Strange things in WC Land

[Anonymous]

[%-)][%-)][%-)] Yesterday Ed Burkhardt stopped by the Appleton depot "Just to say hello". With all the rumors of upcoming line sales by CN it kind of makes me wonder if there might be something to them.

[Mookie]

Maybe he is practicing to be a politician?

[eolafan]

With all his money, perhaps he has nothing else to do but practice "foaming"?

[dknelson]

I thought Ed B. was involved with other short line interests out east, so I doubt if he is just wandering.
This could be a very interesting development as I think it is no secret that CN bought the WC for the Chicago access, not for the myriad local switching that Ed B so carefully cultivated. A spin off of a spin off of a spin off ... the mind whirls.
Dave Nelson

[wcfan4ever]

There has been talks since CN took over WC about the Manitowoc Sub being looked at by Ed B according to the city hall. WSOR has even been in Manitowoc this week down at city hall. I beleive that any lines that are marked up for sale, Ed would without a doubt look into getting them.

Dave
Manitowoc, WI

[UPTRAIN]

First off I thought Ed was not even involved with WC anymore and secondly, I thought WC was already sold to CN.

[wcfan4ever]

Your right, Ed is not involved with the WC anymore, it is CN's line now. The only reason he is in the area is CN is looking to sell off many branch lines and I'm sure Ed is very interested. Then again, I'm sure there are a lot of railroads interested in them. Most of them are very profitable including the line from Neenah to Manitowoc, WI. CN only really wants the keep the Superior to Chicago line and is not really interested in everything that came with the WC purchase.

Dave

[Anonymous]

WELL ED WAS A GOOD PRESIDENT AND CN WANTS CHICAGO TO SUPERIOR AND MINNEAPOLIS

[fuzzybroken]

On the WSOR and WisRail Yahoogroups, rumors have been aired that Wisconsin & Southern might pick up the West Bend Sub (x-FRVR/CNW) and the Plymouth Sub (x-MILW) from CN/WC, maybe the Manitowoc Sub too. Then again, it would be neat to see ol' Burkhart back in cheeseland!!

-Mark
http://www.geocities.com/fuzzybroken

[jeaton]

Let me see. The banckrupt MILW abandons a bunch of branches, and spins off others to form the WC. The remaining MILW mainlines are merged into SOO(CP).The SOO's inferior old mainline to Chicago is now reundant, and is sold to the WC. Eventually the WC is bought out by CN, and you guys now say that CN may be looking to spin off some branches to the WSOR. This better stop soon, cause I'm getting too old to keep track, or, they say nothing happens in Wisconsin after the Packers loose. Let them follow railroads.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it was the MILW that spun-off branch lines to form the WC. It was
the SOO that bought the remainder of the MILW and attempted to operate
both their former lines (as the Lake States subsidiary) and the MILW and
then decided that wasn't working and sold-off their former main lines in
Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, their old main to Chicago and into Minneapolis
to the WC.

[fuzzybroken]

I think it's supposed to be "bankrupt MILW abandons a bunch of branches, and spins off others to the WSOR -- Wisconsin & Southern".

When all is said and done, yes, but MILW also spun off branches to Central Wisconsin and Wisconsin Western, which later came under the banner of Wisconsin & Calumet, which was bought by WSOR!!! On state-/county-owned track!!!

Let's see... Wisconsin Central, Central Wisconsin (tho WC was their first choice), Wisconsin Western, Wisconsin & Southern, Wisconsin & Calumet... no wonder it's hard to keep track!!! Has there been a Wisconsin Northern? I know there was a Wisconsin & Michigan, but I doubt there was (or ever will be, unless it goes in the pond) a Wisconsin Eastern!!!

More confusion: CN's Grand Trunk Western was one of the early bidders for the MILW!!!

Yep, definitely, all those bored Packer fans should watch railroading!!! Sure has kept me enter-trained the past 20+ years!!!

-Mark
http://www.geocities.com/fuzzybroken

[Anonymous]

There was, back in the 1880's, a "Wisconsin, Iowa & Nebraska" Railroad.
I have one of their receipts in a frame at home. It mentions the town of
Berlin (Iowa I believe) where the receipt was issued. I think it was one
of the early predecessor roads of the C.M.St.P & O but I'm just guessing.

[Anonymous]

So the $64,000 question is, how would you operate a split up entity like that? [?]

ie.. If CN really only wants Chicago - Superior (they've never hidden that fact.) then what's left:

1) Neenah to Green Bay to Escanaba, MI to Sault Ste. Marie
2) Green Bay to Denmark
3) Neenah to Manitowoc w/ split to Plymouth
4) West Bend Sub
5) Jct. City to Ashland
6) Medford Sub
7) Shawano Sub
8) New London Sub
9) Jct City to Wisc. Rapids
10) Wisc. Rapids to Trempeleau (Miss. River)

How in the world do you operate something like that as a "railroad?" The key piece, the backbone is the mainline that CN holds. So does a "new WC" operate the branches and purchase trackage rights over CN to access Chicago? i.e. the new WC handles all of the traffic originating or terminating in the State and CN is just a bridge RR? Hey - here's a freaky thought.... maybe a new WC could actually provide intermodal service somewhere in the State? Novel idea, huh? [:0]

If there's a new WC, it will have to be called something like WC III since its the 3rd incarnation of that name.

[wcfan4ever]

I don't think there will be a new WC. I'm sure what would end up happening is a new shortline here and there and E&LS getting some along with the WSOR getting other lines. I don't see one railroad taking all the lines and just using rights to travel over the rest. Who knows, CN may keep more than what they originally thought they would because they realized the lines are profitable.

Dave

[Anonymous]

Dave - R U a member of the Clipper City Model RR Club? I know several guys down there.
- Stack

[wcfan4ever]

No, I am not but I am highly considering becoming one. I too know ,many of the members of the club and do make regular visits.

Dave

[dphusman]

One of the rumors we have heard about the old GB&W Whitehall Division, is that the trackage from East Winona to Arcadia, WI, might end up in the hands of the BNSF. There is a fair amount of intermodal traffic out of Arcadia. As of now, there is still a daily CN train from Wisconsin Rapids to East Winona and back. The amount of traffic on these trains seems to be pretty good.

[wcfan4ever]

I wouldn't be surprised to see some lines go to large railroads like the E. Winona to Arcadia. Other lines connected to other roads may end up in thier hands. E&LS might get a few, WSOR might get some, who knows, BNSF, UP, and CP might all get a hand in on some of these. Only time will tell to see what happens with all of these lines.

Dave