Kenosha, WI to Rockford, IL

The Kenosha Division

Picture Point of Interest

Showing of

The right-of-way through "downtown" Salem, WI, as it appeared at the turn of the 20th century. (Submitted by Gary Most)

The Kenosha and Rockford Railroad (originally the Kenosha, Rockford & Rock Island Railroad), running between its two namesake cities in Wisconsin and Illinois, started in 1861, but was largely abandoned by 1939. This railroad, known as the Kenosha Division, or "KD Line", was merged early on into the Chicago & North Western Railroad. The line split west towards Loves Park, IL, going through Argyle, Harlem (which had a depot), a rock quary and into Loves Park. There is another line that runs along the east side of the Rock River; the two may have joined together at some point.

There is virtually no trace of the line's right-of-way today. However, the ROW once traversed property that is now submerged beneath the surface of Pierce Lake, a man-made lake in Rock Cut State Park. It is reported that, in the 1970s, a faulty drain caused the lake to drain, thus exposing the railbed which was easily identified and photographed.

Thanks to Mark Atkinson for contributing information about this route.

A group of model railroaders is working on a model train layout, located in the small community of either Caledonia or nearby Argyle, Illinois, that depicts certain aspects of the line. Also, the Chicago Northwestern Railway historical magazine has an article on Caledonia and mentions the Kenosha line, although I can not remember which issue. Caledonia is a small community, located on IL Route 173, that was a crossing point between the Kenosha line and another CNW line that originated in Chicago, traveled through Belvidere, Illinois, Beloit Wisconsin, and went on to Madison, Wisconsin. At one time, before WWII, Caledonia had over 75 trains a day, in part because two CNW lines crossed there and crews could stay at the old Caledonia hotel, a small hotel for train crews. A recreation path follows the path of certain tracks traveling through Caledonia.

David Dobson
Rockford, IL
1/5/2009

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Existing track connecting this abandoned line are still present along the Rock River in Sinnissippi Park in Rockford, IL. The track now ends at a company next to Windsor Road, but used to continue along where the drainage ditch crossing under Alpine Road exists. Further traces of the abandoned line are visible near the dam in Rock Cut State Park where the grade is still preserved. In Argyle IL, you can clearly see where the right of way passed by the creek next to the school. More traces of the grade and path are visible from route 173 looking South as you near Caledonia IL. In Caledonia, you can clearly see the path where it crossed a grade crossing next to the elementary school. The tree line heading East curves showing where the right of way connected with the line heading through Poplar Grove which was still used until its abandonment in the 80's. The line from Poplar Grove originally went straight onto Rockford. It wasn't until later, that the line running North to Beloit was created. That line existed well after the abandonment of the section heading into Rockford.

Mark Atkinson
South Beloit, IL
6/25/2009

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I spent my working years in Rockford, Illinois. Being a model RR enthusiast an "N" scale model RR based on this line of the downtown Rockford area is in the planning stages. In my possesion are lots of information, maps and photos. A book "The KD Line" was published in 1986 by Paul Behrens that had many photo's and history of this rail road. The Suburban Library in Loves Park used to have a copy. Lots of the track and buildings it served are still in the east side of down town Rockford.

Dan Kirkpatrick
Milton, FL
11/9/2009

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I recently discovered at the Boone County Historical society a map showing the route in which the C&NW ran from Belvidere IL and joined also into the line at Caledonia. What a busy junction! Even more interesting is the fact that Candlewick Lake was the result of blasting to create the right of way for the track in the mid 1800's. Using Google Maps, you can trace the path from Caledonia to Belvidere IL.

Mark Atkinson
South Beloit, IL
12/28/2009

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You can still see the roadbed along Bain Station rd. in kenosha were the line began. There's not to much left cause of development but it's still there.

Milton Patrick
Kenosha, WI
3/18/2010

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Does anyone know where the actual "rock cut" is that was made during construction of the line. Hopefully not at the bottom of the lake. I would be interested in seeing it. I just finished the "KD Line" book. Amazing and facinating.

