Timetable: C&NW - Main Line - Green Bay to Escanaba

The Chicago & North Western main line was built east to Powers and then south to Green Bay in 1872, which allowed passengers, freight and all-rail ore traffic an outlet to Chicago. It took eight years to make this connection for Michigan residents. In addition to the Escanaba terminal and ore docks, this main line had significant terminals in Powers and Menominee in Michigan.

In Menominee there was the old original main line, as well as a faster route which avoided the center of the city. 

Powers served as a major junction point for passengers and freight cars, connecting with trains between Green Bay and Escanaba. A line west from Powers to Norway, Iron Mountain, Crystal Falls and Iron River was built in 1877, and reaching Watersmeet in 1887. This opened up the entire Menominee Range for iron mining.

There was also a branch on this line from Narenta to Metropolitan (the Felch Mountain branch) which existed from 1882 until it was abandoned and removed in 1970. [MRL]

Powers continues to be a junction point on this lines to this day, though not nearly as busy as in the last 100 years. 

Key:  C=Coal | D=Open during the day | DA=Day and Afternoons | DN=Day and night | H=Half Interlocked | J=Junction | N=Open at night | P=Passing Track w/40' car capacity | RH=Roundhouse (# stalls) | S=Scales | SB=Swing Bridge | T=Turntable | TC=Telegraph call | W=Water | X=Crossing | Y=Wye | Yard=Yard

Notes

Passing tracks are cars (Pnn) or feet (P-1000).

Time Line

1872. The C&NW builds north to Escanaba, from Green Bay via Marinette, Menominee and Powers to connect with existing trackage between Escanaba and Ishpeming. [MRL]

1882. SNAPSHOT. The C&NW operates one passenger, one accommodation, two freights and eighteen ore trains each way over single track, a total of 44 trains in each 24 hours between Escanaba and Menominee River Junction (Powers?).  [DFP-1882-0427]

1885. The C&NW builds a cut off in Menominee between the river and a junction with their old main line near what is now 13th Street between 20th and 23rd street. The cut-off becomes their main line and the old main through downtown becomes an industrial track. [MRL]

1943. SNAPSHOT. The C&NW operates three round trip passenger trains between Green Bay and Escanaba. In Michigan, these trains stop at Menominee, Stephenson and Powers, and the locals stop at Wallace, Dagget, Carney, Wilson and Bark River. The local is daily except Sunday. The C&NW also operates two round trips from Green Bay to Menominee. A single round trip between Powers and Escanaba, coming off the Watersmeet line, including Iron River and Iron Mountain. In Michigan, these trains have meets at Powers and Wilson. The railroad also operates 2nd and 3rd class trains, which are freights. [ETT-1943]

1946. The C&NW passenger train No. 207, popularly known as the "streamliner", this month started its fifth year of service on the run north of Green Bay into the Peninsula Division.

There was considerable shaking of heads in the operating department of the railroad when the decision was made to extend fast passenger train service north of Green Bay. There wasn't enough business to warrant it, they said, and it was predicted that the run would soon be abandoned. Today there is no doubt of the success of streamliner servicer. When first inaugurated the train went only as far as Menominee on Saturday nights. Business boomed. The Saturday night stop was extended to Escanaba, finally to the northern terminal, Ishpeming. 

At first the train had only four coaches and one diesel-powered engine. Now there are four to seven coaches, depending on the volume of traffic, and it is drawn by two diesel units, both controlled of course by the engineer in the forward unit. One of the power units is faced forward, the other backward, so that it isn't unnecessary to reverse the units at the Ishpeming terminal.

Maximum speed of the streamliner on the run between Green Bay and Escanaba is 80 mph, and between Escanaba and Ishpeming the maximum is 70 mph. [EDP-1946-0131]

1969. Chicago & North Western railway officials said to-day that the once-famous Peninsula "400" will make its final runs next Tuesday, ending service to Escanaba when passengers are discharged at the 3rd Avenue North depot at 12:28 a.m. Wednesday, July 16. The final southbound run will leave Escanaba early next Tuesday morning. Discontinuance of Trains 209 and 214, barring an unforeseen development, was assured when the Interstate commerce Commission ruled that it would not intervene, despite protests in the cities of Escanaba, Menominee and Marinette, Wis. The decision was reached "in view of the modest patronage on the subject trains; the substantial deficits incurred in their operation, and the proposed bus service which would be provided between Green Bay and Ishpeming.", reported Andrew Anthony Jr., acting secretary for the ICC. [EDP-1969-1029]

1995. The Union Pacific gains control of the C&NW. [MRL]

1997. The Wisconsin Central purchases UP lines (former C&NW) in Michigan's upper peninsula [MRL]