Yes, the area the 'new line' in 1940 went thru was/is swampy bottomland
requiring a lot of fill - the City of LaCrosse did not connect directly
with No. LaCrosse til the causeway was built in the late 50's/early 60's for
that very reason. Previously you took either Wis #35 [Copeland] along the
river or Wis #16 along the bluffs. One advantage of coming around the E side
with the new line was a spur running NW into LaCrosse State Teacher's
College (now U. of Wis @ LaX) to haul coal for power plant - also gave
access to open land on NE side of campus near stadium where Ringling Bros
set up in "56 or so - the last yr they were under canvas & using traditional
train as opposed to the current set-up. I was born about 8 blks south, just
a block from where "Mr. Wizard" (Don Herbert was his Hollywood/G.E.
spokesman name but was actually Don "K" - a long Polish name) grew up & was
a science classmate of my Dad's @ Central High. The spur ROW, abandoned
when power plant converted, is now home to power poles. The new E side
depot won a number of architectural prizes when built and partially appeared
on a Q calendar & in an A.R. It was a major departure from then standard RR
designs anywhere in USA. BN demolished it in a hurry @ onset of Amtrak to
diminish the chance that Amtrak would see the error of its ways & return
Twin City-Chicago traffic from CMStP&P to the faster, better patronized
Burlington line but the fact that a US Rep. who was a power on the House
committee governing it the time was from Milw did not allow that.
Arguably it was the best looking depot on the Q given its stone, "prairie
school" design influence & a setting along a golf course at the foot of
Grandad's bluff in "coulee country" (or as the old Heilemans ads said,
"God's Country"). Also a purely residential, park-like area - no industry,
no junk, no freight sidings (just a single track), etc - more like a
California rapid transit setting. Gerald
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