History:
Founded on February 9th, 1984, the Wisconsin Terminal Railroad was a 39.5 mile shortline, made to serve industries in central Wisconsin, and to serve as a connection between the two class 1 railroads in the central part of the state, the Union Pacific and the Canadian National. In 1994, the line was expanded to include a way to get to the Wisconsin and Southern, and then expanded even further north to serve a few other industries up there in 1999.
With trackage rights over the UP in Bennett, WI, and the WSOR in Lake Hill, WI, the WTEX runs over an ex-CNW line, which was also a Twin Cities 400 reroute in the 1960s. A few relics still remain of this. The station in Andrews, WI, was a station in the 1960s, and then, when the line was abandoned in the late 1970s, it was closed up to 1999, when the WTEX expanded up there. Then WTEX started running passenger runs in 2000, in which Andrews was the last stop. The station became and is now a break station at the halfway point of any passenger journey. Also, in Dekora, the station was also a CNW Twin Cities 400 station. Now it is a museum. A few other crew old huts are still along the line from the CNW days too.
The Wisconsin Terminal in 1984 started off with just 2 engines, a SW7 and a GP9. Their first customer was opened in April of 1984 and the railroad started from there. The GP9 was acquired from Burlington Northern and and the SW7 was from the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy. They went unpainted until 1985, where they were patched in January, as the railroad was trying to get a new established look. Finally, in November of 1985, they were painted into Wisconsin Terminal’s first (early) scheme of green with grey stripes down the front. This scheme was kept until 1992. They didn’t get any new engines until September of 1991. Then they added 2 GP20s to their roster, one from Santa Fe and one from Union Pacific. Both were about to be scrapped, so the [WTIR] got them for a good price. In addition to those engines, the now Wisconsin Terminal Interchange (so WTIR, the name was changed from January 1989 to March 1993) also had bought a GP7 from Northern Pacific. Following this, in 1992, the WTIR went through a new paint scheme, red sides with a yellow front and back, with red stripes in the front. Then, in 1995, with lots of traffic on there hand comparable to just 4 years ago, the Wisconsin Terminal had a huge turn… They sold the GP9, the GP7, the SW7, and one GP20 for a GP38-2 (from Chicago Northwestern) and two SW1200s (from Wisconsin Central) They also converted to the current paint scheme of blue with grey stripes. (From 1992 to 1994 the WTIR/WTEX had a paint scheme similar to CN&W). The SW1200s didn’t last, though. The WTEX sold them for another GP38-2 (from WC) in 1997.
By 1998, the railroad was very successful. They had the next big turn, by selling the last GP20 for a GP39-2 (from Union Pacific) and purchasing a GP40-2 (from CSX). Finally, in December 1998, they bought 2 SW1500s, one from UP and one from CN.
In 2000, the Wisconsin Terminal bought 4 passenger cars for passenger runs, which started in May of 2000.
If anyone wants updates on this route look at Wisconsin Rail Productions Youtube
Founded on February 9th, 1984, the Wisconsin Terminal Railroad was a 39.5 mile shortline, made to serve industries in central Wisconsin, and to serve as a connection between the two class 1 railroads in the central part of the state, the Union Pacific and the Canadian National. In 1994, the line was expanded to include a way to get to the Wisconsin and Southern, and then expanded even further north to serve a few other industries up there in 1999.
With trackage rights over the UP in Bennett, WI, and the WSOR in Lake Hill, WI, the WTEX runs over an ex-CNW line, which was also a Twin Cities 400 reroute in the 1960s. A few relics still remain of this. The station in Andrews, WI, was a station in the 1960s, and then, when the line was abandoned in the late 1970s, it was closed up to 1999, when the WTEX expanded up there. Then WTEX started running passenger runs in 2000, in which Andrews was the last stop. The station became and is now a break station at the halfway point of any passenger journey. Also, in Dekora, the station was also a CNW Twin Cities 400 station. Now it is a museum. A few other crew old huts are still along the line from the CNW days too.
The Wisconsin Terminal in 1984 started off with just 2 engines, a SW7 and a GP9. Their first customer was opened in April of 1984 and the railroad started from there. The GP9 was acquired from Burlington Northern and and the SW7 was from the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy. They went unpainted until 1985, where they were patched in January, as the railroad was trying to get a new established look. Finally, in November of 1985, they were painted into Wisconsin Terminal’s first (early) scheme of green with grey stripes down the front. This scheme was kept until 1992. They didn’t get any new engines until September of 1991. Then they added 2 GP20s to their roster, one from Santa Fe and one from Union Pacific. Both were about to be scrapped, so the [WTIR] got them for a good price. In addition to those engines, the now Wisconsin Terminal Interchange (so WTIR, the name was changed from January 1989 to March 1993) also had bought a GP7 from Northern Pacific. Following this, in 1992, the WTIR went through a new paint scheme, red sides with a yellow front and back, with red stripes in the front. Then, in 1995, with lots of traffic on there hand comparable to just 4 years ago, the Wisconsin Terminal had a huge turn… They sold the GP9, the GP7, the SW7, and one GP20 for a GP38-2 (from Chicago Northwestern) and two SW1200s (from Wisconsin Central) They also converted to the current paint scheme of blue with grey stripes. (From 1992 to 1994 the WTIR/WTEX had a paint scheme similar to CN&W). The SW1200s didn’t last, though. The WTEX sold them for another GP38-2 (from WC) in 1997.
By 1998, the railroad was very successful. They had the next big turn, by selling the last GP20 for a GP39-2 (from Union Pacific) and purchasing a GP40-2 (from CSX). Finally, in December 1998, they bought 2 SW1500s, one from UP and one from CN.
In 2000, the Wisconsin Terminal bought 4 passenger cars for passenger runs, which started in May of 2000.
If anyone wants updates on this route look at Wisconsin Rail Productions Youtube
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