RHINELANDER, WI (WSAU-WXPR) — A deal to sell off hundreds of miles of railroad tracks in Northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula could mean good things for the Northwoods.
Canadian National says it’s reached a deal with WATCO to sell off 650 miles of railroad tracks in the region. Northwoods Rail Transit Commission chair Wendy Gehlhoff says the buyer, WATCO, already owns tracks in southern Wisconsin. She’s glad the deal will close quickly. “It’s a pretty fast-paced actually for a class one in regards to selling lines. We were told it could be several years-long process, but very good to hear that they’ve reached a tentative agreement.”
CN announced last July that it would be divesting some of its lines.
With WATCO being a short line railroad company- the sale could mean more shipping options for local businesses. Gehlhoff says it could be especially good for the timber industry if it’s affordable. But she’s hopefully after what she’s seen happen with WATCO in southern Wisconsin. “They purchased Wisconsin Southern Railroad lines, that are in the southern part of Wisconsin obviously. They were down that way for a number of years and that group worked with Wisconsin DOT to receive grant funding to improve a lot of the lines down that way. We’re hoping we can partner with WATCO to do the same up here.”
The sale of the lines still needs federal authorization from the Surface Transportation Board.
