Chapter 27

THE ABBOTSFORD-ATHENS BRANCH

On April 15, 1889, the Abbotsford and northeastern Railroad Company was incorporated and chartered to construct a line from Abbotsford directly eastward to Wausau, a distance of 35 miles. Right-of-way was secured in 1888; the purpose of the organization, primarily, lumber operations.

The Abbotsford and Northeastern was completed to Athens (then Black Creek Falls) 15 miles northeast of Abbotsford late in 1889, but never reached its objective terminus at Wausau. Lacking sufficient capital to continue profitable operations, the A.&N. E. enlisted financial aid front the Central, stimulated by an attractive traffic agreement, thus coming under partial control of the Central.

The 15 mile spur remained a profitable feeder line for the Central, and despite the diminishing returns from an exhausted timber territory, it still operates trains between Abbotsford and Athens, freight service only. In 1899 the Central, in combination with the A.&N. E. and the Upham Manufacturing Co. of Marshfield, extended the line from Athens (or officially Goodrich Junction, just south of Athens) a point in the deep woods 10 miles northwest, coming to a halt at the inland hamlet of Goodrich. From this point extensive lumbering operations fed a constant stream of logs and cut lumber to the Central at Abbotsford until 1933, when the Goodrich extension was abandoned.

Abbotsford and Northeastern was sold to the Wisconsin Central Railway Company January 29, 1910.