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Union Pacific to complete Wisconsin track project this summer
Actually, the CNW built what was designed to be a freight only line between Milw. and Chi…there was that much business and the original route up the northshore and Kenosha, Racine was for passenger travel. Both still exist and UP uses them as, essentially, they were designed…although it is Metra up to Kenosha and not much freight. UP has added track capacity on the freight line. The line from Milw. to the Twin Cities, on the other hand, saw little freight and more “400” business and going through few larger Wisc. cities, was a single track RR the whole way. Compared with the Milw. Rd. it was lightly used.
“Wyeville” in CNW passenger days was really Exville with a sort of U shaped covered platform where the 400’s connected. Thus a traveler from Madison could change there for the Twin Cities, for example. Wyes were there as well.
Now Thats private $ working efficiently, and Fast!!
42 miles of rail plus 14 switches for $11 million seems remarkably cheap.
…shouldn’t they just put a second track all the way through? I know they need it between Milwaukee and chicago…
Hopefully the switches are electric, it be nice if UP would install CTC on this line, now with all the sand trains and stuff I can imagine to keep track of all the traffic with Track Warrant Control (TWC) is a little overwhelming at times for the dispatcher.
Between Rusk and a point near Eau Claire. Where is Rusk? Is it a station or a junction?
Rusk, WI is a small hamlet of about 3 homes at a RR Crossing just east of Menomonie, WI and is visible just to the north of I-94.
Unless UP ripped them out, the line from Milw. to the Twin Cities was governed by block signals and with the “pink lady” ballast retained the classic CNW look.
That’s because it’s a freight line, Britt.
I rent a pole shed 1/2 mile from the line near Lake Elmo. I see the trailer train going east between 6:30 and 8:30. Just once I have seen it going west at that time. Almost always lead by black NS engines. The rest of the time I see mixed freights sent in groups about 15-30 minutes apart going the same direction. Then another group of trains going the other direction 15-30 minutes apart. I have some old maps and it shows it at one time being double tracked from at least Lake Elmo to the St.Croix river with a passing siding on the curve where the Osgood avenue crossing is. There used to be a very small town where the Osgood avenue crossing is. Someone told me that there was once a passenger station there and a freight train rear ended a stopped passenger train killing several people.
I agree with Tim Tennant.
Great to see the “Adams” line seeing a rebirth by the UP.
At one time, the line was double-tracked from Eau Claire through Black River Falls.
I drove Necedah to near Wyeville recently, which parallels the ROW. UP was in the process of replacing block signals along that segment.