Nicolet Badger Northern

Company History: The NBN began operation in January of 1984 on the 38 mile former Chicago & North Western branch from Wabeno, Wisconsin north to Tipler. C&NW had abandoned the line in 1979 and the state of Wisconsin took possession. NBN was the designated operator. They also ran on a short segment of the former Laona & Northern in Laona. The diesel fleet included a Baldwin RS12, an EMD NW2 and a 65-ton Whitcomb switcher. Traffic consisted of pulpwood and woodchips (not much of either.) Traffic remained weak and in 1989, Great Lakes Central stepped in to assume operations. There was little outward evidence of the change. By 1994 traffic had declined to a pittance and the last train ran in the last week of the year. Today it is a hiking trail.

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.