1. No category

Information about
MINNESOTA’S bratings
e
r
l
a
e
e
RAILROADS C150 y
PHOTO BY JEFF TERRY
http.www.minnesotarailroads.com
MINNESOTA’S RAILROADS AT A GLANCE
Number of railroads
Total mileage (8th in the nation)
Total carloads carried
Total tons of freight carried
Employees (14th in the nation)
Total wages paid
Average wages per employee, and fringe benefits
Railroad retirees
Payments to retirees
Property taxes
Top commodities originated in state
Iron ore/taconite
Farm products
Food products
Stone, sand, gravel
Chemicals
All other
TOTAL (5th in the nation)
Top commodities terminated in state
Iron ore/taconite
Coal
Farm products
Chemicals
Stone, sand, gravel
All other
TOTAL (9th in the nation)
19
4,387
3,599,900
243,400,000
4,095
$306,600,000
$105,760
14,913
$276.4 million
$38,600,000
Carloads
Percent of
State’s total
565,600
185,100
88,800
53,600
30,900
206,500
1,150,400
53%
21%
9%
5%
3%
9%
474,900
138,400
52,300
37,900
27,300
234,200
965,000
51%
23%
7%
5%
3%
12%
Source: Association of American Railroads for the year 2010
Cover photo: The William Crooks, operated by a
Great Northern Railway predecessor, pulled the first
train to run in Minnesota, on June 28, 1862. Today,
it resides at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in
Duluth, Minn. Adjacent is the Minnetonka—one
of four construction locomotives purchased by the
Northern Pacific Railway in 1870. Both railways
merged and today are part of BNSF Railway.
Photo by Jeff Terry.
2
Introduction
Minnesota’s Railroads — Contributing to the Economic Vitality of the State
R
Mesabi Iron Range to Lake Superior ports and inland
steel mills. Minnesota originates three-fourths of the
iron ore mined in America.
ailroads have been a part of the Minnesota
landscape since the first train operated
between St. Paul and St. Anthony (now Minneapolis) in 1862. Railroads helped build the state,
reaching west from the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers, where goods were offloaded onto rail cars for
settlers to move west and north. For more than 150
years, railroads have contributed to the economic
well being of the state by providing vital transportation services to its citizens and industries, while
paying millions of dollars to the state in taxes.
Each year, Minnesota’s railroads move thousands
of containers of freight that otherwise would move by
truck. By keeping this freight on the rails rather than
the road, there is less pollution and highway damage
— saving Minnesota taxpayers millions of dollars
in highway maintenance costs. Railroads are also
fuel-efficient, which helps to conserve energy and
reduce pollution. According to the U.S. Department
of Energy, railroads are four times more fuel efficient
than trucks and roughly equal to waterborne freight.
Emissions from railroad locomotives are 75 percent
less than trucks, according to the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency.
Railroads provide important commercial links
for Minnesota farmers, the taconite industry, manufacturers, and other businesses. Since railroads
are able to move goods at very competitive rates,
they are able to hold down costs for shippers, which
helps promote stability and economic growth in
greater Minnesota. For example, the cost of shipping
agricultural products by rail is much less than the
cost of shipping by truck, which helps farmers earn
higher profits and lowers the costs of products for
consumers.
Minnesota’s railroads are rarely in the spotlight,
but go about their business quietly and efficiently.
This CD provides background information about
the railroad companies that operate in the state.
Included are maps, a list of major commodities they
carry, railroads’ economic contribution to the state
and communities they serve, and a list of key personnel at each company.
Minnesota railroads provide a vital pathway for
the movement of taconite pellets from plants on the
DID YOU KNOW …
● Minnesota railroads rank first in the nation in the number of tons of iron ore originated and
third in origination of farm products and food products.
● A railroad car typically handles three times more freight than the average large truck.
● Railroads are roughly four times more fuel efficient than trucks and reduce greenhouse gas
emissions by 75 percent.
● According to the Federal Railroad Administration, railroads have increased fuel efficiency 99 percent since 1980—doubling their freight volume using the same amount of fuel.
