Reminders of the Milwaukee & Northern - Appleton Branch
The M&N constructed the 4.7-mile Appleton Branch, running from Menasha, Wis., down into ‘The Flats’ at Appleton, Wis., in 1880. By the mid-1880s, the Menasha, Appleton and Neenah Branches were collectively referred to as the Appleton Branch on timetables.
It was also 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 branch is still active to Midway Rd. in Menasha, operated by the Canadian National (CN). The 1.7-mile portion of the line from South Appleton to Appleton was abandoned by the MILW in 1981.
According to the Wisconsin State Railroad Plan, 1978: “The track on this line is 75 lb. rail laid in the late 1920’s and 60 lb. rail laid in 1902 which has deteriorated to the point that the Milwaukee Road can no longer operate on the line without extensive repairs. Effective April 4, 1978, the C&NW has been granted trackage rights, at least on a temporary basis, to serve these shippers. Thus, the Milwaukee Road has, in effect given its shippers to the C&NW and has indicated that it will seek to abandon this line within the next three years.”
We are not sure when the portion from Midway Rd. to about George St. was abandoned.
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 (C&NW) 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.
Racine Road
A CN train, led by GTW 4907, crosses the entrance and exit ramps to Hwy. 10/441 at Racine Rd. as it heads southwest with 7 cars via the former M&N Appleton Branch at Fox Crossing, Wis., on 3 January 2025. Fox Crossing was formerly the Town of Menasha from 1855 until 14 April 2016. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
A CN train, led by GTW 4907, crosses Racine Rd. as it heads southwest with 7 cars via the former M&N Appleton Branch at Menasha, Wis., on 3 January 2025. They have just finished switching Orbis and will head back to Neenah. This portion of the road forms the border between Menasha (to the right) and Fox Crossing (to the left). Fox Crossing was formerly the Town of Menasha from 1855 until 14 April 2016. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
Banta Corp., et al.
When the M&N laid their tracks here in 1880, this area was mostly farm land. This parcel was a 40-acre farm owned by A. Kruse, or Kraus, at the time. The Banta Corp. began construction of this facility at 800 Midway Rd., Menasha, Wis., in September of 1945, to supplement their original plant near downtown Menasha. So this is historically a MILW customer. This facility was renamed RR Donnelley, after they purchased Banta Corp. on 2 January 2007. It became LSC Communications circa November 2016, after it was spun off from RR Donnelley. It became Lakeside Book Company in 2020, after Atlas Holdings acquired LSC Communications.
Looking northeast along the former M&N right-of-way at Midway Rd. at Menasha, Wis., on 4 April 2020. The M&N Appleton Branch used to continue northeast from Midway Rd. This spur which curves to the right to serve Lakeside Book Co. is the northernmost active remnant of the branch. Highway 441, the Tri-county Expressway, can be seen in the background. Construction commenced circa 1990, it was completed in September 1993. The cell phone tower in the background stands next to the former M&N right-of-way. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
A CN local, led by IC 9605, services RR Donnelley at Menasha, Wis., on 27 January 2014. This spur at Midway Rd., Menasha, Wis., is the northernmost active remnant of the former M&N Appleton Branch. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
Valley Road to the Fox River
Looking northeast along the former M&N right-of-way, now O’Conner Way, at Valley Rd. at Fox Crossing, Wis., on 4 April 2020. When the M&N laid their tracks here in 1880, this area was mostly farm land. This parcel was an 80-acre farm owned by P. Schumich (Schwmich) at the time. This industrial facility at 960 Valley Rd., Appleton, Wis. (physically located in Fox Crossing), dates to at least 1955 and was served by the MILW. If you proceed along O’Conner Way, you can still see where the loading doors were along the northwest wall of the building. The turnout for the spur was at the far end of the building. I’m not sure who the original occupant was, but it is currently occupied by Great Northern Container. I believe that this facility continued to receive rail service after the Soo Line (SOO) acquired the MILW, but I am not positive. This portion of Valley Rd. forms the absurdly convoluted border between Menasha and Fox Crossing (formerly Town of Menasha, from 1855 until 14 April 2016). I was standing on the Menasha side looking toward Fox Crossing. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
