Rugby Junction, WI (WSOR - CN)

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

Was curious about the status of this connection and here is a good update.

For those of you that are unaware of the history of this short segment of track see video below but this is more background.

Wisconsin Central (see link below) has a long history and later became the Soo Line then turned into Wisconsin Central LTD. At any rate the historical significance of the line is once upon a time the Northern Pacific had a dream of using the line as a new connection into Chicago (see wikipedia historical link) until Bankruptcy ended that dream in 1893. Left out of the wikipedia history was that it also had a connection into Milwaukee for passenger service and it also funded in part the Big Milwaukee Road Depot on Everett Street in Milwaukee. Over this short line segment connection the Wisconsin Central and later Soo Line would run passeger trains from Fox River Valley cities into Milwaukee over the Milwaukee Roads line into Milwaukee’s Passenger Depot. I think the last Soo Line passenger train rode this route sometime in the 1960’s into Milwaukee but not sure.

Rugby Junction link:

https://youtu.be/KiJcvGCySyI

Wisconsin Central History link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisconsin_Central_Railroad_(1871–1899)

2

According to my 1945 and 1949 Official Guides, no Soo Line passenger service between Rugby Jct. and Milwaukee; passengers used the Waukesha stop and then via Interurban or bus to Milwaukee. So no Soo Line passenger trains into Milwaukee after the end of World War II. My 1934 Guide does show Soo trains going into Milwaukee, but without any specific equipment listings, the quantity and quality of the through cars isn’t decipherable.