Richard C.
Rockton, IL
4/27/2010

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hi bet you would like to see all the kd line stuff i have. got some real nice photos. and rails form a old grade crossing from hralem il. my speeder car sits on them. also have a old 1857 stock bond. and i will be having a rockford il arcadai book comeing out this year will have rockford. davis junction. harlem.railraod photos. looking forward to it can you tell me how i can get some of my photos on this site let me know thank you brain landis

brian landis
machesney park, IL
5/27/2010

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"THE BRIDGE TO NOWHERE"

Driving back with a friend to the North Shore of Chicago from Lake Geneva, WI we took the back roads towards US 12. On WI County Hwy B just west of Genoa City, WI we crossed a small creek/river and just to to south noticed an impressive RR bridge leading to nowhere in a NE direction. As a railfan and amateur buff, I circled around to seek out the RoW. To the NE through Genoa City the RoW could still be made out at different points: A diagonal small townhouse development, the US Post Office, open grassy land and then the town school encroached it. To the SW after it crossed Fellows Road was a long line of mature trees on the diagonal RoW between fields. I commented to my friend that the line must have been abandoned decades ago (1939 I now know!)for the trees to be that old. I was glad to see that the bridge over the river was not taken down for scrap or we would have missed this completely! Upon arriving home I searched this out on the Net and found this most interesting site, along with the unique history of the "KD Line."

Richard Lowry Garza
Wilmette, IL
7/6/2010

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I remember seeing trains in Bristol in the early 60s.

Bob Leffingwell
Chicago, IL
12/3/2010

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Does anyone know where/how to find a copy of "The KD Line"? I am a member of the Pleasant Prairie Historical Society and we are doing research about the railroad through Pleasant Prairie/Bain Station. Any information would be great!

HB
Kenosha, WI
2/4/2011

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To HB, the Southwest library in Kenosha has a copy of it (I have a copy too if you'd like to borrow it).

Also I work with the Chicago and North Western Historical Society; if you contact our archives (www.cnwhs.org) we will definitely be able to help you guys find what you need.

Chris Keating
Kenosha, WI
2/8/2011

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The caption noted another line on the east side of the Ropck River, perhaps they connected. The other line was the Rockford-Beloit-Janesville interurban line. It crossed at grade roughly where Higway 251 (North Second Street) and the KD line cross at the south end of Loves Park.

Jerry Pyfer
Loves Park, IL
2/16/2011

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I'm a retired conductor off the Mighty Milwaukee Road. I hired on in '73 in Milwaukee. I was born and grew up in Twin lakes Wisconsin, which is on the abandoned CN&W's KD Subdivision running through Genoa City Wisconsin, Twin Lakes and beyond. My Uncle worked as a brakeman before the subdivision was abandoned. Because of who I knew as boy of 8 years I had the opportunity to ride the job working the KD Line.

I remember seeing a Milwaukee Road locomotive near a depot in Genoa, which later in my life I realized was on what we called the J line originating out of Roundout IL to Madison Wisconsin. These two subdivisions intersected in Genoa which were abandoned in the 50's & 60's.

I've searched to no avail for maps of the old trackage. I know some of the history of the KD line and seen some of the rightaway in Twin Lakes as a kid. Can you direct me to trackage maps of both divisions?

Guy
Toledo, OH
3/9/2011

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To HB regarding the KD Line Book -- I had a copy of it, but lend it out never got it back. If my memory serves me right. In the book a story was told about a munitions factory at Bain or close by during World War II. The story goes there was catastrophic explosion caused by an in house switch engine out of control wiping the place of the map, which was the meat and potatoes of the division. Many lives were lost. Even though there was other revenue being generated. Such as milk from dairy farmers, some grain and the ice harvest from the area lakes along the division to service Chicago's refrigeration needs. After the munitions factory was destroyed, the division couldn't sustain it's self after the advent of mechanical refrigeration mass produced after the war. Thus, the KD Line was turned over to the C&NW. The C&NW serviced the lumber yards in Twin Lakes, Silver Lake and Salem Wisconsin. As I said my uncle worked on that division and work on the last job emptying all the railroads property not nailed down from all the depots. I know for a fact the depot in Twin Lakes was bought and re purposed into a barber shop.

