Sometime in the '60s or '70s the CNW abandoned its track between Milwaukee and Madison - anyone have details?
Thanks. Bruce
It is now the Glacial-Drumlin bike trail. There are actually original steel bridges on the trail on curves that are canted at a relatively steep angle, a reminder of the high speed passenger trains operated on the line.
The line used to have passenger trains pulled by the CNW's 81-inch high-drivered rigid-frame Class D 4-4-2 Atlantics.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4891483
On the west end a stub remnant of the line is operated by Wisconsin & Southern from Madison east to Cottage Grove.
On the east end a stub remnant is operated by Union Pacific west from Milwaukee to the east side of Waukesha.
Bruce FrierdichSometime in the '60s or '70s the CNW abandoned its track between Milwaukee and Madison - anyone have details? Thanks. Bruce
Last Milwaukee to Madison C&NW passenger train ran in 1954.
The line abandoned in January 1984.
mudchickenThe line abandoned in January 1984. Add
Kind of off topic but two interesting items......
#1. The line crossed under Highway 83 in North Wales / Wales south of Delafield, which was pretty close to the Milwaukee Electric line interurban that crossed the same Highway just north at the top of the hill of the Highway 83 and I-94 exit. For the Interurban, Highway 83 was a stop called Lapham Peak Road......after the fire watch Ranger station at Lapham Peak. TMER&L had a small 4-5 person wood shanty for passengers at their stop on the West side of 83 rail crossing next to highway 83.
#2. When Hollywood Movie Stars came to visit the Fontanne Residence in Genesee Depot (Ten Chimneys - see link below) they would use the C&NW station way the hell to the north on the C&NW mainline. I believe it was in North Lake. If you take the tour of the Residence they mention that Paul Lynde was a frequent visitor and would get off the C&NW passenger train in North Lake......travel the long road South along Highway 83. The guy had to wonder after crossing the Interurban Tracks.......then the Tracks in Wales belonging to C&NW, probably the Milwaukee Road as well in Genesee Depot......why he could not get a closer stop to Genesse Depot. The answer is I think he probably could have but it would not have been to the high standards or had a first class section or maybe it was a long layover between trains otherwise in Milwaukee.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Chimneys
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