Looking southwest along the former M&N right-of-way at Valley Rd. at Menasha, Wis., on 4 April 2020. The property line which separates WOW Logistics, Menasha Distribution Center, 923 Valley Rd., from Altimate Motorsports, 887 Valley Rd., and Multi Storage, LLC, 867 Valley Rd., approximates the former right-of-way. The WOW Logistics facility was erected in 1995, with an addition in 1997. I do not know who the original occupant was, or when WOW Logistics moved in. The Altimate Motorsports site was once home to Appleton Steel Works. Multi Storage, LLC, was erected in 2017, after yet another historic manufacturing facility was erased from the local landscape. The factory was constructed in 1947, but I do not know who the original occupant was. It was home to Kool Brothers, Inc., from at least the 1960s until the early 1980s. They began to manufacture farm machinery in the 1950s, but had also produced ornamental iron since 1924. The facility was the home of Kinetic Systems, Inc., circa 1984 to at least 1994. They manufactured palletizing equipment. The factory was later home to Urban Evolutions for a few years. When the M&N laid their tracks here in 1880, this area was mostly farm land. This parcel was a 120-acre farm owned by T. Johnson in 1873, purchased by M. Lochbaum sometime prior to 1889. I believe that facility continued to receive rail service after the Soo Line (SOO) acquired the MILW, but I am not positive. Highway 441, the Tri-county Expressway, can be seen in the background. Construction commenced circa 1990, it was completed in September 1993. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
Looking northeast along the former M&N right-of-way at the intersection of O’Connor Way and George St. at Fox Crossing, Wis., (formerly Town of Menasha, WI, from 1855 until 14 April 2016) on 4 April 2020. The right half of the house at left was built over the former right-of-way. The railroad tracks used to curve from northeast to east northeast behind the house at right. When the M&N laid their tracks here in 1880, this area was mostly farm land. I believe this parcel was a 64-acre farm owned by W. Hungerfest (Hangerfest) at the time. This portion of the Appleton Branch, down into ‘The Flats’ at Appleton, was abandoned in 1981. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
Swing Bridge Over the Fox River at Appleton, Wis.
The M&N erected a drawbridge here in 1880. It was approximately 3.9 miles from the Menasha depot, and approximately 7/10th of a mile from the Appleton depot.
This bridge was removed in the mid-1980s, when the S. Memorial Dr. bridge was rebuilt. Removal of the bridge was a condition for the approval of the request for abandonment. We are not positive if that bridge was the original one built in 1880, or a later replacement built by the MILW.
“Herman Erdman was the bridge tender when Larry Easton had the opportunity to stop in for a visit on August 2, 1966.” Photograph and caption by Larry Easton, courtesy of Neenah Historical Society.
Looking northeast along the former M&N right-of-way where the swing bridge used to cross the Fox River at Appleton, Wis., on 20 March 2022. I was attempting to replicate the scene captured by Larry Easton on 2 August 1966, the photograph to the left. The S. Memorial Dr. Bridge, formerly the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Bridge, originally the Cherry St. viaduct, can be seen in the background. At the left, a stairway leads down to the river bank. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
“The bridge tender’s cottage was located between the railroad tracks and the river, making for a very scenic and secluded spot. A stairway to the park above was the only access.” Photograph and caption by Larry Easton, courtesy of Neenah Historical Society.
Looking northeast along the former M&N right-of-way where the swing bridge used to cross the Fox River at Appleton, Wis., on 20 March 2022. I was attempting to replicate the scene captured by Larry Easton on 2 August 1966, the photograph to the left. The bridge tender’s house stood to the left. The remnants of the retaining wall can be seen to the right. The S. Memorial Dr. Bridge, formerly the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Bridge, originally the Cherry St. viaduct, can be seen in the background. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
“The bridge was always locked in place for rail traffic and only opened when a boat signaled for passage. By 1966 river traffic was mostly pleasure craft. August 2, 1966.” Photograph and caption by Larry Easton, courtesy of Neenah Historical Society.
Looking northeast along the former M&N right-of-way where the swing bridge used to cross the Fox River at Appleton, Wis., on 20 March 2022. I was attempting to replicate the scene captured by Larry Easton on 2 August 1966, the photograph to the left. This abutment is the last remnant of the bridge which once stood here. The S. Memorial Dr. Bridge, formerly the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Bridge, originally the Cherry St. viaduct, bisects the scene. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
“The Milwaukee Road tracks curve gracefully under the Memorial Drive bridge before reaching the swing bridge on the south side of the Fox River in Appleton. July 27, 1966.” Photograph and caption by Larry Easton, courtesy of Neenah Historical Society.