3
Index
SUBJECT
PAGE
Amtrak
29
American Short Line and Regional Railroad Assn. 4
Association of American Railroads
4
BNSF Railway (Burlington Northern Santa Fe)
8
CN (Canadian National)
10
Canadian Pacific Railway
12
Carloadings
2
Class I, II and III railroads
5
Cloquet Terminal Railroad Company Inc.
16
Commodities handled (total for state)
2
Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad (CP)
12
Employees
2
Federal Railroad Administration
4
Introduction
3
Mileage (by carrier)
5
Minnesota Commercial Railway
17
Minnesota, Dakota & Western Railway
18
Minnesota DOT - Office of Frt., RRs & Waterways 4
Minnesota Northern Railroad Company
19
Minnesota Prairie Line Inc.
Minnesota railroads 150th anniversary
Minnesota Regional Railroads Association
Minnesota Southern Railway
North Shore Scenic Railroad
Northern Lines Railway
Northern Plains Railroad, Inc.
Otter Tail Valley Railroad
Progressive Rail Incorporated
Property taxes
Red River Valley & Western Railroad
Retirees
Soo Line Railroad (CP)
St. Croix Valley Railroad
Twin Cities & Western Railroad
Twin Cities railroad map
Union Pacific Railroad
Wages paid (total for state)
Websites
20
6
4
21
29
22
23
24
25
2
26
2
12
27
28
30
14
2
4
Websites of Minnesota Railroads
RAILROADS:
Amtrak (National Railroad Passenger Corp.):
http://www.amtrak.com/about-amtrak
Otter Tail Valley Railroad
http://www.gwrr.com
BNSF Railway:
http://www.bnsf.com
Progressive Rail:
http://www.progressiverail.com
CN:
http://www.cn.ca
Red River Valley & Western Railroad Company:
http://www.rrvw.net
Canadian Pacific Railway:
http://www.cpr.ca
Twin Cities & Western Railroad Company:
http://www.tcwr.net
Minnesota Commercial:
http://www.mnnr.net
Union Pacific Railroad:
http://www.uprr.com
Minnesota Prairie Line:
http://www.tcwr.net/mpl
Railroad organizations/associations:
American Short Line and Regional RRs Assn:
http://www.aslrra.org
Northern Lines Railway:
http://www.anacostia.com/nlr/nlr.html
Association of American Railroads:
https://www.aar.org/Pages/Home.aspx
Northern Plains Railroad:
http://www.nprail.com
Federal Railroad Administration:
http://www.fra.dot.gov
North Shore Scenic Railroad:
http://www.northshorescenicrailroad.org
MN DOT, Off. of Freight, Railroads & Waterways:
http://www.dot.state.mn.us/aboutrail
MN Regional Railroads Association:
http://www.minnesotarailroads.com
4
Minnesota Railroads and Mileage
I
n 2013, there are 19 railroad companies operating in Minnesota on 4,387 route miles of track. A
total of 3,666 miles, or 84 percent of the mileage,
is owned by the state’s Class I railroads.
While some of these smaller lines have existed independently for years, most were created in the 1980s
following passage of the Staggers Act, which helped
restore railroads to profitability by freeing them from
overregulation.
Railroads are divided into three “classes” by the
Surface Transportation Board (STB), which replaced
the Interstate Commerce Commission as the federal
economic regulator of railroads. Based on 2011 statistics, Class I railroads are those that had annual
operating revenue of $433.2 million or more.
All carrier-owned railroad track in Minnesota
must comply with safety standards set forth by the
Federal Railroad Administration and is subject to
periodic inspections. About two-thirds of the track
in the state is FRA Class 3 or 4, permitting freight
trains to operate at speeds up to 40 and 60 mph, respectively. All railroad equipment must also comply
with federal safety standards, including regular maintenance. In addition, railroad operating personnel
must be familiar with FRA rules and regulations and
successfully complete training on safety and operating rules. Locomotive engineers must be certified
by the FRA in order to operate a locomotive and go
through recertification every three years.
Class II railroads have annual operating revenue
between $34.7 million and $433.2 million. In addition,
Minnesota has 14 Class III railroads, which have annual operating revenue of less than $34.7 million.
“Regional railroads” are line-haul carriers operating
at least 350 miles of road and/or earning revenue exceeding $40 million, but less than a Class I. Regional
and short-line railroads generally are lighter-density
lines that have been spun off by a Class I carrier.
