Timetable: C&NW - Main Line - Escanaba to Ishpeming

This was the Chicago & North Western's original line in the Upper Penninsula. It was built in 1864 from Escanaba to Negaunee by the Peninsula Railroad and merged into the CNW in October of that year. The line continued to Ishpeming in 1865. A number of branches were built off this line including the Loop Line (1865) south of Negaunee, the Michigamee Branch (around 1888), the Republic Branch (1888), and many other branch and mining spurs. It was not uncommon for tracks near Negaunee and Ishpeming to be moved as mines were developed.

This trackage was orphaned until the main line was built south from Escanaba (via Powers) to Green Bay in 1872. Passenger, freight and ore trains were operated daily on this moderately busy line for the next ninety years. The C&NW was favored for travel from the Chicago area to the Marquette mining district, including the famous "400 Fleet" diesel passenger trains starting in the early 1940's. Passenger trains on the CNW were eliminated by 1960, leaving freight and ore. Ore transport to Escanaba ended in 2017 when the Empire Mine in Palmer closed.

The main terminals on this line were at Escanaba and Ishpeming. In the 1960's, the CNW, Soo Line and LS&I consolidated their main lines from Eagle Mills west to Ishpeming on a new joint-CTC track on the north side of Negaunee and Ishpeming. This is the current line used today. The CTC was originally controlled by the Soo Line and later by the operator at Eagle Mills. Most of the CTC has been removed. The former CNW line between Partridge Junction through downtown Negaunee and Ishpeming was removed.  

Key: C=Coal | D=Open during the day | DA=Days and afternoons | DN=Day and night | F=Fuel | JD=Joint union depot | H=Half Interlocked | J=Junction | N=Open at night | P=Passing Track w/40' car capacity | PH-Pump House | S=Scales | TC=Telegraph call | W=Water | X=Crossing | Y=Wye | Yard=Yard

References = [MRL] + [CNWV] plus additions.

Notes

Passing sidings are in car lengths (Pnn) or feet (P-nnnn).

Time Line

1864. The Peninsula railroad builds from Escanaba to the Mineral Branch and Negaunee, and merges into the C&NW. In 1865 they reroute this line between Mineral Branch, and to Negaunee and Ishpeming. [MRL] They also build a spur to the Jackson Mine.

1867. The C&NW builds a spur from Mineral Branch (south of Negaunee) to the Ogden Mine. [MRL]

1871. The C&NW builds a spur to the Rolling Mill Mine in Negaunee and to the McComber and Allen/Mary Charlotte mines a year later. [MRL]

1874. A branch is built from the north side of Negaunee to the Cambria Mine. [MRL].

1882. SNAPSHOT. The C&NW operates one passenger, two freight and 12 ore trains each way, or 30 passages every twenty four hours, not counting labor trains nor extras between Escanaba and Ishpeming. [DFP-1882-0427]

1907. The railroad builds a spur to the old Empire Mine. [MRL]

1938. January. Heavy snow causing 20-foot drifts affected the C&NW in the upper peninsula. The company reported that a rotary plow reached Ishpeming at 9:45 am after a 17-hour fight on drifts blocking the line from Escanaba. [IDG-1938-0128]

1939. Through sleeper service from Chicago to Marquette over the C&NW and DSS&A will be resumed June 1. It had been stopped during the depression seven years ago. During the seven years, riders could take a sleeper to Negaunee, and then a day coach to Marquette. The service will likely be limited to summer months only. Also, since the DSS&A has no Sunday evening/Monday morning service between Marquette and Duluth, the sleeper will not operate on those days. [EDP-1939-0323]

1943. SNAPSHOT. The C&NW operates two round trip passenger trains between Escanaba and Ishpeming. One is limited, stopping only in Little Lake and Negaunee. The other is a local, stopping at Brampton, Rock, Little Lake, and Negaunee. This line also operates one scheduled freight. It also operates ore trains which are not scheduled. [ETT-1943]

1960's. The C&NW operates one ore train per day from Escanaba to Ishpeming on a turn around basis. The train usually has four 1600 HP F-M road switchers and anywhere from 80 to 125 cars. (The railroad also has a daily road freight between Escanaba and Ishpeming). The C&NW does not service any mines in the area. The LS&I does all the switching and making up of ore trains for the C&NW. The C&NW ore trains arrive at Ishpeming on the new SOO-C&NW-LS&I joint main line. The train rolls into the new joint yard and the caboose is cut off the train on the fly in front of the depot. The crew yards their train and returns to the depot to eat lunch. The LS&I comes and gets the train to distribute the cars to the mines. After lunch, the C&NW crew attaches their caboose on the west end of their new train, builds up the air and tests the brakes. They then depart towards Escanaba. [IOR] Editor's Note: Later, the interchange with LS&I for ore is changed to Partridge. The number of daily ore trains varies over time.