The second railroad to arrive in Westby was the La Crosse and Southeastern. Built by W. S. Cargill, whose father started the vast Cargill grain empire, it was designed to provide more convenient service from Viroqua and Westby to La Crosse than the Milwaukee Road line that went via Sparta—and capture the majority of grain, livestock and tobacco shipments from the many farms in the area to markets in La Crosse. Conceived and built in 1904, the line from Stoddard through Chaseburg, Coon Valley and Westby was completed to Viroqua on Jan. 4, 1905. Later that year, rails were laid to a terminal in La Crosse, located just southeast of the current Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center.

The Southeastern, as it was commonly called, was the favored means of travel to and from La Crosse, if only because a round trip could be made in the same day, unlike on the competing Milwaukee Road. Shopping trips were common, and local doctors sent their patients to Gundersen on one of the Southeastern passenger trains—they were often unloaded directly at the hospital entrance and went directly into surgery. The initial fare from Viroqua to La Crosse was $1.25, with one daily round trip scheduled. By 1907, service had increased to four round trips daily. The Southeastern also enjoyed (and profited from) having a contract to carry the mail between La Crosse and the outlying towns from 1905 until the early 1930s.

Unfortunately, the Southeastern was built late in the period of railroad expansion—just as Americans were beginning their love affair with the automobile. Although the short, 32 mile line attempted several innovative means of controlling costs, the line never came close to being profitable, showing small profits in only three of its 29 years.

By 1919, the line was in such serious financial trouble that the Wisconsin Public Utilities Commission granted the Southeastern permission to raise its tariff from 3 cents per mile to 4 cents. The same year, the line cut back to two daily trains pulled by steam locomotives and added a railbus (reducing crew costs by more than half when compared to conventional trains) capable of carrying 32 passengers.

Like its automotive competitors, the innovative railbus needed to be hand cranked to start the gas engine. It was able to make the trip from Viroqua to La Crosse in only two hours—one less than conventional trains. It was so successful that the railroad soon used it to make two round trips per day, eliminating another steam powered train. That year was the last one the Southeastern turned a profit.

Competing bus service began in 1922 between Coon Valley and La Crosse. The Southeastern decided if it couldn’t beat the competition, it would join it—in 1926, a subsidiary company was formed that provided bus service from La Crosse through Viroqua all the way to Madison. The subsidiary soon added truck service. The Depression hit in 1929, and led to increased losses for the railroad. Even the subsidiary bus and truck service was unprofitable.

By 1933, the Southeastern was ready to call it quits and got permission to abandon all service. Cargill, still owner of the railroad, worked a deal with the Milwaukee Road that benefited both. In exchange for a grain elevator and loading dock in Milwaukee, the Southeastern was given to the Milwaukee Road. Service between La Crosse, Stoddard and Chaseburg was eliminated on Aug. 7, 1933, and the rails soon were removed.

The Milwaukee Road expanded their Sparta to Viroqua line by taking over the Southeastern’s line from Westby to Coon Valley and Chaseburg. Service to Chaseburg was continued until 1964, and to Coon Valley until 1971. The Chaseburg depot was removed in 1945, and the Coon Valley depot was moved a short distance and became a house—it still stands. The Westby depot was torn down in 1970.

Send all inquires, letters, questions or answers, and photos to Hans c/o the Westby Times or Hans at westby.times@ gmail. com.