{{Short description|Railway line in Wisconsin}} {{Infobox rail line | name = Watertown Subdivision | image = CP G64.jpg | caption = The Watertown Sub local in [[Oconomowoc]] switching cars from an industrial spur owned by [[Brownberry (bakery)|Brownberry]] | type = Freight, passenger | status = Active | locale = [[Wisconsin]] | start = [[Portage, Wisconsin|Portage]] | end = [[Milwaukee]] | yearcommenced = 1850 | yearcompleted = 1864 | owner = [[Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited]] | operator = [[Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited]], [[Amtrak]] | linelength_mi = 92.7 | tracks = 1–2 | gauge = {{Track gauge|ussg|allk=on}} | map = {{Watertown Subdivision}} | map_state = uncollapsed }}

The '''Watertown Subdivision''' or '''Watertown Sub''' is a {{convert|92.7|mi|adj=on}} [[railway]] line in [[Wisconsin]] operated by [[Canadian Pacific Kansas City]] (CPKC) through its primary [[United States]] [[subsidiary]], the [[Soo Line Railroad]]. It meets CPKC's [[Tomah Subdivision]] in the west in [[Portage, Wisconsin|Portage]] and runs to [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin|Milwaukee]] in the east where it meets the [[C&M Subdivision]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Watertown Subdivision|url=https://www.chicagorailfan.com/amtkmsp1.html|website=Chicago Transit & Railfan}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://donwinter.com/Railroad%20Infrastructure%20and%20Traffic%20Data/Trunk%20Routes/Milwaukee%20Road%20Hiawatha%20Routes/Route%20Descriptions/Portage%20to%20Watertown.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707120509/http://donwinter.com/Railroad%20Infrastructure%20and%20Traffic%20Data/Trunk%20Routes/Milwaukee%20Road%20Hiawatha%20Routes/Route%20Descriptions/Portage%20to%20Watertown.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=July 7, 2012|title=Portage to Watertown|author=Don Winter|accessdate=June 3, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://donwinter.com/Railroad%20Infrastructure%20and%20Traffic%20Data/Trunk%20Routes/Milwaukee%20Road%20Hiawatha%20Routes/Route%20Descriptions/Watertown%20to%20Milwaukee_1991.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710144435/http://donwinter.com/Railroad%20Infrastructure%20and%20Traffic%20Data/Trunk%20Routes/Milwaukee%20Road%20Hiawatha%20Routes/Route%20Descriptions/Watertown%20to%20Milwaukee_1991.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=July 10, 2011|title=Watertown to Milwaukee|author=Don Winter|accessdate=June 3, 2010}}</ref> The Watertown Subdivision had previously been operated by the [[Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad]] (CMStP&P/Milwaukee Road), though the Soo Line Railroad took it over when the Milwaukee Road folded. Canadian Pacific gained ownership via taking over the Soo Line. CP consolidated its operations with the [[Kansas City Southern Railway]] on April 14, 2023, to form CPKC.

== History == This line contains the oldest stretch of track in Wisconsin, constructed by an early incarnation of the CMStP&P, the Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad. Track was laid between Milwaukee and [[Brookfield, Wisconsin|Brookfield]] in 1850. The initial line then turned southwest from Brookfield and went toward [[Waukesha, Wisconsin|Waukesha]]. The first passenger train ran between Milwaukee and Waukesha on February 25, 1851. The next segment of the present subdivision was finished between Brookfield and [[Watertown, Wisconsin|Watertown]] in 1855, and continued partway to Portage in 1857. This line didn't reach its present western end at Portage until 1864, though an alternate route farther north that ran through [[Iron Ridge, Wisconsin|Iron Ridge]] and [[Horicon, Wisconsin]], had reached the city in 1856.<ref name="trainsmag-sept2010">{{cite journal|title=Map of the Month: Milwaukee Road growth|journal=Trains|pages=50–51|author=Matt Van Hatten|date=September 2010}}</ref>

Farther to the west, today's [[Tomah Subdivision]] was quickly built from Portage to [[La Crosse, Wisconsin]], in 1857 and 1858. The line finally crossed the Mississippi River into neighboring [[Minnesota]] in 1866. This was the second line of the Milwaukee Road to reach the Mississippi. The original rail line to Waukesha had been expanded through [[Milton, Wisconsin|Milton]] and [[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]], and reached [[Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin|Prairie du Chien]] in 1867.<ref name="trainsmag-sept2010"/>

In 1935, the Milwaukee Road introduced the ''[[Twin Cities Hiawatha|Hiawatha]]'' passenger train which ran at high speed between [[Saint Paul, Minnesota]], and [[Chicago]]. It was one of the fastest passenger trains in the world at the time.<ref name="hiawatha-story">{{Scribbins-Hiawatha-2007}}</ref> When [[Amtrak]] took over passenger service in the United States in 1971, the former [[Great Northern Railway (U.S.)|Great Northern]] ''[[Empire Builder]]'' was redirected to run along the ''Hiawatha'''s route between Chicago and [[Minneapolis–Saint Paul]], Minnesota. Until 1972 the line saw commuter service between Milwaukee and Watertown on the ''Cannonball'' line.

== Current operations == Around 20–25 trains run on the Watertown Subdivision a day, with four of them being [[Amtrak]]'s ''[[Empire Builder]]'' and ''[[Borealis (train)|Borealis]]'' passenger trains; numbers 7 and 1333 (westbound) and 8 and 1340 (eastbound). Stops exist in [[Portage station|Portage]], [[Columbus station|Columbus]], and [[Milwaukee Intermodal Station|Milwaukee]]. The Amtrak ''[[Hiawatha (Amtrak train)|Hiawatha]]'', which now runs between Milwaukee and Chicago, was expected to be extended to Madison with stops in Watertown, Brookfield, and possibly another city. Initial plans to include a stop in [[Oconomowoc, Wisconsin|Oconomowoc]] were dropped.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dot.state.mn.us/newsrels/10/01/29_highspeedrail.html|title=Minnesota receives federal stimulus funds to study high-speed rail|date=January 29, 2010|publisher=Minnesota Department of Transportation|accessdate=February 2, 2010|archive-date=February 6, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206164629/http://www.dot.state.mn.us/newsrels/10/01/29_highspeedrail.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2010/08/16/daily41.html|title=WisDOT nixes Oconomowoc high-speed rail stop|author=Sean Ryan|work=The Business Journal of Milwaukee|accessdate=August 26, 2010|date=August 18, 2010}}</ref> However, these plans never came to fruition following then governor [[Scott Walker (politician)|Scott Walker]] returning the funds to the federal government for use on passenger rail projects in other states.

Among the many mainline freight trains that run through the area, CP G64 stands out as the only local that serves the Watertown Subdivision. Also known as the patrol train, it switches [[freight car]]s from many [[industrial spur]]s from Portage to Milwaukee. The train also often goes to [[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]] via the [[M&P Subdivision]], and to a [[Track ballast|ballast]] pit in [[Waterloo, Wisconsin|Waterloo]] via the [[Wisconsin and Southern Railroad]]'s own Watertown Subdivision.

== References == {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Canadian Pacific Railway lines in the United States]] [[Category:Rail infrastructure in Wisconsin]] [[Category:Milwaukee Road]]