East Troy Electric

Company History: The East Troy Electric Railroad (reporting mark METW) is an interurban heritage railroad owned and operated by the East Troy Railroad Museum. Passenger excursions run on a 10-mile stretch of track from East Troy to Mukwonago, Wisconsin.

The line dates back to 1907, when it was a part of The Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company line from East Troy to Milwaukee.

The East Troy-Mukwonago segment was purchased by the Village of East Troy in 1939, when the remainder of the line to Hales Corners was abandoned. Under terms of the purchase, it was operated by TMER&L crews for ten years. In 1949, TMER&L declined to renew the agreement for another ten years and the village hired its own crew and operated the railroad from 1950 until 1985. This is when the railroad became the Municipality of East Troy Wisconsin Railroad and adopted the reporting symbol METW. In 1985 the village approached the Wisconsin Trolley Museum and asked them to take over the operation of the railroad.From Wikipedia

Successor/Parent History: The TMER&L (yes, for some reason “The” was included in the reporting marks) was established in 1896 with the re-organization of the Milwaukee Street Railway. Lines radiated from the city of Milwaukee to Watertown, Sheboygan, East Troy, Burlington, and Kenosha with a total of 191 miles of route. The line was electrified with 600 volt DC trolley wire. The Golden Age of Traction ended in the mid-1920’s when automobile ownership began making serious inroads. Traffic slumped further during the Great Depression. In 1938, the electricity generating business and the railway were separated into two companies. Traffic rallied during the war, then fell again right after. The railway was sold to Kenosha Motor Coach Lines in 1945. Abandonments begun during the Depression, resumed. The Waukesha interurban business was sold in 1949 and became the short-lived Milwaukee Rapid Transit & Speedrail. In 1952, the railway was sold again and became the Milwaukee & Suburban Transport Corporation. Streetcar service ended under that company in 1958.

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