Nostalgia & History > Wisconsin & Calumet : Short-lines hauling pigs

Wisconsin and Calumet ,affectionately known as the "Wicket" due to their WICT reporting marks, can be credited with the return of dependable rail service to several former Illinois Central and Milwaukee Road properties in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.  WICT was the railroad that was able to pick up the pieces of the failed Central Wisconsin RR and Chicago Madison and Northern bankruptcy.  One of their most innovative operations was the seasonal piggyback traffic that originated from the Swiss Colony in Monroe, WI   Swiss Colony is a large provider of mostly seasonal (read Christmas) gift packages.  Production at their facilities is year round but there is a steady increase in production and employment each fall and holiday season.  Empty pig trailers would arrive in Monroe by rail starting in late October.  The trailers were unloaded and staged around the city while the empty flats were taken back to the Chicago Central Wallace yard in Freeport, Illinois.  The flats were kept there until Swiss Colony started loading the loaded trailers for shipment.  The pigs were loaded "circus style" in the former Illinois Central yard in Monroe, usually four cars at a time.  When enough loads were ready, the train was assembled, made the trek south to Freeport and was then handled by the Chicago Central for distribution to various cities.  Eventually, after WICT opened their own line to Chicago (former Milwaukee Road via Fox Lake), the trailers would take the ex Milwaukee Road line east to Janesville and on to Chicago.   I believe this service lasted about 5 years until the Swiss Colony realized that they literally had all of their eggs in one basket.  After that, the Colony began to rubber the trailers to Chicago for loading. 

All three images were taken in Oct and November, 1988

Image 1:  Southbound on ex Illinois Central with empty flats for storage at Freeport, Illinois
Image 2:  Loading trailers in the ex Illinois Central yard at Monroe, WI
Image 3:  Loaded pigs heading south to Freeport for interchange with the Chicago Central & Pacific     

Thanks for looking.

Dave



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/18 14:57 by GBW309.

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Thanks for sharing these images of shortline history.
Bob

 Great photos! I kind of forgot about "The Wicket" and their piggyback service...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/18 17:39 by ghemr.

These pigs have much less of that rural aroma :)