Towards the end, my other uncle put a trainman's lantern in my hand and we stood at the main crossing in Twin Lakes around midnight on a few nights. When the train was making it's return trip from Salem he had me swing him down and we boarded the engine (GP9). The engineer (Walter Skinkle) let me at the control stand to blow for the crossings all the way into Genoa City. At the time the roadbed was in such disrepair from deferred maintenance track speed was reduced to restricted speed. This was about 1961 and my railroad career started 12 years later.

I'm looking for any of the maps and photos that was published in the book. I've tried looking on the cnwhs.org site. With my A.D.D I might have missed the link. I got my copy from my Mother (God Rest Her Soul). She had ordered it through the mail back in the late 80's. I remember her saying it was a self published book writen by a guy who worked the KD Line. I lended it out and never got it back.

Guy
Toledo, OH
3/14/2011

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I am extremly interested in the KD Line. I grew up in the burbs of Chicago but frequently vacationed as a child at the End of The Line Motel in Lake Geneva. I read the KD Line book soo much there my mother graciously obtained an autographed copy of the book from the author himself. Ironically as an adult I now live in the area. I would love to get copies of Pictures in the Bristol area to hang up in my train room. I know that you can still see the old ROW along 83rd St. in Bristol, and off of MB in Woodworth. I also know that the limestone bridge abutment over the Des Plaines River still exists. Also to anyone who know the history of the area I was curious as to where the Ice House was on Lake Goerge. Thnaks

Bryan
Bristol, WI
6/11/2011

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Please see my comments in another post regarding my interest in purchasing this line for the resumption of rail service in 1991.

Dan Egebrecht
Belvidere, IL
7/5/2011

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i use to as a kid in the 80s live in salem oaks subdivion. my house was just a block and half north of the old track bed. i always knew there was rail road though town. never knew till today that it was called or any detaild till i went to the kenosha histry center today. i cam home and did some looking for more info tonight on this.

jason
grayslake,ill, IL
7/14/2011

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Anyone have information specific to Salem? I work there in the building pictured to the right of the RoW in Picture #3 that appears on this page (looks like a stage stop/2-story building)

Ray
Salem, WI
7/27/2011

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As a kid, 50's / 60s, we hiked around Pierce Lake in Rock Cut "Park", (not State Park, yet), and we walked on the railway line, tracks removed but all the ties still on the grade. Now, Willow Creek cuts across the grade in several places and paved bike path that runs parallel to it have left the rail grade abandoned by hikers. There are several old photos of a locomotive crash on the line hanging on the wall of the Lone Rock Cafe, the concession stand on the south side of Pierce Lake near the boat launch. There were several others, but, someone broke into the concession stand and stole them...go figure.

Larry Swanson
Loves Park, IL
8/5/2011

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A couple updates/corrections:

- the former Milwaukee Road crossing (207) shown on the map is NOT Canadian Pacific, it is Wisconsin & Southern.

- although "There is virtually no trace of the line's right-of-way today" in most places, several pieces of the line are preserved as bike trail; including the Ice House Trail between Twin Lakes and Bassett (WI), Hebron Trail between Hebron (IL) and just south of Genoa City, and Prairie Trail west of Chemung (IL) to Caledonia, where the trail swings northwesterly onto the Belvidere-Beloit alignment. There is also a trail that runs parallel to the tracks (Chicago-Chemung Railway) between Harvard IL and Chemung. Other pieces of the r-o-w can be found, but you gotta look real carefully!

Mark Hintz
Springfield, WI
8/8/2011

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The guy who wrote the book on the KD still lives in Hebron, and enjoys talking about railroads. His house is across the street from the 1911 Grade School.

Also, "Hebron Tower" was moved a mile or two north, converted to a house, and is still occupied today as a guest house at a nursery. I believe Hebron Tower was built and operated by the Milwaukee Road, as it was the junior railroad at the crossing point, being built about 1900.

The Alden Depot is sort of falling down, but still there at the bottom of the hill in Alden. In the 1970's you could easily make out the name Alden at the east gable end of the depot, and looking in the window you could still see the price of haircuts was 25 cents.

