Waukesha Subdivision

Last updated
Waukesha Subdivision
CN3861 Grayslake, IL.jpg
A container train at Grayslake, Illinois in 2020
Overview
StatusActive
Owner Canadian National Railway
Locale Wisconsin, Illinois
Termini
Service
TypeFreight, passenger
Operator(s) Canadian National Railway, Wisconsin and Southern Railroad, Metra
History
Commenced1882
Completed1886
Technical
Number of tracks1–2
Track gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Route map

Contents

BSicon CONTg.svg
north to Neenah Subdivision
BSicon YRD.svg
North Fond du Lac
BSicon EIU.svg
Neenah Subdivision
Waukesha Subdivision
BSicon HST.svg
156.1
Fond du Lac
BSicon ABZgl.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
to Eden
BSicon STR.svg
Byron Hill
BSicon HST.svg
147.1
Byron
BSicon HST.svg
142.8
Lomira
BSicon HST.svg
138.3
Theresa
BSicon HST.svg
129.5
Allenton
BSicon HST.svg
122.6
Slinger
BSicon CONTgq.svg
BSicon ABZg+r.svg
BSicon ABZgl.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
BSicon HST.svg
117.7
Rugby Junction
BSicon HST.svg
113.3
Colgate
BSicon CONTgq.svg
BSicon KRZu.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
UP Adams Subdivision
BSicon HST.svg
106.6
Sussex
BSicon exKRW+l.svg
BSicon eKRWgr.svg
←proposed flyover
BSicon CONTgq.svg
BSicon xKRZo.svg
BSicon KRZxl.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
102.6
Duplainville |
BSicon exKRWl.svg
BSicon eKRWg+r.svg
BSicon RP4e.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G4u.svg
BSicon RP4w.svg
BSicon exKRW+l.svg
BSicon eKRWgr.svg
←proposed sidings
BSicon exYRD.svg
BSicon HST.svg
97.7
Waukesha
BSicon exKRWl.svg
BSicon eKRWg+r.svg
BSicon CONTgq.svg
BSicon ABZgr.svg
97.2
Wisconsin and Southern Railroad
to Milton
BSicon RP4e.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G4u.svg
BSicon RP4w.svg
BSicon HST.svg
90.9
Vernon
BSicon HST.svg
86.2
Mukwonago
BSicon RP4e.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G4u.svg
BSicon RP4w.svg
BSicon uCONTgq.svg
BSicon mABZg+r.svg
BSicon BRILL.svg
East Troy Electric Railroad
BSicon HST.svg
77.7
Honey Creek
BSicon HST.svg
72.7
Burlington
BSicon HST.svg
65.0
Salem
BSicon HST.svg
61.1
Silver Lake
BSicon eABZg+l.svg
BSicon exCONTfq.svg
CPKC Hiawatha Connection Line
to Sturtevant (proposed)
BSicon HST.svg
58.3
Trevor
BSicon GRZaq.svg
BSicon GRZq.svg
BSicon KRWgl.svg
BSicon GRZq.svg
BSicon KRW+r.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon YRD.svg
Metra Yard
BSicon KRWg+l.svg
BSicon KRWr.svg
Arrow Blue LowerLeft 001.svg
NCS ends
BSicon ACC.svg
55.7
Antioch Metramlogo.svg
BSicon HSTACC.svg
50.7
Lake Villa Metramlogo.svg
BSicon HSTACC.svg
48.5
Round Lake Beach Metramlogo.svg
BSicon HSTACC.svg
46.5
Washington Street Metramlogo.svg
BSicon CONT2.svg
BSicon STR+c3.svg
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon KRZ2+4.svg
BSicon STRc3.svg
MDN
BSicon HSTACC.svg
BSicon HUBaq.svg
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon HUBeq.svg
BSicon HSTACC2+4.svg
BSicon STRc3.svg
43.4
Prairie Crossing Metramlogo.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon CONT4.svg
BSicon HSTACC.svg
39.6
Mundelein Metramlogo.svg
BSicon kABZg3.svg
BSicon dCONTgq.svg
BSicon kABZq1.svg
BSicon KRZ+k4.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
EJ&E/CN
BSicon HSTACC.svg
35.7
Vernon Hills Metramlogo.svg
BSicon HSTACC.svg
34.7
Prairie View Metramlogo.svg
BSicon ACC.svg
32.0
Buffalo Grove Metramlogo.svg
BSicon HSTACC.svg
29.9
Wheeling Metramlogo.svg
BSicon HSTACC.svg
26.6
Prospect Heights Metramlogo.svg
BSicon CONT2.svg
BSicon STRc3.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon CONTgq.svg
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon KRZq2+4.svg
BSicon KRZ.svg
BSicon STRc3.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
UP Milwaukee Subdivision
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon KRZ2+4.svg
BSicon STRc3.svg
UPNW
BSicon STR+c1.svg
BSicon CONT4.svg
BSicon RP4e.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G4u.svg
BSicon RP4w.svg
I-90.svg I-90
BSicon FLUG.svg
BSicon INTACC.svg
BSicon lhSTRa@f.svg
19.8
O'Hare Transfer
ATS Metramlogo.svg
BSicon uCONTgq.svg
BSicon vRP2e.svg
BSicon MSTR.svg
BSicon mhKRZ.svg
BSicon vRP2q.svg
BSicon uCONTfq.svg
BSicon vRP2w.svg
Chicago Transit Authority Logo.svg
Blue / I-190.svg I-190
BSicon HSTACC.svg
BSicon lhSTRe@g.svg
18.6
Rosemont Metramlogo.svg
BSicon YRD.svg
Schiller Park Yard
BSicon RP4e.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G4u.svg
BSicon RP4w.svg
I-294.svg I-294
BSicon HSTACC.svg
17.4
Schiller Park Metramlogo.svg
BSicon HSTACC.svg
15.8
Belmont Avenue Metramlogo.svg
BSicon kABZg2.svg
NCS to Chicago Union Station Arrow Blue LowerRight 001.svg
BSicon CONTgq.svg
BSicon KRZ+k1.svg
BSicon STR+r.svg
BSicon kABZq+4.svg
BSicon dCONTfq.svg
15.5
MDW
BSicon lCONTf3.svg
BSicon STR3+1h.svg
BSicon STR~L.svg
BSicon STR~R.svg
BSicon hbKRZWae.svg
Des Plaines River
BSicon CONTgq.svg
BSicon KRZo.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
UPW
BSicon HST.svg
11.0
Forest Park
BSicon EIU.svg
Waukesha Subdivision
Altenheim Subdivision
BSicon CONTf.svg

