CN Neenah Channel Bridge (West)

In 1882, the Wisconsin Central Railway (WC) constructed a short branch from Neenah, Wisconsin to Menasha, Wisconsin.  The WC was reorganized as the Wisconsin Central Railroad (WC) in 1888.  Between 1895 and 1896, the Milwaukee and Lake Winnebago Railroad (M&LW) constructed a 27 mile line between Hilbert Junction, Wisconsin and Manitowoc, Wisconsin.  To reach the WC line at Neenah, the railroad utilized trackage rights over the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway (Milwaukee Road).  The M&LW and the WC were sold to a reorganized Wisconsin Central Railway (WC) in 1899.  This line provided the WC with a connection to Lake Michigan, and the WC served numerous industries in Manitowoc.  In addition, the WC operated three separate car ferries, which connected to eastern railroads in Michigan.  In 1909, the WC would be leased by the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railway (Soo Line), which itself was controlled by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP).

The Soo Line had constructed a large network of railroads, connecting the Upper Midwest with Canadian Railroads.  Throughout the early 20th Century, this line remained a secondary line for the Soo Line, which served several large industries, as well as the car ferries.  In 1961, the WC would be merged with other CP subsidiaries Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic Railroad and the Soo Line to form Soo Line Railroad, a company controlled by CP.  In the late 20th Century, the car ferry operations were discontinued, reducing the importance of this line.  In 1984, the Soo Line would be reorganized as the Soo Line Corporation in advance of a pending purchase of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road).  In 1987, this line would be sold to Wisconsin Central, Ltd. (WC).  Known as the "new" Wisconsin Central, the railroad acquired several excess rail lines from the Soo Line, Milwaukee Road and Chicago & North Western Railway.  In 2001, WC was merged into Canadian National Railway (CN), becoming the American subsidiary of CN. A short segment in Manitowoc was abandoned and removed in the mid-2000s.  Today, CN continues to operate this line as the Manitowoc Subdivision, which connects other CN lines near Manitowoc to the rest of the CN system.