Fall 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

Fall 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. ..”

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