Reminders of the Milwaukee & Northern - Neenah Branch
The M&N constructed the approximately 0.8-mile Neenah Branch, running from Menasha, Wis., to Neenah, Wis., in 1881. By the mid-1880s, the Menasha, Appleton and Neenah Branches were collectively referred to as the Appleton Branch on timetables.
It was the Appleton Branch of the Superior Division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul (CM&StP), or Milwaukee Road (MILW), after they took over the M&N in 1893. The MILW reorganized as the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific (CMStP&P) in 1928.
The Neenah Branch is still in use, currently operated by the Canadian National (CN).
West Menasha Junction
There used to be a wye here which was once known as West Menasha Junction on the M&N. This is where the Menasha Branch terminated, the Appleton and Neenah Branches began, and the original Wisconsin Central (WC) connected. This should not be confused with West Menasha, a station for the Chicago & North Western and the WC on the west side of Little Lake Butte des Morts.
Looking northeast along the former M&N rails from Tayco St. at Menasha, Wis., on 2 May 2020. As this track curves toward the east, it forms the south leg of the wye. The first turnout is for the west leg of the wye. The second turnout is for a siding on the west leg of the wye. The east leg of the wye is no longer extant. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
Water Street
A CN local, led by Illinois Central IC 3138, crosses Water St. and parallels Lush St. as it heads northeast via the former M&N Neenah Branch at Menasha, Wis., on 8 January 2021. The swing bridge over the Fox River Navigation Canal is just out-of-frame to the left. The former Noffke Lumber facility is partially visible to the right. It still has a spur, but the turnout for it was removed years ago, even before the lumber yard closed. The local is headed for Hilbert with 26 cars. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
The Fox River Navigation Canal
A CN local, led by Illinois Central IC 3129, crosses the Fox River Navigation Canal via a neat, old swing bridge on the former M&N Neenah Branch at Menasha, Wis., on 6 August 2021. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
A CN local, led by Illinois Central IC 3138, crosses the Fox River Navigation Canal via a neat, old swing bridge on the former M&N Neenah Branch at Menasha, Wis., on 18 November 2020. The lead tank car is straddling one of four diamonds which remain on this mostly industrial island, formed when the canal was excavated ca. 1856 (when the lock was completed). The local was headed for Hilbert, but for some reason, they left the rear half of their train at W. North Water St. at Neenah. Here they taking the front half to the yard at Menasha. They will soon head back to pick up the rear half and return to the yard at Menasha before continuing on their way. Simply Incredible Foods, 198 River St., stands in the background. They purchased the defunct Menasha Municipal Utilities plant in June of 2014. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
U.S. Paper Mills Corp./Sonoco
This mill began production in 1891 as the John Strange Paper Co. It was built on the former site of the John Strange Tub & Pail Factory. It was purchased by Menasha Corp. in 1969 and renamed John Strange Paperboard Div. It was sold to U.S. Papers Corp. in 1981. It was sold to Sonoco ca. 2002. We believe that these rails were laid by the Milwaukee & Northern (M&N) in the 1880s. This small, mostly industrial island was crisscrossed by rails of the M&N, the Wisconsin Central (WC), and Chicago & North Western (C&NW), for many years. This small, mostly industrial island was formed when the Fox River Navigation Canal was excavated ca. 1856 (when the lock was completed).
A CN local, led by Grand Trunk Western GTW 4921, throws a little smoke as it emerges from U.S. Paper Mills Corp./Sonoco via the former M&N Neenah Branch at Menasha, Wis, on 15 October 2022. St. Patrick’s Catholic Church can be seen in the background. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
Neenah, Wis., our depot, was Milepost 16 on the M&N.
Illinois Central IC 3138 passes our depot and approaches W. Forest Ave. as it heads southwest via the M&N Neenah Branch at Neenah, Wis., 18 November 2020. This CN local was headed for Hilbert, but for some reason, they left the rear half of their train at W. North Water St. at Neenah. They took the front half to the yard at Menasha. They are now returning to pick up the rear half and head back to the yard at Menasha before continuing on their way. Our depot was built by the M&N in 1882. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
A CN local, led by Illinois Central IC 3138, crosses W. Forest Ave. and approaches our depot as it heads northeast via the former Neenah Branch at Neenah, Wis., on 18 November 2020. The local was headed for Hilbert, but for some reason, they left the rear half of their train at W. North Water St. at Neenah. They took the front half to the yard at Menasha. They have now picked up the rear half and will now head back to the yard at Menasha before continuing on their way. Our depot was built by M&N in 1882. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
A CN local passes our depot and crosses High St. as it heads northeast via the former Neenah Branch at Neenah, Wis., on 18 November 2020. The local was headed for Hilbert, but for some reason, they left the rear half of their train at W. North Water St. at Neenah. They took the front half to the yard at Menasha. They have now picked up the rear half and will now head back to the yard at Menasha before continuing on their way. Our depot was built by M&N in 1882. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
A trio of modern 6-axle locomotives, totaling 12,800 horsepower, leads a CN ore train past our depot as it crawls northeast across Doty Island via the former M&N Neenah Branch at Neenah, Wis., on 8 January 2015. The head of the train is crawling over a mile through Neenah and into Menasha far enough for the train to clear the turnout at the east end of the wye at the north end of the former Soo Line (SOO) yard. The train would then back through the east leg of the wye into the yard, before eventually continuing on toward its destination. The train had at least three locomotives, CN 8804, BCOL 4642, and CN 2273, there were likely several other locomotives on the other end of the train. Our depot was built by the M&N in 1882. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
A CN ore train, including DMIR 70027, DMIR 70024, and DMIR 70093, passes our depot as it crawls southwest across Doty Island via the former M&N Neenah Branch at Neenah, Wis., on 8 January 2015. The head of the train had crawled over a mile through Neenah and into Menasha far enough for the train to clear the turnout at the east end of the wye at the north end of the former Soo Line (SOO) yard. The train has now reversed to back through the east leg of the wye into the yard, before eventually continuing on toward its destination. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
South Channel of the Fox River at Neenah, Wis.
A CN local, led by Illinois Central IC 3110, crosses the South Channel of the Fox River (a.k.a. the Neenah Channel of the Fox River) and approaches W. North Water St. (although the street signs have been lazily bastardized to WN Water St.) via the former M&N Neenah Branch at Neenah, Wis., on 4 February 2022. Local was headed for Hilbert with 25 3-bay covered hoppers. The P. H. Glatfelter Co. paper mill was the backdrop for this scene for 135 years, the oldest part of the original mill was constructed in 1874. Glatfelter purchased the mill from Bergstrom Paper Co. in 1979. Bergstrom had purchased the mill, originally Winnebago Paper, in 1904. Glatfelter moved the jobs to Ohio in June 2006. The mill stood idle for about two years until it was torn down, demolition was completed in May 2009. The corporate headquarters of Plexus and an Ascension Medical Group clinic occupy most of the site of the old paper mill. One of the bridges for the Loop-the-Lake Trail is on the right. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
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