Looking southwest toward the former site of the M&N swing bridge which crossed the Fox River at Appleton, Wis., on 13 May 2022. I was attempting to replicate the captured by Larry Easton in 1966, the photograph to the left. The fence prevented me from standing any closer to where Larry had stood. The rails to the right belong to the Fox Valley & Lake Superior (FV&LS or FOXY), but they used to belong to the CN. Historically C&NW, they were originally laid by the Milwaukee, Lake Shore & Western (MLS&W) in 1874 (some references state 1875 or 1876). The S. Memorial Dr. Bridge, formerly the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Bridge, originally the Cherry St. viaduct, bisects the scene. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
Several discarded railroad ties deteriorate along the former M&N right-of-way, where the swing bridge used to cross the Fox River at Appleton, Wis., on 20 March 2022. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
A long-forgotten fishplate leans against a sapling along the former M&N right-of-way, where the swing bridge used to cross the Fox River at Appleton, Wis., on 20 March 2022. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
Looking southwest along the former M&N right-of-way, where the swing bridge used to cross the Fox River at Appleton, Wis., on 20 March 2022. The remnants of the retaining wall stand to the left. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
A stairway leads down to the river bank next to the former M&N right-of-way, where the swing bridge used to cross the Fox River at Appleton, Wis., on 20 March 2022. The bridge tender’s house stood to the left of this stairway. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
Looking southwest along the former M&N right-of-way, where the swing bridge used to cross the Fox River at Appleton, Wis., on 20 March 2022. The bridge tender’s house stood to the right. Also to the right, you can see the landing for a stairway leading down to the river bank. The remnants of the retaining wall can be seen to the left. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
A forlorn piece of rail lies along the former M&N right-of-way, where the swing bridge used to cross the Fox River at Appleton, Wis., on 20 March 2022. A remnant of the retaining wall stands to the right. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
Looking southwest along the former M&N right-of-way, where the swing bridge used to cross the Fox River at Appleton, Wis., on 27 February 2020. This abutment is the last remnant of the bridge which once stood here. This view was captured from the Vulcan Heritage Park and from the approximate location of the opposite abutment (which has been removed). Photograph by Tom Bruss.
Looking southwest along the former M&N right-of-way, where the swing bridge used to cross the Fox River at Appleton, Wis., on 4 April 2020. This abutment is the last remnant of the bridge which once stood here. This view was captured from the S. Memorial Dr. Bridge, formerly the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Bridge, originally the Cherry St. viaduct. The cell phone tower in the background to the right stands next to the former right-of-way north of Valley Rd. (near the intersection of O’Connor Way and Stanton Cir.). Photograph by Tom Bruss.
Looking southwest along the former M&N right-of-way, where the swing bridge used to cross the Fox River at Appleton, Wis., on 27 February 2020. This abutment is the last remnant of the bridge which once stood here. This view was captured from the Vulcan Heritage Park and from the approximate location of the opposite abutment (which has been removed). The white horizontal line visible in the distance beyond the bridge pier on the right is the CN branch line which runs from Appleton Junction, Wis., to Combined Locks, Wis. Historically C&NW rails, they were originally laid by the MLS&W in 1874 (some references state 1875 or 1876). Photograph by Tom Bruss.
Looking southwest along the former M&N right-of-way, where the swing bridge used to cross the Fox River at Appleton, Wis., on 4 April 2020. This abutment is the last remnant of the bridge which once stood here. This view was captured from the S. Memorial Dr. Bridge, formerly the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Bridge, originally the Cherry St. viaduct. The tracks to the right are the CN branch line which runs from Appleton Junction, Wis., to Combined Locks, Wis. Historically C&NW rails, they were originally laid by the MLS&W in 1874 (some references state 1875 or 1876). The Appleton Yacht Club and Lutz Park can be seen in the background to the right. The cell phone tower in the background stands next to the former right-of-way north of Valley Rd. (near the intersection of O’Connor Way and Stanton Cir.). Photograph by Tom Bruss.
Fixed Bridge Over the Fox River at Appleton, Wis.
A Fox Valley & Lake Superior (FV&LS or FOXY) train pulls 12 boxcars across the Fox River via the former MLS&W bridge in ‘The Flats’ at Appleton, Wis., on 7 September 2026. From this angle it looks like a solitary railroad bridge, but there are actually two bridges a few feet apart. The second, nearer, one is the former M&N bridge, now sans rails. From this angle we can still try to pretend that the former M&N Appleton Branch is still active. The Oneida Skyline Bridge spans the scene. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
Appleton, Wis., was Milepost 21 on circa 1885-1888 timetables, it was listed as Milepost 20 on an 1892 timetable.
