Love your shot at 1:00. One of the most gorgeous spots in the state of Wisconsin. This location was well-documented back in the fifties and early sixties by such as William D. Middleton and Jim Scribbins.
I appreciate the kind, and thoughtful comment! This is a neat route, and I wish it was still a mainline. Thankfully, the WSOR does a wonderful job working this line.
@@SD457500 That route was double track all the way to Elroy at one time. The wide abutments and the pedestals that supported the bearings for the other half of that bridge are still in place.
Yep, this was the original northwest line of the Chicago & North Western and the route of the Dakota 400 and Minnesota 400. The C&NW once had two tracks in the line's heyday in the 1920s through the Great Depression, through World War II and until the 1950s when it was single tracked due to falling demand for trains both passenger and freight. Then the line went through a long decline starting in the 1960s when the C&NW had decided to discontinue most of its 400 fleet due to ruinous competition from the automobile, truck, highway and the airline that came on in one fell swoop, and the online freight business started to leave town as well. Finally in the mid 1980s, the C&NW called it quits altogether west of Reedsburg. The line west of town was down to just one ballast train from the C&NW's quarry at Rock Springs and that was it for any kind of freight traffic. BTW, this used to be the very same C&NW northwest line that passed through my Dad's former hometown of Barrington, and during my early childhood me, my Dad and my Mom once lived on Kainer Avenue in Barrington at the time when my sister Angie was born.
So glad to see that the railroad is still used in this area, Reedsburg is my hometown . very familiar with the entire area! Great video!
Love your shot at 1:00. One of the most gorgeous spots in the state of Wisconsin. This location was well-documented back in the fifties and early sixties by such as William D. Middleton and Jim Scribbins.
I appreciate the kind, and thoughtful comment! This is a neat route, and I wish it was still a mainline. Thankfully, the WSOR does a wonderful job working this line.
@@SD457500
That route was double track all the way to Elroy at one time. The wide abutments and the pedestals that supported the bearings for the other half of that bridge are still in place.
I've heard that, which makes me very interested in seeing pictures from what this route was once like back in its day.
I actually live between the Dells and Reedsburg.
Thanks for the comment! Neat stuff to shoot in that area!
Yep, this was the original northwest line of the Chicago & North Western and the route of the Dakota 400 and Minnesota 400. The C&NW once had two tracks in the line's heyday in the 1920s through the Great Depression, through World War II and until the 1950s when it was single tracked due to falling demand for trains both passenger and freight. Then the line went through a long decline starting in the 1960s when the C&NW had decided to discontinue most of its 400 fleet due to ruinous competition from the automobile, truck, highway and the airline that came on in one fell swoop, and the online freight business started to leave town as well. Finally in the mid 1980s, the C&NW called it quits altogether west of Reedsburg. The line west of town was down to just one ballast train from the C&NW's quarry at Rock Springs and that was it for any kind of freight traffic. BTW, this used to be the very same C&NW northwest line that passed through my Dad's former hometown of Barrington, and during my early childhood me, my Dad and my Mom once lived on Kainer Avenue in Barrington at the time when my sister Angie was born.
Very nice video, great job!
Fantastic!!
What’s the mainline for WSOR around Madison? Great video!
I think it’s still apart of the reedsburg sub
GOOD AND STEADY THANKS
waltonwayaugusta Thank you for the comment! I'm hope you enjoyed it!
Do you know when L863 runs these days?
That I don't know; the schedule changed shortly after I shot this. Thanks for the comment!