Timetable: C&NW - Ore Line - North Escanaba to Antoine

This was the former Escanaba, Iron Mountain & Western Railroad, originally surveyed and graded by industrialist Ferdinand Schlesinger who had mining interests in the area in 1890. The purpose of the line was to bring ore from the Iron River, Crystal Falls and Iron Mountain mines to the port of Escanaba.

Newspapers report that Schlesinger arranged with the Milwaukee Road to lay rail on this grade and they intended to have the Milwaukee Road operate it for them. Prior to this, the Milwaukee road brought iron ore from Iron Mountain mines to Escanaba via the E&LS. But at some point, the Milwaukee Road was out of the picture and the line was sold or leased to the C&NW, which used the line and new dock (later known as C&NW Escanaba dock #5) for a second running track between Escanaba and Iron Mountain. For a description of the Schlesinger Syndicate, its mines and railroad, click here. [DD-1890-0823]

Prior to completion, the line was sold to the Chicago & North Western. The route was known as the "Schlesinger line". The line had actually been graded west to Florence, WI and beyond to the Menominee River but not completed. It was eventually connected to the C&NW at Antoine.

Under C&NW control, this route was primary operated with eastbound ore loads to the Escanaba docks and called the Ore Subdivision. Empties were normally brought back via the line from Escanaba to Antoine via Powers which had a more friendly grade. The Ore Sub handled very few freight or passenger trains, except for ore. Passing siding capacity is based on 44' cars. 

Key:  C=Coal | D=Open during the day | DN=Day and night | G=Gates | H=Half Interlocked | J=Junction | N=Open at night | P=Passing Track w/40' car capacity | S=Scales | T = Turntable | TC=Telegraph call | W=Water | X=Crossing | Y=Wye | Yard=Yard

Notes

The Escanaba, Iron Mountain and Western Railroad originally built this line and it was owned by Schlesinger mining interests in Iron Mountain and Norway. The purpose was to ship ore to their own dock in Escanaba and eliminate shipping over the C&NW. Shortly after completion, the mining company syndicate went bankrupt and the line was sold to the C&NW.  The C&NW sent their loaded ore trains via this route because of shorter distances and a favorable grade. The empties came back via Powers to Iron Mountain. [GB]

Sturgeon: There was a 3,278' connection to the CNW Powers to Watersmeet line.

The crossing with the MILW at milepost 52.0 was protected by an interlocking tower in 1916, per [CNWV].

According to [CNWPD2], there were no station or tower operators on duty during the night time hours on this line. Once a loaded ore train left Antoine, it was not usually heard from until it arrived in Escanaba's ore yard.

Under an ore-pooling agreement between the C&NW and MILW, both roads ship their ore to the C&NW docks at Escanaba. Following this agreement in the 1930's, the MILW docks at Escanaba (Wells) were discontinued. Menominee range ore trains were made up at Stambaugh, Crystal Falls and Iron Mountain (Antoine). It is not unusual for locomotives from both roads to operate on the C&NW. [IOR]

Time Line

1880. The part of this line from Loop Line Jct. to Antoine was originally built as a part of the CNW Loop Line branch. [MRL]

1889. It is almost certain that the eighty miles or more of railroad now being built from Escanaba to Iron River (by the Schlesinger syndicate) will be operated by the Milwaukee & Northern. [DFP-1889-1017]

1891. The Ore Branch has been built from North Escanaba west to Loop Line Junction near Antoine. [MRL]

1891. February. The Chapin Mine (in Iron Mountain) shipped 750,000 tons of Bessemer ore this year via the new road from Iron Mountain to Escanaba (known as the Ore Line), owned by the Schlesinger syndicate. The new line carries Chapin ore instead of using its former route to Escanaba on the C&NW. This amounts to five trains per day and is the majority of ore transported between the two towns. It is now stated on what we regard as good authority, that the Vanderbilts, either for themselves personally or for the Northwestern Road (which they control) have purchased both the Chapin mine and the new road of the Schlesinger syndicate. [DFP-1891-0202]

1909. September. Newspapers speculate that the C&NW will extend their "Schlesinger" ore line from the Antoine area to Stager, essentially "double tracking" the line (along with their main line). Railroad officials are surveying the line which they note has already been graded to Florence, WI. "The grade between Antoine and Florence is in bad shape but could be put in condition very cheaply. This route goes north of Florence and is about a mile shorter than the present route, eliminating the bad reverse curve at the Brule bridge". The Northwestern is also contemplating the erection of a big ore dock to take the place of the Schlesinger dock that collapsed last spring. [DD-1909-0911] Editor's Note: The new route was never built.