Looking east over ‘The Flats’ from the Oneida Skyline Bridge at Appleton, Wis., on 4 April 2020. The railroad tracks belong to the CN, originally laid by the MLS&W in 1872. The MLS&W depot stood at the bottom of the scene, this side of S. Olde Oneida St. (formerly S. Oneida St., originally Lake St.), on the strip of land between their tracks and W. Edison Ave. (originally Mill St.). The M&N, later MILW, depot stood on the opposite side of S. Olde Oneida St. in the grassy area between E. Eagle Flats Pkwy. (originally Railroad Ave.) and the parking lot of Union Jack, 812 S. Olde Oneida St. (original address 649 Lake St.) (just out-of-frame to the right). The M&N tracks, laid in 1880, ran parallel and to the right of the MLS&W tracks as they crossed the Fox River (behind me), then they veered slightly to the right, passing to the right of the MLS&W depot and to the right of their own depot. The M&N yard stretched from S. Olde Oneida St. toward S. Lawe St. The white, metal-clad warehouse to the right of E. Eagle Flats Pkwy. (currently used by CBC Coating, Inc., 820 S. Olde Oneida St.) is the approximate location of the M&N 2-stall roundhouse and turntable depicted on the 1886 Sanborn map. The bland apartment buildings beyond that (the tan and maroon buildings) are the Landing at Eagle Flats and Riverwalk Place, which were built in 2011-12 on the former site of Riverside Paper. That facility, which dated to 1895, was known as Kerwin Paper Co., a subsidiary of Riverside Paper Corp., when it closed in 2005 or ’06. The road parallel to the right of the tracks and leading toward those apartments was originally Railroad Ave., it ran between the MLS&W and M&N yards. It was renamed E. Eagle Flats Pkwy. when those apartments were built. The tan, brick facility to the left of the MLS&W tracks is currently home to JWM Coenen Mechanical (historically Allis-Chalmers, originally Valley Iron Works), 401 E. South Island St. Neenah Paper (formerly Fox River Paper Co.), 600 S. Vulcan St., is partially visible beyond that to the upper left. This portion of the Appleton Branch was abandoned in 1981. Although the MILW hadn’t gone past here since 1978, when they handed over their customers in ‘The Flats’ to the C&NW because they didn’t want to (couldn’t afford to) maintain that stretch of rail any longer. The South Channel of the Fox River once flowed parallel and to the left of these railroad tracks. The land to the left is, or at least was, Grand Chute Island. Old maps reveal that the west end of the South Channel was filled in at some point between 1916 and 1957. Most of the remainder of the South Channel was filled in the following years. Part of the JWM facility was built over what was once the South Channel. Over the past several years, I have notice that some misinformed individuals erroneously refer to ‘The Flats’ as ‘Oneida Flats,’ or some other variation. However, the historic, industrial heart of Appleton is simply ‘The Flats.’ In the M&N-era this area was referred to as ‘The Water Power.’ Photograph by Tom Bruss.
The MILW, former M&N, yard in ‘the Flats’ at Appleton, Wis., circa 1898. The former M&N depot is just out-of-frame to the left. The C&NW, former MLS&W, yard runs parallel along the far side the MILW yard. This view is looking north from E. South River St. The piles of wood in the center of the scene belong to the J. H. Marston & Co. (later Marston Bros. Coal, Wood & Lime), a M&N/MILW customer. The large, cream-colored brick building near the center of the scene is the Appleton Woolen Mills. Appleton Lock No. 2 (historically Lock No. 16, counting from Green Bay) on the Fox River Navigation Canal is in the foreground. Photograph courtesy of Neenah Historical Society.
The site of the former M&N yard in ‘the Flats’ at Appleton, Wis., on 21 March 2021. I was attempting to replicate the same view as the historic photograph to the left (above on your phone). A clump of trees on E. South River St. prohibited the exact perspective. This view, captured from the Newberry Trail, originally Canal St., is pretty close. There are only two things visible in the 2021 photograph which existed in the historic photograph: the Appleton Woolen Mill, whose beautiful cream-colored bricks have been spoiled with a coat of gaudy maroon paint; and Appleton Lock No. 2 (historically Lock No. 16, counting from Green Bay) on the Fox River Navigation Canal. The cream-colored brick facility in the background to the right is currently home to JWM Coenen Mechanical (historically Allis-Chalmers, originally Valley Iron Works). The two white, metal-clad buildings are currently used by CBC Coating, Inc. The east end of the one to the right is the approximate location of the M&N 2-stall roundhouse and turntable. Photograph by Tom Bruss.
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