[note 1] Amtrak would continue the Milwaukee–Chicago through practice, ultimately extending to St. Louis, until July 10, 1972, a few weeks before the commuter train's discontinuance.

On February 18, 1957, direct service to Madison was truncated at Watertown, firmly establishing the train's dedicated commuter status.

[6][7] Service at this time was one daily roundtrip, inbound to Milwaukee in the morning and outbound in the evening, excluding Sundays and holidays.

In a public hearing on discontinuation held in Milwaukee, commuters represented by attorney David E. Beckwith successfully argued there were more people riding the trains than the railroad claimed and that replacement bus service would not be a viable alternative for communities.

[3] Before the 1920s, a private railcar was a regular part of the consist, chartered by executives to reach their lake homes the Milwaukee Road passed in Okauchee and Oconomowoc.

[10][15] A brief revival occurred once again in the form of a 90-day pilot program to provide alternative transportation during repaving of Interstate 94 from April 14 to July 11, 1998.

The service extended four roundtrips of Amtrak's Hiawatha to Watertown station, with intermediate stops in Oconomowoc, Pewaukee, Elm Grove, Brookfield, and Wauwatosa before Milwaukee and continuing to Chicago.

Canadian Pacific, successor to the Milwaukee Road and reluctant host of the commuter pilot, refused to allow the service to continue, claiming upcoming track work.