Waupaca Electric Light and Railway Company

The Waupaca Electric Light and Railway Company was set up in 1898 as successor to the Waupaca Electric Light Association. It opened on July 4, 1899 with regular service from July 9. Service was typically hourly.

Waupaca Electric Light and Railway Company
Overview
StatusDefunct
LocaleWaupaca County, Wisconsin
TerminiWaupaca, Wisconsin
King, Wisconsin
Service
TypeFirst-generation streetcar
History
OpenedJuly 4, 1899
ClosedJuly 4, 1925
Technical
Line length5.12 mi (8.24 km)
Track gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
ElectrificationOverhead lines

The single line ran 5.12 miles (8.24 km) from the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad (Soo Line) depot in Waupaca via Oak Street, Mill Street, Main Street, Fulton Street, and Highway 22 to King on Rainbow Lake. The Grand Army of the Republic Veterans Home in King housed 600 Civil War Veterans and their wives, who provided much of the line's ridership. A small station was located near the Veterans Home in King. From there, it continued on to the Grand View Hotel which served vacationers visiting the Waupaca Chain of Lakes.

Equipment
  • No. 1 and 2: Four wheel gravel cars, built in 1899 by James Jensen, a Waupaca boat builder
  • No. 10: Single truck open passenger car, purchased used in 1899
  • No. 12: Single truck open passenger car, purchased used in 1899
  • No. 16: Single truck enclosed passenger car, provided year-round service, known as the "Winter Car", purchased new in 1900 from the Jewett Car Company of Newark, Ohio. Equipped with Peckham trucks, General Electric motors, cherry woodwork, and ratin seats.
  • No. 17: Single truck open passenger car, probably purchased in 1900 at the same time as No. 16 having the same equipment
  • No. 19: Double truck open passenger car, may have been purchased in 1905 at the time of a planned, but never constructed, extension to Camp Cleghorn
  • Two open trailer passenger cars, purchased used in 1899
  • Single truck baggage smoker car, purchased used in 1899. The car body is still in existence, owned by the Waupaca Historical Society and on display at their depot museum.

Closure

The line was losing money from 1917 and closed on July 4, 1925 after exactly 26 years of service.[1]

References
  1. Badger Traction: Published by Central Electric Railfans Association 1969: Library of Congress Catalog 70 93226
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