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| Title: |
George Whiting Paper |
| Description: |
Loading docks at the George Whiting Paper Mill in Menasha. The railroad loading door is no longer being used, and the connection to the spur no longer exists. The car spot and the industrial spur trackage here are actually on a bridge. A mill run passes under the mill here from the navigational canal to the Fox River. The track in the background is the former main line of the Chicago and Northwestern through the Fox Cities. The Whiting mill was founded in 1882 and lasted in the Whiting family for five generations before being sold the Thomas Danz, the CEO of the comany at the time. Danz purchased the comapny in 2014 with the hopes of keeping the mill viable and running. Unfortunately, in the new global environment, the people at Whiting were unable to keep it open. The paper machinery was shut down on 24 march 2016. The mill was located on an island formed by the creation of the navigational canal and the Fox River. This island was once a maze of rails serving the many businesses locatd on it. Since the late 1980's many of the industries here have closed. The trackage here is still complex, but not as busy or intricate as it once was. |
| Photo Date: |
10/19/2014 Upload Date: 8/31/2016 7:41:50 PM |
| Location: |
Menasha, WI |
| Author: |
Richard Hopfensperger |
| Categories: |
Scenic,Bridge,Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
182 Comments: 2 |
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| Title: |
Menasha Utilities |
| Description: |
On the island between the navigation canal and the Fox River, the Menasha Uitilities had a coal burning power plant on the property adjacent George Whiting Paper. The plant itself has an interesting history, being shut down for good in 2009. The property was purchased by Simply Incredible Foods in 2014 and is being converted into a facility for making cranberry juice and frozen cranberries. |
| Photo Date: |
10/19/2014 Upload Date: 9/5/2016 10:39:02 PM |
| Location: |
Menasha, WI |
| Author: |
Richard Hopfensperger |
| Categories: |
Scenic,Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
96 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Car spot at George Whiting Paper |
| Description: |
Sighting down the rails across the mill run bridge spans at the Whiting paper mill in Menasha. The mill closed in March 2016. |
| Photo Date: |
10/19/2014 Upload Date: 9/1/2016 11:32:03 AM |
| Location: |
Menasha, WI |
| Author: |
Richard Hopfensperger |
| Categories: |
Scenic,Bridge,Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
164 Comments: 2 |
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| Title: |
Michigan Avenue Grade Crossing |
| Description: |
A view looking generally south along the original Milwaukee and Northern (later Milwaukee Road) right of way at the Michigan Avenue grade crossing. Beyond the chain link fence on the left lies the closed Tecumseh small engine manufacturing facility. The spur running back toward the right foregtound leads to Calumet Feeds. Calumet Feeds is the last business with a spur on this currently Canadian National operated segment of line. Land o' Lakes Cheese is located to the south, in Kiel, but it's spur has been removed as of 2015. |
| Photo Date: |
7/26/2015 Upload Date: 9/8/2016 6:10:25 PM |
| Location: |
New Holstein, WI |
| Author: |
Richard Hopfensperger |
| Categories: |
Scenic,Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
116 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Vacated Tecumseh Engine Plant |
| Description: |
Weed covered and truncated at the gate, a spur leads toward the former Lauson Engine Division of Tecumseh. The mill, as it is here, is the final step in the evolution of the Lauson Manfacturing Company, founded in 1892, in New Holstein, WI. The company changed hands a few times before finally being purchased by Tecumseh in 1956. In 2007 Tecumseh sold it's Gasiline Engine and Power Train lines to the Platinum Equity LLC. In 2009, the New Holstein facility was closed as components and certain small engines were being outsourced to low-cost countires, chiefly, Brazil, India and China. Platinum Equity announced that Tecumseh Power Company had sold off "certain" assets including all existing and unfinished engine parts inventory, tooling and intellectual properties to Certified Parts Corporation. This basically closed the door on Tecumseh. The 40 acre site is now being looked at by the community for redevelopment. Looking at what is being proposed, another factory providing good jobs is not being considered. Calumet Feeds is visible on the right side of the track, the last rail served location to the south of Hilbert on this former Milwaukee Road (origianally Milwaukee and Northern) line. The line is now part of the large Canadian National empire. |
| Photo Date: |
7/26/2015 Upload Date: 9/8/2016 7:08:56 PM |
| Location: |
New Holstein, WI |
| Author: |
Richard Hopfensperger |
| Categories: |
Scenic,Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
148 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Milwaukee Road Bridge at Sauk City |
| Description: |