Minnesota’s Railroads
Railroad
Class I
Mileage owned
in Minnesota
BNSF Railway (BNSF)
Canadian Pacific Railway (CP)
CN (Canadian National Railway)
Union Pacific Railroad (UP)
National Railroad Passenger Corp. (Amtrak)
1,584
1,222
425
435
0
42
36
Minnesota Commercial Railway Co. (MNNR)
North Shore Scenic Railroad (NSSR)
35
25
Northern Lines Railway, LLC (NLR)
Cloquet Terminal Railroad Co. (CTRR)
Minnesota, Dakota & Western Ry. Co. (MDW)
Red River Valley & Western Railroad (RRVW)
17
4
4
2
(St. Louis & Lake Counties Regional Rail
Authority between Duluth and Two Harbors)
Class II
Class III
Twin Cities & Western Railroad Co. (TCWR)
Minnesota Northern Railroad (MNN)
Minnesota Prairie Line Inc. (MPLI)
Progressive Rail Inc. (PGR)
Otter Tail Valley Railroad (OTVR)
Northern Plains Railroad (NPR)
Minnesota Southern Railroad Co. (MSWY)
St. Croix Valley Railroad (SCXY)
146
120
94
80
71
45
5
The day Minnesota railroads turned 150
THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012—On this very day, Minnesota railroads turned 150 years old.
And today, they’re doing better than ever.
BY STEVE GLISCHINSKI
After the Civil War, the state and its railroads grew
up together: when one thrived, so did the other. Unless you lived near a river, the railroad was the only
practical way for Minnesotans and their products to
travel more than a few miles.
J
une 28—On this day in 2012, people in Minnesota drove their cars; headed to work, perhaps caught a flight, or maybe even grabbed
a seat on Amtrak’s Empire Builder on its journey between the Midwest and the Pacific Coast.
Railroad leaders
Minnesotans thought nothing of making these trips,
though they would not have been possible—if not
for events 150 years ago.
Minnesota railroad leaders prospered and, in some
cases, became famous. They included James J. Hill,
the “Empire Builder,” whose Great Northern Railway would reach the West Coast – and included the
original St. Paul & Pacific line. Less remembered
are Adolphus Stickney, who built the Chicago Great
Western that connected the Twin Cities with Omaha
and Kansas City, and W.D. Washburn, who had already made a fortune in lumber and milling when he
became the first president of the Soo Line in 1883.
On that long-ago day in 1862, a tiny steam locomotive built in New Jersey named the William Crooks
pulled a passenger train from St. Paul to St. Anthony, near what is today Minneapolis. It was the first
train to run in Minnesota and marked the beginning
of the railroad industry in the state.
When Minnesota territory achieved statehood in
1858, fewer than 200,000 people were living within
its borders. Transportation was largely by riverboat,
horse, or ox cart. For Minnesota to grow, it needed
better transportation, and that meant railroads.
Minnesota became a center of railroad activity.
Great Northern and Northern Pacific were based in
St. Paul, while mid-sized lines such as the Soo Line
and Minneapolis & St. Louis were based in Minneapolis. Duluth was headquarters for the Duluth,
Missabe & Iron Range, owned by US Steel. It moved
long trains of iron ore from the Mesabi and Vermilion Iron Ranges to huge docks at Duluth and Two
Harbors.
Trackwork begins
So it was that work on the state’s first railroad line
began in St. Paul in 1861. The rail, cars and locomotives arrived upriver by barge. After fits and starts,
the first ten miles of track was laid, and the William
Crooks, named for the line’s chief engineer, was
ready to pull the first train. The St. Paul Daily Press of
June 29, 1862, said the invitation-only affair included
Minnesota’s governor and lieutenant governor, St.
Paul’s mayor and several “aldermen,” directors of
the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (which built the line),
and about 100 citizens. It left St. Paul at “about half
past two o’clock and returned at six o’clock,” when
an evening banquet was held.
Crucial in World War II
It could rightly be argued that the Missabe and neighboring Great Northern railways were crucial in World
War II—moving Minnesota ore that mills needed to
make steel for the tanks, ships, and planes, which led
to victory. Railroads employed thousands of Minnesotans to keep the trains moving.
