Kenosha and Rockford Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Kenosha and Rockford Railroad is a historic railroad that operated in Wisconsin
from 1861 until 1939.
Construction of the Kenosha, Rockford and Rock Island Railroad was encouraged by the city of Kenosha, Wisconsin
. The 72-mile line began as an independent enterprise created by several Kenosha businessmen in 1853 and it was opened on July 21, 1861. Earlier plans had called for the line to be built between Kenosha and Beloit, Wisconsin
, but Beloit had shown little interest in being the western terminus of the line. The construction of the railroad encouraged the development of various communities along the line.
Passenger traffic was usually light; the line served several tourist areas along the numerous lake resorts in western Kenosha County. As many as twelve daily trains operated during the early 20th Century; freight traffic included milk and ice from the numerous dairies and lakes along the route. The line was renamed the Kenosha and Rockford Railroad and it was eventually purchased by the Chicago and North Western Railroad. Under the CNW, it became known as the Kenosha Division, or the KD Line
.
Electric refrigeration became widespread in the 1930s and the need for ice diminished. Dairy farmers also turned to trucking during and after World War II
, further decreasing traffic levels. By 1938, only two mixed train
s still operated, and passenger counts had diminished to one or two riders per day.
The main portion of the KD Line was abandoned by the C&NW on May 31, 1939. A crew of five on Train No. 917 left Kenosha at 9:30 AM with three fare-paying passengers: rail historian Anton E. Klova and Kenosha County Historical Society officials William E. Dickinson and C. Ernest Dewey, plus retired KD Line conductor P. H. Galligan, who rode as far as Salem. En route, the crew of No. 917 made lengthy stops at each station to strip its contents and load them aboard No. 917, which as a result arrived at Harvard, Illinois
nearly eight hours late.
The line's eastern and western portions currently survive for local freight service in Kenosha and Rockford.
The CNW was merged into the Union Pacific Railroad
in April 1995 and the UPRR continues to maintain ownership of the KD Line.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
from 1861 until 1939.
Construction of the Kenosha, Rockford and Rock Island Railroad was encouraged by the city of Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha is a city and the county seat of Kenosha County in the State of Wisconsin in United States. With a population of 99,218 as of May 2011, Kenosha is the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Kenosha is also the fourth-largest city on the western shore of Lake Michigan, following Chicago,...
. The 72-mile line began as an independent enterprise created by several Kenosha businessmen in 1853 and it was opened on July 21, 1861. Earlier plans had called for the line to be built between Kenosha and Beloit, Wisconsin
Beloit, Wisconsin
Beloit is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2010 census, Beloit had a population of 36,966. The greater Beloit area is home to more than 91,000 residents.-Claim to fame:...
, but Beloit had shown little interest in being the western terminus of the line. The construction of the railroad encouraged the development of various communities along the line.
Passenger traffic was usually light; the line served several tourist areas along the numerous lake resorts in western Kenosha County. As many as twelve daily trains operated during the early 20th Century; freight traffic included milk and ice from the numerous dairies and lakes along the route. The line was renamed the Kenosha and Rockford Railroad and it was eventually purchased by the Chicago and North Western Railroad. Under the CNW, it became known as the Kenosha Division, or the KD Line
KD Line
The KD Line is the Kenosha and Rockford Railroad which, except for its eastern and western termini, was largely abandoned in May 1939. The name means "Kenosha Division", and was used after it was merged into the Chicago and North Western Railroad, now the Union Pacific....
.
Electric refrigeration became widespread in the 1930s and the need for ice diminished. Dairy farmers also turned to trucking during and after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, further decreasing traffic levels. By 1938, only two mixed train
Mixed train
A mixed train is a train that hauls both passenger and freight cars or wagons. In the early days of railways they were quite common, but by the 20th century they were largely confined to branch lines with little traffic. As the trains provided passengers with very slow service, mixed trains have...
s still operated, and passenger counts had diminished to one or two riders per day.
The main portion of the KD Line was abandoned by the C&NW on May 31, 1939. A crew of five on Train No. 917 left Kenosha at 9:30 AM with three fare-paying passengers: rail historian Anton E. Klova and Kenosha County Historical Society officials William E. Dickinson and C. Ernest Dewey, plus retired KD Line conductor P. H. Galligan, who rode as far as Salem. En route, the crew of No. 917 made lengthy stops at each station to strip its contents and load them aboard No. 917, which as a result arrived at Harvard, Illinois
Harvard, Illinois
Harvard is a city located in McHenry County in the northeastern corner of the U.S. state of Illinois, approximately south of the Illinois/Wisconsin border. The population was 7,996 at the 2000 census...
nearly eight hours late.
The line's eastern and western portions currently survive for local freight service in Kenosha and Rockford.
The CNW was merged into the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
in April 1995 and the UPRR continues to maintain ownership of the KD Line.