Though it could be placed in my Remnants of the Milwaukee Road album, it is probably more suited for this placement in Look Before It's Gone. This bridge, currently owned by the State of Wisconsin and under the WSOR is slated for demolition, as of summer 2017. The bridge was built for the Milwaukee Road in 1911 by the American Bridge Company, Chicago Branch. It was 455 feet long across the Wisconsin River on the branch form Mazomonie to Sauk City/Prairie Du Sac. It was a combination of Warren Pony Truss and deck girder spans. The bridge also included a swing span that dated from 1901. In 1941 this branch was extended from Prairie Du Sac to reach the Badger Ammunition Plant. This plant was also served by the Chicago and Northwestern coming out of Madison on the Reedsburg line. This bridge became part of the Wisconsin Western Railroad after the Milwaukee Road sold the line in 1982. The Wisconsin Western was the bought by the Wisconsin and Calumet in 1985. In 1992, the Wisconsin and Calumet was purchased by the Wisconsin and Southern (WSOR). The WSOR operated over this until the northern truss span over the river began to shift in March 2002. Attempts to stabilize the bridge failed and consequently, the span and a failing pier were demolished. In 2016 attempts to incorporate the bridge into a bike trail were beginning to come to fruition, however in 2017 another pier was found to be failing and the bridge is now planned to be removed completely. More information can be found at johnmarvigbridges.org. There are also many closer shots of the bridge and it's details. |
| Photo Date: |
10/16/2015 Upload Date: 11/7/2017 10:07:18 AM |
| Location: |
Sauk City, WI |
| Author: |
Richard Hopfensperger |
| Categories: |
Bridge |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
99 Comments: 1 |
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| Title: |
Sauk City Rail Bridge |
| Description: |
Though it may be tempting to explore, the WSOR let's all know it is best to stay off this abandoned bridge in Sauk City. The bridge was abandoned in 2002 after a pier failed and the northern truss span started to shift. The Wisconsin and Southern has maintained its hold on the bridge as insurance in case of a problem with its crossing of the river at Merrimac. By summer of 2017, the bridge had been approved to become a section of the Great Sauk Trail, but it was found that another pier is failing. The bridge is planned to be removed completely because of this further instability. |
| Photo Date: |
10/16/2015 Upload Date: 11/7/2017 10:41:13 AM |
| Location: |
Sauk City, WI |
| Author: |
Richard Hopfensperger |
| Categories: |
Bridge |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
42 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Spanning the Wisconsin River |
| Description: |
These truss spans are on the southern approach to the Warren Pony Truss and deck girder spans that crossed the main part of the river. This line connected Mazomanie with Sauk City and Prairie Du Sac. North of Mazomanie, it seems that the line is only used for storage. There are no rail served industries in Sauk City nor Prairie Du Sac. If a business located or wishing to located in the area and receive rail service, it could still get the wanted service via the CNW Reedsburg line. The line connects with this former Milwaukee Road branch at the Badger Ammunitions Plant. Much of the rail from the plant back to the Sauk Prairie cities is intact, only removed at grade crossings. |
| Photo Date: |
10/16/2015 Upload Date: 11/7/2017 10:51:02 AM |
| Location: |
Sauk City, WI |
| Author: |
Richard Hopfensperger |
| Categories: |
Bridge |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
35 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Southern Approach Across the Wisconsin River |
| Description: |
Looking under Highway 12, across the Wisconsin River, at the southern spans across the flood plains. Perhaps these spans will be used as part of the Great Sauk Trail and have a connection that replaces the rail bridge which is to be demolished across the main part of the river. |
| Photo Date: |
10/16/2015 Upload Date: 11/7/2017 11:05:56 AM |
| Location: |
Sauk City, WI |
| Author: |
Richard Hopfensperger |
| Categories: |
Scenic,Bridge |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
124 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Former Chicago and Northwestern Yard |
| Description: |
It was noted in the late winter of 2015/2016 that the Canadian National had quit using the yard in Oshkosh. They had been using the yard for the local (not based in Oshkosh) to store cars and sort them for the local industries. When it was noticed the yard was emptied, optimistic thoughts were that it was going to get some work done to keep it viable. Perhaps, an increase in local business was coming in the future. This was not to be the case. The yard tracks were torn out in the summer of 2016.The four tracks branching off to the right of the main are now gone. The siding on the left and it's two spurs are still in use. The turnout at the bottom serves Blended Waxes, a few hundred feet behind the photographers point, and the other one is sometimes (very rarely) used to load pulp wood. The sorting that was done here is now done on the Pluswood spur on the former CNW line that branched from Oshkosh to Hortonville and beyond. This line is now truncated within Oshkosh, just beyond Pluswood. The end of the line there has a long runaround track and is where the CN now does it's storing and sorting. Obviously, the capacity of a yard is no longer required to serve what industry is left in Oshkosh. |
| Photo Date: |
2/28/2016 Upload Date: 10/27/2016 10:51:30 AM |
| Location: |
Oshkosh, WI |
| Author: |
Richard Hopfensperger |
| Categories: |
Scenic,Bridge,Yard |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
155 Comments: 2 |
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| Title: |
