The defunct Kettle Moraine Ry in North Lake, WI has been a subject of personal interest lately. I never made it there, unfortunately, so I'm depending on others more knowledegeable to enlighten me on what once was.

Here's my litany of "operations"-oriented questions--please weigh in, anybody:

1. When was the first run of the KM? Who started the railroad?
2. Did they maintain an interchange with the C&NW, and if so, where? Was a rail section taken out to make the line insular or was it part of the general system?
3. Any sidings between North Lake and Merton? Did the tracks end at Merton or did they keep going to someplace else?
4. How many crossings? Total mileage?
5. Did the KM ever use a rule book and a timetable? Were Form 19 train orders ever issued?
6. What became of the KM's unrestored C&NW doodlebug M-1000 after the cessation of operations in 2001?
7. During what years did the ex-Cadillac & Lake City 2-8-2 No. 2 operate on the KM, was it privately owned and why did it leave the property?
8. Did the KM maintain a gift shop?
9. Did the KM ever publish a volunteer newsletter?

Your sharing of information is appreciated, in advance.

cheers,
-K.R. Bell

I was a volunteer at the KMRY from 1989 until the end in 2001. I will try to answer your questions as best I can.

1. The first run was in the summer of 1972. The railroad was started by Richard Hinebaugh.

2. The KMRY did not have an interchange with the C&NW. The tracks ran parallel for a while.

3.There were a few sidings in Merton. The track continued east to the northwest side of Milwaukee where it connected to the main line in Granville. The right away is referred to as the Bug Line trail. Part of it is buried under a large landfill on the northwest side of Milwaukee.

4. 3 crossings, approximately 4 miles of track.

6. The doodlebug went west. I don't remember exactly where. It was used for parts for another restoration.

7. The #2 was used in the early years and was privately owned.

8. Yes, there was a gift shop.

9. There were no newsletters.

I am currently converting old VHS tape over from the KMRY. A few of the videos can be seen at the following links.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJTe49l ... L_1inQNEkw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHCffEM ... L_1inQNEkw

Michael M.

The gift shop was a former Wisconsin Central (Soo Line) depot that was moved from Trevor, WI in 1969 or 1970, while I was still in high school. I believe it is still on the property.

The Saginaw Timber No. 2, also known as the Polson Logging No. 2, ran on the C&LS in the late 1960's and 1970's until it was sold to the Kettle Moraine for scrap value. The locomotive was very tired and ran on the KM for only 2 years when it was sold to a private owner in Iowa to be used as power for a planned dinner train. The locomotive was moved to IRM for a rebuild, but the owner died before any work was completed. The loco then passed into the ownership of other group who moved the disassembled locomotive to Mid-Continent Railway Museum where it was repaired and ran from 1983 to 2000. By 2000 the ST2 was severely worn out. There were serious boiler problems requiring extensive and expensive repairs. The Saginaw Timber No. 2 has been undergoing the FRA mandated 1472 day inspection and was steamed for the first time in 14 years last November. It is expected to be back in service at Mid-Continent in the summer of 2015.

Slight correction, very slight. The #2 was sold to Carl U. not the Kettle Moraine RR. Carl was Richards son in law, but was the private owner of the locomotive. If not mistaken Carl was the one responsible for repairing the steam dome which side lined the locomotive after CLC ownership. The W&OV #1 was also at KMrr and was also owned by Carl U. Not sure if it ran there or not and that locomotive now resides in Black River Falls, Wi if not mistaken.

One of many regrets I have is not visiting KMRR when it operated. I knew Richard as a young kid/teenager, helped him a couple of times on the McCloud #9 (2-6-2) and recall some of his equipment like the motor car. I only visited after operations had ceased. Dumb. What an operation to have been a part of. Steve and TJ have some great stories.

Cheers, John.

John -

My only visit to KM was on the last day of operations. Could kick myself for not having visited more often. Sure hope Steve has a plan for number 9. She is certainly a good looking lokey!

Les

Very true Les. Forgot how cute she is in person. Not a good view for pics but she is indeed an almost perfect small locomotive. Being in good storage makes it very stable. I do not worry about this locomotive, good storage and in good hands. Cheers, John.