The grocery stores in Hebron received fresh bakery items by train from the bakery in Harvard every morning.

I believe that regular passenger service ended about 1939, but as late as 1949 there was freight service between Harvard and Hebron. By the early 1960's freight only was delivered to Hebron from Genoa City/Junction to the East.

About 1970, there was an old Indian (84 years old) who had been a Conductor on the Kenosha Division, and he spent his days deadheading on the CNW commuter trains.

A friend of mine told me his grandfather was a CNW mechanic at Harvard, Illinois. One of the favorite family activities was to travel from Hebron to Harvard on the KD, then down the main line to Crystal Lake, wait for a Lake Geneva/Williams Bay train, and take it up to Genoa City, and finally return to Hebron at the end of the day on the evening KD train coming from Kenosha, Westbound.

Mike
Hebron, IL
10/18/2011

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There are too many erroneous memories and "facts" given in this comment section, hard to know where to even start to set the record straight. The Paul Behrens book , THE KD LINE, is THE definitve, accurate source to go to for information on this subject.Well-written, illustrated,and researched, he corresponded with many people who knew the subject they were talking about. My father was among those , very familar with the Harvard to Rockford segment first-hand ,walked and photographed much of that ROW before and as it was being removed. Many of Dad's pictures are featured in the book. Do not put too much faith in internet authorities, verify the information for yourself, which is just one of the fun things about history anyway ,getting the story right. Mr. Behrens book about the Lake Geneva line is an equally awesome read, by the way.

Cedric Peterson
Belvidere, IL
10/18/2011

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The end for that segment of the old KD from County Line RD., east of Capron, to the former North Wye at Caledonia came as a result of a derailment east of Poplar Grove in early Nov.1986. The cost to repair the damage to ROW embankment was more than CNW would spend, so instead aquired trackage rights to serve Beloit from Clinton Jct. over the SOO, called State Line Sub. starting in ETT #9, eff. date 6-1-1988. They in theory still served Roscoe, Caledonia, & Poplar Grove from the WEST, because the timetable lists the BELOIT SPUR as extending 16.9 miles from Beloit to MP 73.8. (Poplar Grove was 74.6)

Cedric Peterson
Belvidere, IL
10/25/2011

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What is the title of Mr. Behrens book about the Lake Geneva line? I have the KD Line and was unaware he wrote another book.

Bryan
Bristol, WI
10/29/2011

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The Paul Behrens book is titled STEAM TRAINS TO GENEVA LAKE:C&NW'S ELGIN-WILLIAMS BAY BRANCH, published 2002.

Remarkably, one of ,if not the last train that ran on the KD west of County Line Rd. was pulled by a C&NW steam locomotive, and of the same class type that also pulled the last run May 31, 1939 Kenosha to Harvard.

Fri. March 10, 1989 advertising firm Zechman & Associates filmed a TV commercial for the IL Tourism Bureau about the return of the Lincoln Funeral Train to Illinois. The KD east of Capron was picked for its remote setting, exempt status with no conflicting rail traffic,and being the closest such trackage to Wisconsin, where C&NW R-1 ten-wheeler 1385 came down from earlier in the week, via Madison to Harvard.

A fake diamond stack and pointy, wooden cowcatcher, black garlands, and portrait of "Honest Abe" on pilot couldn't disguise the 1907 ALCo sufficiently for the purist, serious railbuff; 1385 is nearly twice the size and weight of the typical Civil War era locomotive. The steel cars that followed wouldn't be in use for another 40 years. To insult the historians, they also had Union & Confederate flags both hung on the smokebox. Accuracy obviously was not a priority. However, since the filming was mostly done at sunset and after dark, perhaps none of that mattered, and I never did see the finished product, so I can't really say...

My brother and I hung around to watch the production late into the cold night, and the kind engine crew invited us up into the cab to warm up. They even let us remain aboard at one point as they repositioned their train, so we got a short cab ride on the KD. They finally called it a wrap about 10 PM, and we retreated to Chemung to wait and watch their return.