WCOR 6505 and the J.B. Ford awaiting the Torch |
| Description: |
Rail cars, machinery, appliances and even a ship wait the torch at the Azcon Corporation scarp yard in Duluth. The John B. Ford was a great Lakes freighter launched on December 12, 1903 as the Edwin F. Holmes. She was 440 feet long, a beam of 50 feet with a depth of 28 feet. She had an 8,000 ton capacity. The ship had a name change in 1916 when it became the E.C. Collins until 1958. In that year Huron Cement converted her from an ore hauler to a self unloading cement hauler christened John B. Ford. She served in this capacity until her last day under power on November 15, 1985. She then served as a floating cement silo in South Chicago until 2001. At this time, she was taken back to Superior to serve in the same capacity until being replaced by her larger fleet mate J.A.W. Inglehart. Attempts to raise money to preserve her fell short, despite her historical significance, and she was tugged to the Azcon Corporation dock for scrap on October 9, 2015. |
| Photo Date: |
6/25/2016 Upload Date: 10/9/2017 12:37:56 PM |
| Location: |
Duluth, MN |
| Author: |
Richard Hopfensperger |
| Categories: |
Scenic |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
105 Comments: 1 |
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| Title: |
The End of the CNW Yard |
| Description: |
Three gondolas wait on the team track to be filled with debris from the removal of the yard tracks of the former CNW yard in Oshkosh. |
| Photo Date: |
8/4/2016 Upload Date: 11/17/2017 8:33:48 PM |
| Location: |
Oshkosh, WI |
| Author: |
Richard Hopfensperger |
| Categories: |
Yard |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
35 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
CNW Yard Removal |
| Description: |
The yard tracks are all removed from the old CNW yard in Oshkosh by the Canadian National. Oshkosh was once served by three class 1 carriers, each witt book List of Indh a yard to serve the local industry. The 1978 Milwaukee Road Freight Traffic Department book Industries Served, there are 49 industries listed that received rail service in Oshkosh. In 2017, there is only one Class 1 carrier (CN) and a regional carrier (WSOR) in town. They do not connect and can not interchange traffic in Oshkosh. Together they serve thirteen businesses. Neither railroad needs more than a double ended siding to have the capacity they need to do their switching in town now. |
| Photo Date: |
8/4/2016 Upload Date: 11/17/2017 8:38:42 PM |
| Location: |
Oshkosh, WI |
| Author: |
Richard Hopfensperger |
| Categories: |
Scenic,Yard,Station |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
30 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
MP 173 No Longer a Yard Location for the Canadian National |
| Description: |
The heavy work has all been done to remove the former CNW yard in Oshkosh. The CN no longer has the need for the capacity of the yard as the customer base shrinks in town. Utilizing the yard also caused some traffic issues since the yard was worked from the mainline. Though I don't know for certain, I would assume this helped make the decision to remove the yard. Sorting and storage of the cars once done in this yard is now accomplished on the two industrial spurs the CN has. One is located north of the Fox River, and the other on the south side. |
| Photo Date: |
8/4/2016 Upload Date: 11/17/2017 8:58:00 PM |
| Location: |
Oshkosh, WI |
| Author: |
Richard Hopfensperger |
| Categories: |
Scenic,Yard,Station |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
37 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Inactive Auto Distribution Ramp |
| Description: |
A look over the fence into the inactive auto distribution center served by the Union Pacific in the Granville neighborhood of Milwaukee. An AAR report lists it as inactive, the Union Pacific Automobile Facilities Profile fails to mention it at all. Judging by the overgrowth, the ramp has been closed for some time, and is used for rail car storage. I have been unable to locate any information as to what year this went into inactive status or whether or not this facility shipped, received or both. I have no idea what manufacturer may have used this. I know AMC, later Chrysler, had facilities in the area, but have not found any information as to shipping assembled cars. If any of you have information regarding the facility, please add it in the comments. |
| Photo Date: |
5/5/2017 Upload Date: 8/31/2017 11:30:39 AM |
| Location: |
Granville, WI |
| Author: |
Richard Hopfensperger |
| Categories: |
Scenic,Yard |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
56 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Automobile Distribution Ramp |
| Description: |
The overgrown inactive auto distribution center in Granville. The facility is noted by an AAR report as served by Union Pacific, and inactive. Union Pacific's Automotive Facilities Profile does not mention it at all. I have been unable to find information regarding the history of this facility, if you have any, please add it to the comments. The Wisconsin Southern connects with the UP here in Granville, perhaps they can drum up some use for this that would be more lucrative than car storage. |
| Photo Date: |
5/5/2017 Upload Date: 8/31/2017 11:39:42 AM |
| Location: |
Granville, WI |
| Author: |
Richard Hopfensperger |
| Categories: |
Yard |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
54 Comments: 0 |
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