Kenosha and Rockford Railroad

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The Kenosha and Rockford Railroad is a historic railroad that operated in Wisconsin from 1861 until 1939.

Construction of the Kenosha, Rockford and Rock Island Railroad was encouraged by the city of Kenosha, Wisconsin. The 75 mile line was opened on July 21, 1861. Earlier plans had called for the line to be built between Kenosha and Beloit, Wisconsin, but Beloit had shown little interest in being the western terminus of the line. The construction of the railroad encouraged the development of various communities along the line.

Freight traffic included milk and ice from the numerous dairies and lakes along the route. The line was renamed the Kenosha and Rockford Railroad and it was eventually purchased by the Chicago and North Western Railroad. Under the CNW, it became known as the Kenosha Division, or the KD Line.

Electric refrigeration became widespread in the 1930s and the need for ice diminished. Dairy farmers also turned to trucking during and after World War II, further decreasing traffic levels.

The main portion of the KD Line was abandoned by the CNW on May 31, 1939, although the eastern and western portions currently survive for freight service in Kenosha and both freight and passenger service in Rockford.

The CNW was merged into the Union Pacific Railroad in April 1995 and the UPRR continues to maintain ownership of the KD Lines.