The line was built at mainline standards to carry passanger traffic and freight from Janesville to Chicago.
The CM&StP became the Chicago, Milwaukee Saint Paul & Pacific Railway in 1912 when a looming Pacific Expansion added the name "Pacific" to the title.
The Milwaukee Road would never overcome the debts incurred during the construction of the Pacific Expansion, and would suffer until 1985, when it finally fell apart.
This line never saw those days under the Milwaukee Road. In 1980, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation teamed up with numerous parties to continue rail service on many dangered branch lines.
This line was purchased by WisDOT in 1980, and the first train of the Wisconsin & Calumet ran over this line in 1989.
Wisconsin & Calumet was first purchased by the Wisconsin & Southern in 1992, and formally merged into the system in 1997.
Today, WSOR continues to operate this line as their Fox Lake Subdivision, which serves as their only access point to Chicago, via trackage rights.
10/25/22
View an article about the construction of this bridge.
This is a massive two span deck girder crosses what was formerly a mill race, now the Ice Age Trail in Janesville.
Built in 1900, the bridge consists of two massive deck girder spans, set onto concrete abutments and a stone pier. The girders themselves are each 115' long, extremely long for early 20th century construction.
The stone pier is also unusual, as the abutments are constructed of concrete. The bridge was constructed as the Milwaukee Road began to switch from stone to concrete substructures.
Between 2014 and 2017, the two concrete abutments were encased in concrete as part of a rehabilitation of the bridge, which also included a new deck.
Historic photo of the bridge
The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
The photo above is an overview.