TRAINS November 2006 Pages 46/47 Map of C&NW

[Herby DA]

    Is there somebody who can help with a question about Rail service in the Elkart Lake area?
Back in 1993 I had the chance to visit  a good friend in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
While driving to the Kettle Moraine area, we visitet also Elkhart Lake with "Road America".
Back then I did see also an active Railline (no rust on the rails) and some WC lettered flat cars
in a siding, not too far away from a building that could have been a former station.
Seeing the WC lettered cars, I thought  fine,  a WC line.
Jump to 2004. Again I visitet the Sheboygan friend and we went again to the Elkhart Lake
area. This time however I had to see that the rails are rustet and weeds start to grow on the
right of way. However (my friend was driving) this time we used other roads and I´m not sure
I did see the same Railline. Strange however was, that the streetcrossings - with concrete plates
between the rails- did look fine. Somebody did spend money on a lost line??.
Jump to Nov. 2006 TRAINS. Page 47 shows a (green) Line from Sheboygan to Sheboygan Falls
AND then a (dottet) line to Plymouth as  o/s!
Despite that I do not think that this o/s line runs through Elkhart Lake, the question is now:
What line did run through Elkhart Lake (a WC north /south line?). Did this line run through Plymouth where it did connect with the (now o/s) C&NW line. Or is the o/s line running a "roundabout" through
Elkhart Lake on its way to Plymouth?.
And what can be the fate of  the (rust) line in Elkart Lake??
Lot of questiones, I know. Is there an answer??
Herby from DA

[nanaimo73]

The line through Elkhart Lake was the Milwaukee Road's line from Milwaukee running north through Green Bay. It was acquired by the Soo Line in 1985, and they sold it off in the deal that created Wisconsin Central. WC downgraded the line, and CN did not want it when they bought WC. The Wisconsin and Southern picked up the line about a year ago, from Kiel to the north to Saukville to the south, and they have been repairing it.

[pogopod]

The line you saw in 1993 was indeed the WC nee Soo nee Milwaukee Road line that runs from Milwaulkee to Green Bay. It is now owned by Wisconsin Southern and accessed by trackage rights over the CP from North Milwaukee to Saukville. The line from Sheboygan to Plymouth is former C&NW. It ran through Plymouth and Fond du Lac to points west. It is now owned by the State of Wisconsin I believe, but the line is inactive past Kohler. The Wisconsin and Southern want to revive the piece from Plymouth East to several industries and into Sheboygan Falls. See their web site for more details.