this would probably associate with the WSOR guys but if anyone else knows please chime in!! If anyone who has heard of the Wild Goose trail that runs through dodge county WI it used to be an old railroad bed but i can not find the records of the railroad that has been there before the trail can any one shine any light on this??? it would be greatly appreciated for a school project. of which i am in school now. THANKS ALOT!!
Chicago & North Western roadbed.
Clyman Subdivision, Wisconsin Division, CNW
The line from Fond du Lac to Clyman Junction was the Juneau Sub (ETT #4, 1-84) and was abandoned in 1984.
Just like the Operating Department to change the name and not remember the old name. I was looking at an August 1977 CNW timetable (#3), Nanaimo73 from a few years later.
I’d guess UP still uses the Clyman Sub name for the surviving Clyman Jct.-Fort Atkinson line, which would have been abandoned as well if not for Ladish Malt at Jefferson Jct.
Backtrack to the 1972 CNW ETT when the line still ran Fond Du Lac-Janesville and it was known as the Janesville Sub- Wisconsin Division. After the line was cut back to Ft. Atkinson the line became the Clyman Sub. After the Divisions were again realigned the line south of Clyman Jct. kept the Clyman Sub name, and north of there became the Juneau Sub.
Dale,
You’re actually right in a way- in the late 70s (can’t think of the date offhand 78 or 79 thereabouts) but the line Clyman-Jefferson Jct was actually abandoned by the CNW- they even removed the MILW diamonds at Watertown as well (CNW still used Clyman Jct-Clyman to serve the cannery in town there). The malt came in via the Waukesha Sub to Jefferson Jct from the east instead of how it comes in now- in 1983 the CNW decided to reactivate the line south of Clyman again, put the Watertown diamonds back in, and abandoned Jefferson Jct-Waukesha instead (the grade between Wales and Waukesha was cited as the main reason for the switch). This is most likely why the line north and the line south of Clyman Jct ended up with two different subdivision names. Hopefully this line will see a little more of a renaissance soon when the ethanol plant opens up in the former Ladish Malt facility.
CNW, CNW yep I knew it had to be CNW
I thought I heard some of the bridges on the Waukesha-Cottage Grove portion were in need of repair, and rehabbing the current Clyman Sub was cheaper.
The ethanol plant at Jefferson Jct. is running. Nothing going by UP. Some of the product has gone by rail, though…UP was about to give the line up, but caught wind of the plant going in. The plant won’t do business with UP, though.
An article in the 12-93 Pacific Rail News also lists the bridges as the reason the line was kept. Perhaps it was the combination of the bridges and the grade.