Wisconsin & Southern

Company History: The Wisconsin and Southern Railroad (reporting mark WSOR) is a Class II regional railroad in southern Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois. It operates former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road) and Chicago and North Western Transportation Company (C&NW) trackage, mostly acquired by the state of Wisconsin in the 1980s.

Within Wisconsin, WSOR connects with four western Class I railroads: BNSF Railway, Canadian National Railway, Canadian Pacific Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Through trackage rights over Metra, WSOR accesses Chicago to connect with the two eastern Class I railroads, CSX Transportation and the Norfolk Southern Railway. WSOR also has access to harbor facilities in Prairie du Chien, and transload facilities are located in Milwaukee, Janesville, Madison, and Oshkosh. 22 grain elevators have located rail load-out facilities on the WSOR system.

Successor/Parent History: The Watco shortline group is known for painting locomotives in special schemes for universities and even high schools along their lines. We own or operate over 5,500 miles of short line track in North America and Australia. Our vast network connects to all Class I railroads. You get the most efficient, cost-effective route for your shipment.

Using your locomotives or our own, Watco provides switching services at your manufacturing facility. Our experienced teams improve safety, reduce risks, and minimize costs.

Let Watco take care of your inactive railcars, so you can stay focused on your active fleet. Safely house empty or loaded railcars across our nationwide network of short line railroads and terminals.

Our proactive management, in-transit tracking, and real-time communication let you know where your cars are every minute of every day. And, our scheduled maintenance programs keep your rolling stock rolling.

Brief History: The U.S. is a country of 50 states covering a vast swath of North America, with Alaska in the northwest and Hawaii extending the nation’s presence into the Pacific Ocean. Major Atlantic Coast cities are New York, a global finance and culture center, and capital Washington, DC. Midwestern metropolis Chicago is known for influential architecture and on the west coast, Los Angeles' Hollywood is famed for filmmaking.