, and crews got over the road. Even that was a fairly long train, considering the track profile of the WC (I am amazed how those engineers get over the road without having "unplanned, uncontrolled train separations" more often).

Now, the trains frequently are 125+ long, and I hear crews dying on the law quite often. Progress, eh?