The steaming specter slowly appeared out of the darkness, then disappeared back into the inky, freezing night, the soft chuff of her exhaust and mournful whistle fading in the distance toward Harvard our last memory of the old KD...

Cedric Peterson
Belvidere, IL
10/30/2011

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I have hunted the remains that you can see on the KD Line many times over the years and would be happy to show anyone in detail of what you can see today. By Silver Lake theres an old wood tender thats derailed off the right of way. Its near hy B. The hardest part for me was finding were the line went through the town of Silver Lake. It took some time by looking at maps and aerial photos. Also the Woodworth depot remains if anyone didnt know. Thats 3 KD depots that still remain!When the snow melts, that would be a good time to checkout the KD. Let me know if anyone would be interested?!

Erik Bryant
Kenosha, WI
1/24/2012

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Bryan from Bristol, I read your post from last fall and also wanted to add here if your that interested in the KD,Theres still alot to see today that remains. I have some photos of the bridge that crossed the Des Plaines River as how it looked when it had a steel bridge.Ive done alot of field study and walked in heavy overgrowth of KD mainline over the years and its been fun! Dont forget the Woodworth Depot is in the town of Woodworth! If you can find it!! I will tell you or anyone if they want to know were it is. Its not far from where the line crossed MB. Good luck!

Erik Bryant
Kenosha, WI
2/1/2012

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Erik.... I would love to see and photograph the abandoned rail....I've heard about this for years now. Please email me at clare.young@Aurora.org

clare young
bristol, WI
3/11/2012

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Is the Woodworth depot still standing. I would love to see the ROW and walk it. I know roughly where it ran from woodworth to Bristol. Thank you Erik.

Bryan
Bristol, WI
3/24/2012

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We built our house in Silver Lake, in 2002. We have a large lot that was full of trees. When we started working on our back yard (after the house was finished) we found a strip going across our yard covered in stuff that reminds me of lava rock. Then we started to find railroad spikes, extremely large nuts and lots of other misc. pieces. We realized that it was a part of the railroad track. Originally we figured it was a spur off the lake when they used to harvest the ice. I've been searching for years trying to get information, today I found this site! I also found some links on the www.WIHistory.org. I found a map that shows the old tracks from Kenosha through Lake Geneva and down into Rockford, IL. Can't believe my back yard had so much more history!

Sandy
Silver Lake, WI
4/11/2012

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Fellow KD hunters,

Sorry its been awhile since I checked this site. Didnt think I would get any responses! Bryan,The woodworth Depot is the Garage at the old Yellow house on the hill, north of were the tracks crossed MB! So the house is on the Northeast side! Hes a friendly gentlman and he let me go inside is garage and take pics! I even took a old square nail from the original boards on the outside! It would be best to walk in some areas in the fall when the leaves drop off! I can still give a good tour now even if theres leaves on the trees! My contact info is pcc4615@yahoo.com. I would enjoy to share with others what I found over the years!

Clare, I will email you about things I found on the old RR!

Sandy, Im amazed you found some spikes!! lucky! I would love to see what you found and Im sure its the Ice house spur. I know where the mainline went in SilverLake. You cant tell where it went west of Hy B! Its tricky! Thanks for sharing that info with us! take care!

Erik Bryant
kenosha, WI
4/23/2012

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You can walk along a section of the abandoned railway if you go to the Roland Olson Lake area of Rock Cut State Park and go to the trails around the dog training area, there is clearly a long trail with grade on either side. When you emerge, if you look across a narrow area of the lake you can see where the railroad went on the other side on to Argyle. That part is hard to walk through, lots of big trees. But the part just south of Olson lake is delightful, almost tunnel like, a great place to hike out of the wind!

Crystal Swanson
Caledonia, IL
4/29/2012

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Thanks Crystal for that info! I hunted the KD line in most areas over the years except south of Argyle. I always wanted to see what the area looked like around were Harlem was near the rock cut state park! I appreciate that info and I would love to walk what you can of the old RR grade at the state park. Thanks again!

Erik Bryant
kenosha, WI
5/2/2012

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Do you have any pictures or information about The Kenosha Division? Please . You will get credit for anything you contribute.