Railroad: Chicago & North Western Railway Company

The Chicago & North Western railway was one of the Upper Peninsula's original railroad systems. It began in Michigan in 1864 when it purchased the construction railroad Peninsula Railroad from Escanaba to Ishpeming. Over the years, the railroad added a connection from Green Bay to Escanaba via Powers, a long line from Powers to Ironwood, a branch to Amasa via Crystal Falls, and many other forest and mining branches. The C&NW was purchased in 1995 by the Union Pacific railroad, and then Michigan lines were sold off to the new Wisconsin Central railroad in 1997, which also purchased the Algoma Central north of Sault Ste. Marie. The WC was purchased by the Canadian National (CN) in 2001.

Various lines → Chicago & North Western railway (1864-1995) → Union Pacific → Canadian National (CN)

Operated: 131 Years

Notes

The Chicago & North Western Railway had a significant impact on the center and western part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Originally built to haul iron ore from Negaunee south to Escanaba for loading on lake freighters, the C&NW built a number of branches to serve iron mines on all of the western U.P. iron ranges. The C&NW, now owned by the Canadian National, continues to serve the Ishpeming, Negaunee, Iron Mountain, Escanaba and Menominee areas of the state.

Time Line

1864. Built by the Peninsula Railroad Escanaba to Negaunee, as well as an extension from Negaunee to a "junction beyond Ishpeming". [MRC-1890][MCR-1903]

1864. Became the C&NW. Peninsula Railroad was likely a construction railroad.

1872. The C&NW line between Menominee and Escanaba is completed, connecting the iron range in Marquette to the rest of the nation's rail network. This also firmed up the iron and copper ranges to Chicago and Milwaukee influence, to the chagrin of Detroiters. [DSS]

1877. Built Menominee River Railroad from Powers to Quinnesec, then to Crystal Falls in 1882. [MCR-1903]

1880. The line from Quinnesec to the Menominee River (near Antoine) is finished, 8.13 miles. [MCR-1903]

1882. Built Narenta to Metropolitan (1st Escanaba & Lake Superior, a construction railroad leased to C&NW same year). Also built from the Menominee River (Wisconsin state line near Florence) to Crystal Falls, and from Iron River Jctr. To Stambaugh, and from Narenta to Metropolis (Felch Mountain branch). [MCR-1903]

1883. Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western Ry built from Ironwood to Watersmeet. Sold to C&NW in 1893.

1886. Branch built from Winthrop Junction near Ishpeming to Republic. Also, from Clowry to Michigamme, and Wabic to Champion. [MCR-1903]

1887. Built the Iron River Ry (construction railroad) from Iron River to Watersmeet, sold to C&NW in 1889. [MCR-1903]

1887. March. The C&NW company is constructing at Detroit, 300 of the twenty-ton ore cars, for use in the ore carrying trade of this district. Three hundred of these cars are equal to 900 of the small ones now in use. [DD-1887-0305]

1888. Built the Iron Range Ry (construction railroad) from Ishpeming to Republic, sold to C&NW in 1889.

1888. The C&NW was the first railroad to replace the old-fashioned eight-ton ore cars with the new twenty and twenty-five-ton "gondola" cars. The large cars are much more quickly and economically handled than the small ones, and will soon be adopted by all roads hauling ore. [DFP-1888-0526]

1888. C&NW builds branches from Ishpeming to Republic, from Clowry to Michigamme and Wabic to Champion. [MRC-1890]

1891. Built the Paint River Railway (construction railroad) from Crystal Falls to Hemlock Mine, sold to C&NW same year.

1891. The Escanaba, Iron Mountain and Western Railroad (Schlesinger Road) is built from Loop Line Junction (near Antoine) east to North Escanaba. It is leased to C&NW in the same year and known as their "Ore Line". Merged into C&NW in 1947.

1899. The arrangement between the CM&StP and the DSS&A, by which the former gains entrance into Houghton, Calumet and other copper country towns, and also into Marquette, has created quite a stir in the upper peninsula. The St. Paul road is to use the South Shore's tracks from Champion to the copper country and those of the Republic branch to Marquette. St. Paul trains are now running through from Chicago and Milwaukee to the points named without change.

A well informed railroad man says that the alliance between the two roads means some more railroad building in Gogebic, Ontonagon and Houghton counties, and that too, at a very early date. "Do you think that the North-Western is going to sit around and see the other fellows get all that rich traffic of the copper country? The North-Western isn't built that way. First thing you know, the C&NW will extend its Choate branch, which ends in the woods twenty odd miles north of Watersmeet, to Ewen, six miles distant, and then run it across country to Rockland or Greenland, a distance of only 25 miles from Choate. A traffic arrangement with the new Copper Range railroad, now nearing completion, would give the C&NW entrance into Houghton and Calumet. Something of the kind will be done next year - see if it isn't."

Another railroad man expressed the opinion that the new deal between the roads would break up "the gentlemen's agreement" that was entered into 12 or 13 years ago between the South Shore and the old Lake Shore (C&NW) regarding the completion of the Gogebic range "loop" by the former. "Three miles of grading and nine miles of rack-laying would complete the Gogebic range 'loop,' and give the South Shore entrance into Ironwood, Hurley and Bessemer" said this gentleman.

