Trail 2 - Montreal River Bridge

In 1876, the Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western Railway (MLS&W) constructed 20 miles of new railroad, extending from Appleton, Wisconsin to New London, Wisconsin.  Work continued in 1878, with an additional 16 miles opening to Clintonville, Wisconsin.  19 additional miles were completed to Tigerton, Wisconsin in 1879, followed by 22 additional miles to Aniwa, Wisconsin in 1880.  An additional 26 miles to Summit Lake, Wisconsin opened in 1881, followed by 29 additional miles to Three Lakes, Wisconsin in 1882; 57 additional miles to Gogebic, Michigan in 1883, 41 miles to Hurley, Wisconsin in 1884 and 40 miles to Ashland, Wisconsin in 1885.  This line served as the mainline for the MLS&W, connecting Lake Michigan, the Fox River and Lake Superior.  Due to the success of the MLS&W, the railroad was purchased by the Chicago & North Western Railway in 1893.  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.  

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 southern portion of the line, and transporting iron ore from the Gogebic Range to the ore docks at Ashland provided business for the northern part of this line.  As industry began to diminish in this area, this line would be abandoned over a three year period.  In 1981, segments from Clintonville to Eland and from Marenisco, Michigan to Hurley, Wisconsin would be abandoned.  In 1982, the segment from Monico, Wisconsin to Watersmeet, Michigan would be abandoned.  In 1983, segments from Watersmeet to Marenisco, Eland to Monico and New London to Clintonville would be abandoned.  

In 1988, the C&NW sold the Appleton to New London segment to the Fox River Valley Railroad, which became the Fox Valley and Western Ltd. (FV&W) in 1993.  The FV&W was a subsidiary of the successful Wisconsin Central Ltd. (WC), which had acquired a large amount of former Milwaukee Road and Soo Line trackage in Wisconsin. In 2001, WC was purchased by Canadian National Railway (CN), and became the American subsidiary of the railroad. In 2021, the Appleton to New London segment was sold to the Fox Valley & Lake Superior Rail System (FOXY).  Today, FOXY operates the remaining line between Appleton and New London.  Significant portions of the remaining line have been reused as bicycle and ATV/snowmobile trails.