The Waukesha Subdivision or Waukesha Sub is a railway line owned and operated by the Canadian National Railway. It meets the Neenah Subdivision to the north in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin and runs south to Chicago, Illinois.

History

Construction of the line started in 1882 by the Wisconsin Central Railroad and was completed in 1886. [1] [2] The railroad was reorganized from bankruptcy in 1897 and became the Wisconsin Central Railway.

The Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad (the original Soo Line) gained control in 1901 and leased the WC in 1902. The Soo Line operated the WC as its Chicago Division. After the 1961 Soo Line-WC-DSS&A merger that created the Soo Line Railroad, the railroad reduced the number of its operating divisions from five to three; the Schiller Park to Fond du Lac segment became the Soo Line's First Subdivision of the Eastern Division.

After the Soo Line acquired the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road) in the bankruptcy auction, the line, among others, was placed in the Lake States Transportation Division in an attempt to cut costs. After the failure of this cost-cutting exercise, the LSTD was sold to Wisconsin Central Ltd. in 1987, which was then sold to Canadian National in 2001. [3]

Current operations

The Wisconsin and Southern Railroad has trackage rights over the line from Slinger to Waukesha, and freight cars are interchanged between the two railroad companies in Ackerville. [4] [5] Metra, Chicago's commuter rail service provider, also operates on this line as its North Central Service route (between Chicago Union Station and Franklin Park, Illinois, NCS trains use the Milwaukee District West Line, but do not stop at any of its stations, with the exception of the River Grove station). In Forest Park, Illinois at Madison Street, the subdivision connects with the B&OCT (CSX)'s Altenheim Subdivision and continues into Chicago. Also, Soo Line passenger trains historically used this line at Forest Park to access the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad's Grand Central Station (Chicago).

One of the obstacles faced by southbound trains is Byron Hill, which was a helper district when the line was operated by the Soo Line. Canadian National double-tracked that part of the line shortly after acquiring it.

References

  1. "Waukesha Subdivision (Wisconsin)". Chicago Transit & Railfan.
  2. "Waukesha Subdivision (Illinois)". Chicago Transit & Railfan.
  3. Mueller, Andrew (12 November 2019). "Duplainville Homepage". dupyrail.com.
  4. "CN Wisconsin Division" (PDF). Canadian National Railway.
  5. "CN Chicago Division" (PDF). Canadian National Railway.