With the end of World War II, railroads spent millions to modernize their lines. Steam locomotives
were replaced by diesels.
6
GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY PHOTO, MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY COLLECTION
PARADE OF POWER—In 1945, Great Northern Railway lined up a trio of locomotives: the William Crooks; E7 diesel
No. 503A, built in 1945 for the Empire Builder; and No. 2575, a 4-8-4 built in 1930 for express passenger service.
From 2007 through 2012, Union Pacific, the largest publicly held U.S. railroad, invested nearly $18
billion to support and improve its network and
operations, including a record $3.7 billion in 2012.
Amtrak, the national passenger railroad, carried a
record 31.2 million passengers last year.
Unfortunately, in the 1950s and 60s, competition
from trucks and automobiles using governmentsubsidized highways took away freight and passengers. Overregulation and money-losing operations
forced many railroads to the brink of bankruptcy.
Minnesota railroads fell from public consciousness.
Deregulation and revival
Today, the William Crooks rests in quiet retirement
at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth.
You can examine the locomotive up close and imagine 150 years ago—what that day must have been
like. It is a great monument to Minnesota railroad
history—a history whose ending chapter has yet to
be written.
The industry was deregulated in 1980, and the renaissance that followed allowed railroads to recapture market share. They now handle 40 percent of all
intercity commercial freight. Rail freight rates today
are 45 percent less than they were 30 years ago.
Railroads made it through the economic downturn
that began in 2008-09 almost as though it never happened. Despite traffic dropping 20 to 30 percent,
railroads continued to reinvest billions of dollars on
their physical plants to get ready for an anticipated
upturn in traffic.
Steve Glischinski began taking photographs of railroads in 1970 at the age of thirteen. Since then, his photographs of railroads
in action have been published in many books and magazines. He is a correspondent for Trains magazine and organizes railroad photography charter trips and the Railfan Weekend at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum. He lives in Shoreview, Minn.
He is author of several books including Minnesota Railroads: A Photographic History, 1940-2012 (August 2012).
7
SM
BNSF in Minnesota
BNSF
R A I LWAY
Trackage rights
To
Winnipeg
MANITOBA
Noyes
International Falls
East Grand Forks
Crookston
th
Grand Rapids
U
lw
R
Virginia
Detroit Lakes
Moorhead
N. DAKOTA
To Mandan
D
Di
FA
To Minot
Hibbing
or
G
O
Bemidji
TH
To Minot
Warren
LU
Grand
Forks
ONTARIO
Cloquet
SUPERIOR
Staples
Breckenridge
Browns Valley
To Aberdeen
To Watertown
Brainerd
Camp Ripley
Little Falls
Morris
Ortonville
ST. CLOUD
Benson
Willmar
Madison
Granite Falls
Monticello
Litchfield
Delano
Cambridge
WISCONSIN
ST. PAUL
MINNEAPOLIS
Hanley Falls
Marshall
S. DAKOTA
Mankato
Winona
ROCHESTER
Pipestone
To Sioux City
IOWA
8
La
Crosse
To Chicago
BNSF RAILWAY
BNSF Railway
2650 Lou Menk Drive, 2nd Floor
P.O. Box 96105, Fort Worth, TX 76161-0057
Website: http://www.bnsf.com
Contacts:
Brian J. Sweeney, State Government Affairs
325 Cedar St., Ste. 620
St. Paul, MN 55101
Phone: (651) 298-2458
Fax: (651) 298-7352
Email:
brian.sweeney@bnsf.com
Customer Service
Phone: 1-888-428-2673
Industrial Development, Justin Pearson
Phone:
Email:
(701) 566-1116
justin.pearson@bnsf.com
Media Relations, Amy McBeth
Phone:
Email:
(763) 782-3212
amy.mcbeth@bnsf.com
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation
through its subsidiary, The BNSF Railway Company,
operates one of the largest railroad networks in
North America with 32,000 route miles serving 28
states and two Canadian provinces. BNSF covers
the western two-thirds of the United States, stretching from major ports in the Pacific Northwest and
Southern California to the Midwest, Southeast and
Southwest, and from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada.
BNSF was created on September 22, 1995, from the
merger of Burlington Northern Inc. (parent company
of Burlington Northern Railroad) and Santa Fe Pacific
Corporation (parent company of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway). The company has more
than 40,000 employees.