Greetings:
A few more small corrections.
Carl sold No.2 to H.Stuart Kuyper who planned to use it on a 40 mile (one way) Dinner Train from Des Moines to his hometown, Pella, Iowa.
HSK hired me to repair the locomotive after he had already purchased it. I told him that it was the wrong locomotive for the job, but he already owned it so I moved it to IRM.
The move was interesting. It started by trucking it across the road to a C&NW siding. Then, after some prep work and inspection, I moved it on it's own wheels to IRM on the C&NW in regular freight train (read 30 MPH+/-) service to Union via Proviso yard. To say the locomotive was well worn would be an understatement, but it made it without incident.
Inspection reveled a host of issues for which HSK was unprepared.
An analysis of his plans confirmed that the locomotive, even in good condition, wouldn't be suitable for his plans, which called for sustained 40 MPH running pulling a 500 ton train over a line with some fair grades.
HSK donated the locomotive to IRM and we sold it at the "Great IRM Auction and Fire Sale" to Skip Lichter.
I arranged for Mr. Kuyper to purchase the former N&W No.475 from William Armagost at Hollsopple, PA and prepared it for movement (again to IRM for repairs).
Unfortunately, Mr. Kuyper died the afternoon that I began moving No.475 west (on it's own wheels in regular freight train service).
J.David

There's a large amount of good info in this book:

http://www.postlakeproductions.com/Home ... an-lake-wi

I was there the last day as well (my only visit). Of course, if you need photos I'm more than happy to contribute, if this turns into a larger project.

Michael -

As I recall, the Kettle Moraine originally operated more trackage from the Milwaukee Road but I am not sure how far east they operated. Certainly not as far as Granville. Here is the rundown on the branch with mileage shown:

Granville.............. 0
Menomonee Falls.... 4
Lannon................ 8
Sussex................ 11
West Sussex......... 12
Merton............... 17
North Lake.......... 20

There was probably originally a connection with the Milwaukee Road where that railroad still was running. Perhaps they wanted to abandon more of the branch and Mr. Hinebaugh felt he could only purchase the last 3 miles. Or was the rest of the line already abandoned when the Merton-North Lake section was acquired? Thanks for any info.

Les

Les,

After the Milwaukee Road abandonment in the late 1970's the chemical company in Merton purchased approximately 1 1/2 miles of the track out of Merton heading east past Lake Five Road. ( Close to where the Milw Rd. dumb was located.) There was a point where the Milw Track was close to the C &NW main. The thought was to connect for freight service to the chemical company. During this time ( approximately) 1980-85 the KMRY was allowed to run on this section of track. The main line connection never materialized and the track was removed.

Michael

Michael -

Thanks for the info!


Les

Thank you to John Risley and J. David for clarification on the history of the Saginaw Timber No. 2.

Many thanks to everybody for sharing your various recollections. Another member of this forum sent me two very good articles related to the KMRy also worth reading:

1. "Carl Ulrich Provides Tender Lovin' Care and a New Home for the 'Two Spot,'" Live Steam Magazine (July 1975), pp. 6-7 [detailed account about the move of C&LC No 2 to the KMRy in 1973.];

2. Harnack, Art, "The Bug Line - From Granville to North Lake, Wisconsin: The Story of an Unremarked Milwaukee Road Branch Line," The Milwaukee Railroader (1st Q, 2013), pp. 4-19 [Detailed, well-researched article on the history and operations of the Milwaukee Road's North Lake Branch, including some content on the KMRy, albeit with a few minor errors.]

Did the KMRy's track physically end just beyond the North Lake depot siding (west by railroad direction)? I found no reference anywhere of a physical connection with the C&NW line that ran somewhat parallel to the KMRy at North Lake. Judging by J.David's recollection that he had to truck ex-C&LC No. 2 across the road to a live rail connection to ship out the engine to IRM, I get the impression that much of the original KMRy equipment arrived on its own wheels from the Milwaukee-end of the branch line before scrapping of the right-of-way east of Merton around 1978.

Didn't the KMRy own two ex-Milwaukee Road Alco RSC-2 diesels in the late 1970's? Were these ever used on the excursion train?

What were the names of the three highways/roadways that crossed the KMRy at grade?

Also when were the run-around tracks at North Lake and at Merton added by the KMRy? I'm guessing in the mid-1980's?

K.R. Bell

Another insight I had--please correct me if I'm in error--the KMRy rostered two ex-DL&W steel "Boonton" coaches acquired from the E-L, by sealed bid, in 1972. Two other Midwestern railway museums, Mid-Continent and IRM, also bought Lackawanna "Boontons" at the same time. Was there any cooperative effort among KM and these two museums to acquire these coaches, and if so, were they all shipped together in one cut from NJ?