Railroad: Ontonagon Railroad Company

Built → Ontonagon Railroad → Milwaukee Road

This line was built in 1904 - 1,325 feet in Ontonagon, then in 1906 to own 6.65 miles, easterly terminus C. V. McMillan logging railroad (Halfway Creek in Sec 12 T51N-R41W to Wly terminus at CMStP&P (in Sec. 25 T42N-R40W).

Length expanded over the years until 1917 and terminated at Iron River Junction (7.5 miles) at a connection with the MILW branch northeast from White Pine.

Built: 1904

Operated for 27 years.

Operations Ended: 1931 - turned over to the MILW to operate.

Reference: [MRRC]

Notes

Some of this line was purchased from the C. V. McMillan Lumber Company. The line had other branches into the forest that are not well documented.

Time Line

1904. Line is built southwest from Ontonagon. [MRL]

1917. Line is complete from Ontonagon to Iron River Junction and a connection with a forest branch of the Milwaukee Road. [MRL]

1931. The MPUC allows abandonment of this railroad, which is a logging road running southwest of Ontonagon. The Commission reports that the MILW will continue to use these tracks. After due consideration of the evidence as submitted and being advised that the operation of the Ontonagon Railroad for the past few years had consisted almost entirely of the transportation of forest products from the lumbering operations of the Greenwood Lumber Company west of Ontonagon, and these lumbering operations having been completed, and there being no present or future prospects of business to enable it to continue operations; and the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Company now operating on the tracks of the Ontonagon Railroad for its entire length by agreement, and will continue to so operate, this Commission has concluded that with the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Company continuing operations over this line of railroad, that the abandonment of operations by the Ontonagon Railroad Company will cause no inconvenience to the public. [MPUC-1931]