Chapter 26

THE MARSHFIELD-NEKOOSA BRANCH

At Wisconsin Rapids a group of local lumbermen and paper makers got together to organize the Port Edwards, Centralia, and Northeastern Railroad. Incorporated April 15, 1889, the line was projected from Port Edwards on the river northward to Grand Rapids, thence northeast to Marshfield 29 miles to connect with the Central at the latter point. Note: Grand Rapids now Wisconsin Rapids.

When the 3.5-mile Nekoosa Branch was built from Port Edwards to Nekoosa under the corporate name of Marshfield and Southeastern in 1896, one of those mysterious financial maneuvers occurred which brought the 29-mile P.E.C.&N.E. under control of the 3.5 mile Marshfield and Southeastern.

The demise of the P.E.C.&N.E. came about on February 14, 1901, the same day the Marshfield and Southeastern was incorporated. On May 1, 1901, the latter was sold to the Wisconsin Central Railway Company.

In 1901 the crusading Chicago and Northwestern succumbed to a mighty urge to parallel the newly acquired line of the Central frown Grand Rapids to Marshfield. Thus, another competitive battle was on, lasting until 1937 when the I.C.C. stepped in to referee and decide that the Central must abandon 12 of the 32.5 miles of the M.&S.E. and use the C.&N.W. tracks jointly between east Marshfield and west Wisconsin Rapids.

This pool arrangement is still in effect, the Central operating one mixed train each way daily between Marshfield and Nekoosa, hauling pulp wood to the paper mills.