Adams Subdivision

The Adams Subdivision or Adams Sub is a 139.2-mile (224.0 km) railway line owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad. It meets the Wyeville Subdivision to the west in Wyeville, Wisconsin, and runs to Butler, Wisconsin in the east where it meets the Milwaukee Subdivision.[1] It was constructed in 1911 by the Chicago and North Western Railway. The Milwaukee, Sparta, and Northwestern Railroad, a subsidiary of the Chicago and North Western Railway, began the "Air Line" or "Adams Cutoff" from Adams, Wisconsin towards Sparta, Wisconsin in 1910.[2] The Adams Cutoff avoided the steep grades of the Elroy to Sparta cutoff on the route from Madison, Wisconsin.[3]

Adams Subdivision
UP 1478, an EMD GP40M-2, leads a train long hood forward in Mapleton on July 25, 2019.
Overview
Status	Active
Owner	Union Pacific Railroad
Locale	Wisconsin
Termini	Wyeville Butler
Service
Type	Freight
Operator(s)	Union Pacific Railroad
History
Completed	1911
Technical
Line length	139.2 mi (224.0 km)
Number of tracks	1–2
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Route map west to Wyeville Subdivision 173.5 Wyeville to Tunnel City and CP Tomah Subdivision to Camp Douglas 180.7 Cutler 189.1 Necedah Canadian National 196.4 Dellwood 202.9 Adams 210.2 Grand Marsh 215.9 Brooks 221.6 Oxford 231.0 Glen Oak 240.7 Dalton 250.6 Friesland WSOR 256.8 South Randolph 264.4 South Beaver Dam wye formerly to Fond du Lac 276.4 Clyman Junction Clyman Subdivision 282.5 Lebanon 286.8 Rock River 288.7 Ashippun 292.5 Mapleton 297.8 North Lake 304.4 Sussex CN Waukesha Subdivision 308.4 Marcy 312.7 Butler Junction Milwaukee Subdivision

The Twin Cities 400 ran on the Adams Subdivision from its creation in 1935 to its discontinuation in 1963, and was the last routinely operated passenger train to run on the line.[4] In July 2019, an excursion train ran on the Adams Subdivision as part of the "Great Race Across the Midwest" celebratory tour. The train was led by Union Pacific 4014, a 4-8-8-4 Big Boy type steam locomotive.[5]