Welcome to the Escanaba &

Lake Superior Railroad

OVERVIEW

The Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad (E&LS) is a privately owned shortline railroad company operating in Northeastern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  Under current ownership, the E&LS has expanded from the original core line of 65 miles that was purchased in 1978, to over 235 miles of operating railroad in 2005.  The E.&L.S.R.R. is headquartered in Wells, MI, with an additional office located in Green Bay, WI.

The 208 mile mainline of the E&LS stretches from Ontonagon, MI on the shores of Lake Superior to Green Bay, WI.  In addition to the mainline, two key branches are the 6-mile Stiles Junction, WI to Oconto Falls, WI line and the 21-mile Crivitz, WI to Marinette, WI/Menominee, MI line.  Other lines owned by the E&LS include Channing, MI to Republic, MI, and Channing to Wells.  The E&LS operates on trackage rights over the Canadian National Railroad from North Escanaba, MI to Pembine, WI.  The E&LS connects with the Canadian National at Green Bay, North Escanaba, Pembine, and Iron Mountain, MI.

 

 FREIGHT SERVICE

 The E.&L.S.R.R. provides a minimum of 5 day per week service over the mainline from Ontonagon to Green Bay, and customizes service to meet shipper requirements in Oconto Falls and Marinette/Menominee.  Seven road locomotives and 3 switch locomotives provide the power for operations over the system.  The E&LS owns and/or leases a substantial car fleet that includes:  781 boxcars, 77 bulkhead flatcars, 4 gondolas, and 15 RBL’s for a total of 877 rail freight cars.

 

CUSTOMER BASE

The E.&L.S.R.R. is privileged to serve a multitude of paper, forest products, and other manufacturing companies in Michigan and Wisconsin.  The commodities transported by the E&LS include:  medium corrugated or pulpboard, scrap paper, woodpulp, pulpwood logs, oriented strand board, lumber, wood bark, canned goods, steel, scrap metal, aggregate, chemicals, and agricultural items such as corn, grains, feed, and fertilizers. 

 

MARKETING AND ANCILLARY SERVICES

Maintaining existing business as well as adding new customers have been the guiding principles for the ongoing marketing efforts of the E.&L.S.R.R.  In conjunction with reliable and competitively priced rail service, the E&LS works with customer’s everyday to insure that their freight transportation requirements are met successfully.  From customer service personnel to the operating department, the E&LS builds lasting business relationships in order to meet the challenges of moving freight by rail for shippers in Michigan and Wisconsin.  Other services and assistance offered by the E&LS include:

·        Industrial development and site planning

·        State DOT finance programs for industrial spur track construction

·        Truck transloading

·        Contract car repairs for private and railroad owned car fleets

·        Railcar Storage