Wisconsin Northern

Company History: This line started up in 2004 operating 63 miles of former C&NW and Soo routes in northern Wisconsin. It runs from a connection with Union Pacific at Norma (outside of Chippewa Falls) north to Cameron and Rice Lake. A branch runs west form Cameron to Almena. They are part of the Progressive Rail family of shortlines. Operations began modestly with traffic from the farming, timber, plastics and scrap industries but in 2011, a sand processing plant opened on the line and it now accounts for 90% of the traffic. The WN diesel fleet includes two GP15-1’s. two SD45R’s and an SW1500.

Successor/Parent History: Progressive Rail (PGR) was launched in 1996 to take over operation on various industrial lines in the greater Minneapolis – St. Paul area. Not all of these lines connect with each other. Here are the lines which are all in Minnesota:

The Dan Patch Line from Nesbitt and Bloomington to Minneapolis. The Jesse James line from Northfield to Lakeville (leased from CP.) The Faribault Line Northfield to Faribault (leased from UP.) The Eagandale Line between Rosemont and Eagandale. (leased from CP.) The cargo mix is about what you would expect from a shortline serving a number of modern industrial parks: Plastics, chemicals, building supplies, scrap, paper, and metals. The PGR diesel roster includes six SW1500’s, one SD39, and one SD38-2.

The paint scheme is an homage to the Minneapolis Northfield & Southern, including the diamond shaped logo but with Progressive Rail lettering. PGR, after all, does operate most of the old MN&S route (see The Dan Patch Line above.) Three engines in the fleet were on the MN&S roster years ago.

The company also owns the Wisconsin Northern Railroad, Crab Orchard & Egyptian Railroad, Iowa Traction Railway, Chicago Junction, Chicago St. Paul & Pacific, Clackamas Valley Railway, Cannon Valley Railroad, Iowa Southern Railway, Piedmont & Northern Railroad, St. Paul & Pacific, St. Paul & Pacific Northwest Railroad and the Central Midland Railway.

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.