State completes purchase of rail line

Wisconsin has completed the purchase of a 70-mile section of rail line running between Madison and Reedsburg and Madison and Cottage Grove.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation signed an acquisition agreement for the section earlier this year. The completion of the $30 million purchase means state government will own about 600 miles of track in Wisconsin.

The purchase was made by the Wisconsin River Rail Transit Commission with money from the state’s Freight Rail Preservation Program, which provides grants to local governments, industries and railroads for preserving and rebuilding rail lines. Wisconsin & Southern Railroad LLC will continue to provide service on the line.