The Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western Railway or Lake Shore Road (reporting mark MLS&W) is a former railroad company whose mainline connected Milwaukee, the Upper Peninsula and northwest Wisconsin[1] with connection to Chicago by way of the Chicago & North Western Railway.
A new route into Milwaukee was creatied by heading towards the Lake Michigan shore, and coming down the bluff near North Point.
By 1888, the Lake Shore was operating daily mainline passenger trains on the Milwaukee to Ashland route as well as frequent branch service to Rhinelander, Wausau, Oconto, Two Rivers and Oshkosh.
By 1893, the MLS&W had become a major Wisconsin carrier and attracted attention from the Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW).
Since the MLS&W depended upon the C&NW for a Chicago connection as well as numerous interchange locations, it was apparent that the interests of both lines could be well served by merging the railroads.