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<p>In 1882, the Milwaukee, Lake Shore & Western Railway (MLS&W) constructed a 16 mile branch line, extending from Monico, Wisconsin to Rhinelander, Wisconsin. In 1888, an additional 27 miles would be constructed to Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin; followed by an additional 46 miles to Hurley, Wisconsin in 1889. This line provided the MLS&W with a more direct route between Appleton, Wisconsin and Ashland, Wisconsin, bypassing the original line through Watersmeet, Michigan. The MLS&W had constructed a modest network of railroads through northern and eastern Wisconsin, primarily serving industrial interests. Due to the success of the MLS&W, the railroad was purchased by the Chicago & North Western Railway in 1893 (C&NW). The C&NW had acquired and constructed a vast network of railroad lines throughout the Midwest during the late 19th Century, and the MLS&W system provided more opportunities for expansion. </p><p>By the early 20th Century, the C&NW had constructed and acquired a large railroad network throughout the Midwest, making it one of the premiere railroads of the area. Throughout the first half of the 20th Century, this line remained critical for the C&NW, as it provided connections to a number of lines throughout central Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Throughout the mid-20th Century, pulpwood business and passenger trains provided a bulk of the business over the line. By the 1970s, these businesses had largely evaporated, and the line would be abandoned between Rhinelander and Hurley in 1982, followed by the segment between Monico and Rhinelander in 1983. A short segment of the line in Rhinelander was acquired by the Soo Line upon abandonment of the C&NW, which sold the line to Wisconsin Central, Ltd. in 1987. WC became the American subsidiary of Canadian National Railway in 2001, which sold the line to the Fox Valley & Lake Superior Rail System (FOXY) in 2021. Today, FOXY owns a short stub in Rhinelander, while the remaining line has been abandoned. Significant portions of the line have been reused for ATV/snowmobile trails.</p>
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