1950's. C&NW/MILW pool ore was shipped daily in four trains dispatched to Escanaba. The trains were about 115 cars and hauled by 2 or 3 unit Fairbanks-Morse 1600 HP Baby Trainmaster diesel road switchers. Both roads use the same type of power. These diesels were also used to serve the mines. Prior to dieselization, C&NW J-4 class 2-8-4's and MILW "Mikes" were used over the road, and C&NW Z class 2-8-0 steam power was used for switching and road operations. [IOR]

1960's. Ore trains usually travelled over the Ore Line subdivision to No. 6 ore yard, where they are classified and stored until movement to the dock. If ore trains are routed over the main line via Powers, or if ore is carried in regular freight trains, the ore arrives in the main freight yard near the passenger depot and is later taken to yard No. 6 before being placed on the ore dock.

1953. Believed the longest train ever to move over the C&NW tracks in the Upper Peninsula, 300 empty ore cars rolled out of Escanaba for delivery to Stambaugh yards in the Menominee iron range Saturday morning. The train was pulled by a four-unit diesel locomotive. The cars were needed at the iron mines for loading Saturday morning and the C&NW dispatcher at Escanaba ordered the 300 empty cars out Friday behind the quadruple diesel because there was no power available for two trains before Saturday morning. Normally the string of empties would not exceed 150.

The train rolled along over the "ore line" without any helpers to assist along the way. One of the hills negotiated without help was the Sumac grade, where a broken rail last week caused the derailment of a four-unit diesel but no cars of a 127-car loaded ore train 32 miles west of Escanaba. [EDP-1953-1012]

1960. C&NW Seeks To Route Ashland Ore to Escanaba. The ICC is expected to rule within weeks on a petition by the railroad to reduce its ore hauling rate from the Gogebic Range to Escanaba by 55¢ a ton. If approved, the Escanaba dock would be called upon to handle 3-4 millions more tons of ore each year which is now shipped out of Ashland on Lake Superior. The current dock at Ashland is owned by the Soo Line and used in a pool arrangement. Steel companies continue to clamor for reduced shipping rates.

Current shipping rates between the Gogebic Range to Ashland and then to Chicago is $3.25 per ton (including lake shipping of $2). Using the Gogebic Range to Escanaba route is $3.20 (including a lake rate of only $1.20). The C&NW is proposing to the ICC to reduce the rail portion of this move by 55¢ per ton. No reduction is proposed on its rate to Ashland.

The proposal is opposed by the Soo Line (partner in the pool), which plans to seek a rate reduction to Ashland of 38¢ per ton. They intend to "do everything possible" to keep the port of Ashland competitive with the port of Escanaba insofar as the shipment of iron ire is concerned. C&NW stated that the Escanaba dock is able to handle the entire Gogebic area output.

If Ashland loses its ore shipping industry, it would involve about 150 jobs, including dock workers, office staff and railroad crews. [EDP-1960-0317]

1970. The ruling grade on this line westbound was 1.26% at MP 18.5 west of the water tank near Oro. [CNWM]

1970. The C&NW petitions the ICC for permission to abandon its "ore line" from Escanaba to Antoine in Dickenson County Iron ore hauling service from the two iron mines still operating at Stambaugh would be provided on another route through Powers, according to Paul Schilling, assistant ore superintendent of Escanaba.

He said the railroad hasn't used the line for hauling ore since last year, and no longer has need to maintain the line for iron ore traffic. The only two mines operating at Stambaugh are the Homer Mine of the Hanna Mining Co. and the Sherwood Mine of Inland Steel Co. No other service was provided on the line, Schilling said. The line runs a total of 52.74 miles and has been used strictly for iron ore hauling.

Schilling said the railroad formerly hauled empty cars to Antoine via Powers and returned the full loads over the line for which abandonment is proposed. The problems of meeting trains no longer require that separate routes be maintained, he said. During winters recently, the ore line right-of-way has not been plowed and has been used as a snowmobile trail. [EDP-1970-0430]

1970. The entire line is removed. [MRL]