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Spring 2002 Issue
IN EVERY ISSUE
Soo News
WC News
Editor's Report
Executive Report
Gallery
Rip Track
Letters
Transfer Table
Less-Than-Carload
STAFF
Editor
Rick Johnson
Associate Editor
Ken Soroos
Associate Editor/Soo News
Jason Korth
Soo News
tom Mastoras
Wiconsin Central News
Galen Fromm
Modeling Editor
Chuck Derus
Contributing Editors
Andy Roth, Guy Kieckhefer, Doug Fleming
Editorial Consultants
Jack Witmer, Gregg Condon
Technical Consultants
Stuart J. Nelson, Wallace W. Abbey
Commercial Accounts
Joe Lallensack
Advertising Manager
Burnell Breaker
Back Issues
John Strenski
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Spring
2002 Issue Hightlights |
A history of the Portage Branch of the Wisconsin Central
Part one: statehood to 1877
by Mike Harrington
Construction by the Wisconsin Central of its line from Stevens Point
to Portage began in 1875 and was completed in late 1876. However the story
of this line begins many years earlier. Exactly when could be debated.
It is really the story of the search by the settlers of 19th century Wisconsin
to gain a better transportation system. Immigrants wanted better access
to unsettled land, basically lands north and west of the Wisconsin and
Fox Rivers. Settlers wanted a more efficient means to get their produce
to markets—Chicago, Milwaukee, and other Lake Michigan ports for
shipment to eastern cities. The great stands of white pine and hardwoods
attracted some while others were beginning to learn of the copper and
iron deposits of northern Wisconsin. Some, in government, looked back
to the War of 1812. At this time there was very little settlement in the
northern tier of states and the enemy, England, in the form of a major
colony, stretched along the northern border. Whatever the motivation,
as Wisconsin gained statehood, there was mounting pressure to improve
the methods of transportation.
As Americans expanded westward, waterways provided the best, quickest
means of travel and, especially, hauling. In Wisconsin this meant the
Mississippi River on the west and Lake Michigan on the east. Connecting
the two waterways was the Fox River-Wisconsin River route used first by
Indians, then trappers and traders, and finally, settlers. This system
had a 21&Mac218;2 mile gap over which goods had to be portaged. With the
success of the Erie Canal, completed in 1829, canal building became the
focal point for many regions of the country.
In 1846, Congress granted land to sell for funding a lock and canal system
to connect the Wisconsin River and points south with Green Bay via the
Fox River. On May 29, 1848, President Polk signed the law which made Wisconsin
the 30th state in the United States. The new state began to build the
canal and lock system in 1849. Land was sold and locks were built at Fort
Winnebago, but the state gave up on the project in 1852. The project was
sold to the Fox and Wisconsin Improvement Company. The Badger State (Portage)
announced in its October 1, 1853 edition that the company intended to,
“finish the work in time for the fall trade of next season.”
They went on enthusiastically, “Won’t it be pleasant, a year
from this time, to take a steamboat ride from Portage City to Buffalo
(now Packwaukee), levy contributions on the old orchards, and fetch home
our winter’s supply of fruit. Who doubts that the `good time’
is near at hand?” In its June 10th, 1854 edition, The Badger State
reported that the steamboat Montello from Oshkosh had passed through the
canal at Portage heading for Minnesota. The completion of the canal before
any rail line had reached Portage, or Madison, for that matter, indicated
trouble for rail promoters. |
 
Soo Maroon…and colorful related topics
by Ken Soroos
Exactly what color is “Soo maroon?” What is its history? What
color or what mix of colors will best reproduce it on scale models? Questions
dealing with these topics have been among the most often asked and discussed
in the SOO’s Questions and Answers column and on the SooLineHistory
e-group web site. Since these questions were first addressed many years
ago, I’ve gathered and saved related items, comments, photos and
articles. In the process, other topics have come up which, although sometimes
only marginally related, I believe are interesting; and I hope you will
too. This resulting article became much more extensive than I expected
and still doesn’t cover all the issues involved. It’s hoped,
however, that it will become a basis for continuing discussion of these
topics.
The Wisconsin Central
The Wisconsin Central Railroad was incorporated in 1871, leased by the
Northern Pacific during 1890-1893 and finally leased long-term by the
Soo Line in 1909. Some insights to colors used on Wisconsin Central passenger
cars come from late 1800s news items which were provided by Larry Easton
(Neenah City Times and Ashland Weekly Press) and Mike Harrington (Stevens
Point Journal—South Side and Railroad Items). The writing styles
are often as entertaining as the information is interesting.
Stevens Point Journal, December 28, 1878: “On Saturday last, three
very handsome cars were turned out of the paint shop of the W. C. R. R.
in this city, to run between Menasha and Milwaukee, two of which were
coaches No. 5 and 10, and the other a U. S. Mail, baggage and express
car. They looked pretty as a picture, and are a credit alike to the workmen
and Master Mechanic. The color of the cars, as fast as they need repainting,
is changed from a dark to a light yellow. The paint shop crew, are John
Bickley, John Lindoes, A. W. Mathew, A. S. Bickley, Allen Dunn, and F.
Casgrove, and the excellent work they are turning out shows them to be
first class painters.”
Stevens Point Journal, January 10, 1880: “Passenger coach no. 12,
which for some time past has been in the hands of the painters, was sent
out on Tuesday looking as handsome as a new one. Coaches 2 and 18 are
now in the shops where they are being treated to several coats of paint
and varnish. The coaches are now painted a bright yellow which looks much
handsomer than the old brown color. By the 20th, the Company will have
a train out with all the same color.”
Neenah City Times, December 16, 1882: “The Central’s New Sleepers:
The Wisconsin Central has just received five new sleeping cars, for the
new Milwaukee and Lake Winnebago line. .. These cars cost $22,500 each,
and are named ‘Oshkosh’, ‘Fond du Lac’, ‘Neenah’,
‘Waupaca’, and ‘Ashland’. .. The exterior is finished
in wine color, with appropriate markings of gilt, and the name is handsomely
executed in large gilt letters.” (The complete, interesting article
is printed in Mileposts, the official publication of the SLHTS Archives,
No. 5, Spring 1996.)
Stevens Point Journal, February 23, 1889: “.. All of the passenger
coaches that come out of the shop now, are painted a wine color, which
gives a more tasty appearance than does the yellow ones so long in use
on the Central...” |
