I wonder if it is related to the ownership of the underlying land. When the Soo Line bought the Milwaukee Road in 1985 much of the non-railroad real estate like timber holdings out west and even the land below some of the branch lines was retained by the parent Chicago Milwaukee Corporation (CMC). The private right of way stretches on the C&E Line north of Kingsbury were owned by CMC after the railroad operations were sold as was the West Loop land that was later developed into condos. CMC also retained the land east of County Stadium in Milwaukee which were once railroad shops and a roundhouse.
CMC became Heartland Partners then dissolved in 2006, selling off its remaining assets. So potentially the land under the tracks on the Dunning Line is owned by different investors which is why the tracks were pulled in one section but not the other.
CMC in its day was known for paying out large dividends but it was only a matter of time until it ran out of viable properties to sell which is why it liquidated itself.
