Milwaukee Road Station
Milwaukee was on the Milwaukee Road's main line from Chicago to St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Seattle and Tacoma. Between Grand Avenue and Portage, the old main line followed a more northerly route, via Horicon. Eventually, the old main was more prominently used by trains which turned north at Horicon, terminating in Berlin WI. At North Milwaukee, Milwaukee Road's Superior Division diverged north, that line ended in Ontonagon MI. And at Brookfield, a branch line diverted southeast to Waukesha. In Milwaukee, trains diverged a short distance north of the main line to serve the station. The present Amtrak station which opened in 1965 is actually located on the main line.
Significant Locations and Distances from Station
2nd Street - east end Central Station.
5th Street - west end Central Station.
Grand Avenue (3 miles W) - junction of CMSP&P main line, old main line.
North Milwaukee (8 miles NW) - junction of CMSP&P old main line, Superior Division.
Brookfield (14 miles W) - junction of CMSP&P main line, Waukesha branch.
Chicago & North Western Station
Chicago & North Western operated a freight belt route around Milwaukee, which also had an important role in providing connections for many of the passenger trains serving Milwaukee. The C&NW Kenosha Subdivision south to Chicago exited the Milwaukee area at St. Francis, the southeast end of the freight belt. Trains west to Madison required use of a connection southwest from Washington Street, which connected with the freight belt at Chase. Those trains would use the south portion of the freight belt, as far west as Belton. Trains to points north and northwest connected with the freight belt at Wiscona, where both the Shoreline and the Valley routes diverged north to Green Bay. The Shoreline Subdivision operated via Sheboygan and Manitowoc, while the Valley route operated via Fond Du Lac, Oshkosh and Appleton. West of Wiscona, trains to St. Paul and Minneapolis used the north portion of the freight belt, as far west as Tower BJ, connecting there with the Adams Subdivision. Prior to 1928, Shoreline Subdivision trains used a more direct route between Lakeshore Jct. and Fox Point, which was subsequently abandoned and replaced with a newly constructed segment between Wiscona and Fox Point.
Significant Locations and Distances from Station
St. Francis (4 miles S) - junction of C&NW Kenosha Subdivision, freight belt.
Belton (9 miles SW) - junction of C&NW freight belt, Madison Division.
Chase (3 miles SW) - junction of C&NW freight belt, Madison connection.
Washington Street (1 mile S) - junction of C&NW Kenosha Subdivision, Madison connection.
Lakeshore Jct. (4 miles N) - junction with former connection to C&NW Shoreline Subdivision.
Wiscona (8 miles N) - junction of C&NW Air Line Subdivision, Shoreline Subdivision, freight belt.
Fox Point (9 miles N) - junction with former connection to C&NW Shoreline Subdivision.
Tower BJ (14 miles NW) - junction of C&NW freight belt, Adams Subdivision.