General Manager Wright of the new Copper Range road is quoted as follows regarding the new deal: "You can say that the Copper Range will have a Chicago connection. If this deal is a fact, do you suppose that the C&NW is going to lay down and see the St. Paul walk off with the traffic of the copper country and of Marquette?". The new arrangement between the St. Paul and the South Shore went into effect last Sunday. [INR-1899-1202]

1902. Directors of this line include several members of the Vanderbilt family and officials from the NYC, suggesting that they had control of the organization this year. C. H. McCormick and Marshall Field, both prominent Chicago businessmen were directors. [MCRF-1903]

1902. The C&NW crossed the following lines in Michigan at grade (*=interlocked) [MCR-1903]:

• CM&StP - at Menominee (5 crossings), Antoine, Wabik* on Champion Mine spur, Balsam, on Amasa Branch near the Great Western mine, at Bristol Mine near Crystal Falls, east of Great Western Jct. with their Hope Mine branch, at Antoine*, 2 miles east of Republic*.
• DSS&A - at Negaunee near Bessemer branch, near Lake Angeline, on American Mine spur near Diorite, one mile east of Michigamme*, side track in Michigamme Yard, on main line 2 miles west of Republic.
• MStP&SSM - west of Narenta on Felch branch (Tesch*), at Hermansville
• LS&I - At Negaunee near South Jackson
• Ann Arbor railway at Menominee (3 crossings)
• E&LS - side track in Escanaba yard, anda t North Escanaba.
• Wisconsin Central - at Anvil Mine, at Benjamin Mine and at Colby Mine.

C&NW crossed under:

• MStP&SSM at Flat Rock
• ES&LS at Escanaba
• DSS&A at Wabik

C&NW crossed over:

• DSS&A at Negaunee (2 locations)
• CM&StP near Antoine, at Escanaba and at great Western Mine.
• LS&I at Negaunee (2 locations)
• WC at Colby Mine spur at Bessemer, mail line 1/10 mile east of Siemens, main line at Ironwood.

1902. SNAPSHOT. C&NW crossed 219 highways at grade. 22 of these have gates or flagmen, and 7 with electric or automatic signals. They uses the "Mills Improved" Air Gate with double lock post. The railroad had 46 stations in Michigan. Top five categories of freight hauled as a percent of total tonnage: ores (27%); Coal (13%); grain (8%); forest products (13%) and merchandise (6%). The railroad uses Pullman sleeper cars. 10 people will killed this year including 3 employees and 7 others. None were the fault of the railroad.

1908. The Milwaukee Road may join the C&NW in prohibiting friends of departing newlyweds from throwing rice at train stations. Railroad men claim that aside from the fact that stations strewn with rice cause much trouble to the station master, there is a great danger connected with the habit. [DD-1908-0222]

1951. Ashland (WI) cries over the loss of ore business. Acute demand for iron ore at the smelters and a shortage of boats - not "subsidies" to the C&NW - is resulting in additional tonnage of Gogebic Range ore coming to Escanaba rather than Ashland, said Leonard Reynolds, the superintendent of the Peninsula Division of the C&NW. Gogebic ore to Escanaba is expected to continue so long as the need requires. The North Western hauls ore to Escanaba as directed by the mining companies he pointed out. In the 1950 season, the C&NW moved a total of 352,118 tons of Gogebic ore by rail to Escanaba. The figure this year will be much higher. [WAK-1951-0601]

1954. The C&NW discontinues the Ashland Division, splitting the division into the Lake Shore Division with headquarters in Green Bay, and the Peninsula Division, with headquarters in Escanaba. The Peninsula division will acquire the line from Antigo to Hurley, Watersmeet to Ashland, Monico to Watersmeet, and Conover to Phelps. Ashland superintendent W.F. Leskie will go to Ironwood to become superintendent of the joint iron ore operations with the Soo Line railroad. [IDG-1954-0820]

1968. The C&NW railway has filed a complaint with the ICC against Hanna Mining Co. which has indicated it plans to build an iron ore handling dock at Escanaba. The railway is also expected to file an antitrust suite in federal court barring Hanna from building a rail line from its Groveland Mine near Iron Mountain to a connection with the Hanna's Escanaba & Lake Superior railroad at Ralph, if Hanna starts construction on the line. Hanna accounts for about half the six million tons of iron ore passing over the C&NW dock at Escanaba. The C&NW also plans to go ahead immediately with construction of a new dock and have it in operation by 1969.

The C&NW contends Hanna has "through the device of numerous affiliates and subsidiary corporations" unlawfully obtained control of two or more railroad carriers. It says Hanna owns the Quebec North Shore & Labrador Railway Co., as well as the Escanaba & Lake Superior. The ICC is being asked to require Hanna and its subsidiary Wells Randville Inc., to divest themselves of any stock in the E&LS. The C&NW contends Hanna is attempting to avoid ICC regulation of its railway operations by moving ore from Groveland by private spur to Ralph and thence over the E&LS to Wells, an Escanaba suburb, where it proposes to build its own dock.

Larry Provo, C&NW president, said Hanna's proposal would create unnecessary duplication of railroad facilities to move iron ore from the Menominee Range. The C&NW successfully fought an attempt by the Lake Superior & Ishpeming and Soo Line railroad to build ore facilities in this area some years ago. [EDG-1968-0308]

1995. C&NW is sold to the Union Pacific railroad.

1997. Lines in Michigan were sold by the UP to the Wisconsin Central (new).

2001. Wisconsin Central sells lines to the Canadian National railway.

Reference: [MRRC][Wiki]

Photo Info: The C&NW 4293 and 4180 pull a westbound freight train through Norway, Michigan during Christmas, 1987. [Neil Plagens photo].