In addition to money spent in Minnesota, other
BNSF projects benefit the state and its shippers. For
example, in the past ten years, BNSF has spent more
than $1 billion just to acquire new covered hopper
cars, which give Minnesota grain producers the
benefits of shipping in more modern, higher capacity
cars. Since 1996, BNSF has purchased more than 3,500
new locomotives, increasing the horsepower of the
fleet and improving fuel efficiency.
BNSF’s largest predecessor, Burlington Northern,
was formed on March 2, 1970 through the merger
of the Burlington, Great Northern, Northern Pacific,
and Spokane, Portland & Seattle railways. Both Great
Northern and Northern Pacific had extensive rail networks in the state.
BNSF is the largest railroad in Minnesota and
has 2,164 employees and 1,584 miles of track. The
railroad is the largest transporter of grain by rail in
North America, operating 33,000 grain cars.
BNSF in Minnesota
Miles of track owned:
Employees:
Payroll:
Minnesota taxes paid:
BNSF originated 412,840 carloads of freight in
Minnesota in 2011 with 288,000 carloads terminating
in the state. Principal commodities originating in Minnesota included taconite, farm products, food products, pulp and paper, and chemicals. Commodities
terminating in the state include coal, farm products,
lumber, pulp and paper, chemicals and food products.
BNSF trains also carry much of the United Parcel
Service traffic in and out of the Twin Cities.
Rail Yards:
1,584
2,164
$146 million
$25 million
(Property, sales, income, etc.)
Dilworth, Minneapolis,
St. Paul, Willmar
Intermodal Hub Centers:
Dilworth, St. Paul
Shops:
Brainerd, Dilworth,
Minneapolis
Administrative offices:
St. Paul
In 2012, BNSF spent $100 million on capital improvements in Minnesota, primarily for track and
capacity improvements.
9
To Winnipeg
Warroad
ROSEAU
CANADA
Roosevelt
Williams
Rainy River
Fort
Frances
Baudette
LAKE
OF THE
WOODS
UNITED
S TAT E S
Ranier
International Falls
Orr
Cook
Buhl
Wolf
F
BNS
e
rtl
IOWA
g en d
bin ilp wooForbes
Hib W her Fairlane
S
Zim
Spruce
Iron Jct.
Keenan
Peary
Sax
Kelsey
Payne
To
Waterloo
Osceola
S T. L O U I S
Humboldt Yard
WISCONSIN
MN
NR
Minneapolis
St. Paul
To Stevens Point,
Chicago
rd
Ya
CN
Trackage rights
10
LAK
N
DULUTH
SUPERIOR, WI
To Chicago
WISCONSIN
R
RIO
PE
U
ES
R
SS
yt
Maple Island
Withrow
t
oc
Pr
or
ma
ga rs e
ke de dg
Po Saun bri
Am
M I N N E S O TA
Marine
CP
New Brighton
Taft
Bartlett
Pe
Copas
RAMSEY
Shaw
Nopeming Jct.
Brewer
CARLETON
Steelton
Oliver
WASHINGTON
HENNEPIN
LAKE
Breda
son Jordan
Brim Norshor Jct.
McNair
Wales
Highland
Waldo
Two Harbors
Central
Lakes
Melrude
Whiteface
Alborn
Burnett
Saginaw
Munger
Dresser
Emco
Mesaba
Wyman
Allen Jct.
Skibo
Fairbanks
on
ve
y
Ca -Co
lu ler
Pe met- aine
ng Ma
illy rb
le
My
MINNESOTA
Bo
on
Lyle
Shelton
ph
Virginia
Mt Iron
nd
Glenville
Minorca
ol
Lo
A
LE
I TA S C A
Ad
MOWER
Gi
lb
Mc ert
Bi Kinl
wa ey
bik
RT
FREEBORN
Au
Co rora
lby
BE
AL
KOOCHICHING
CN
CN
Phone:
Southern Region
17641 South Ashland Ave.
Website:
Homewood, IL 60430-1345 1-800-452-7332, ext. 3508
(708) 332-3508
http://www.cn.ca
Contacts:
Patrick Waldron
Mgr. Public Affairs
Phone: Cell:
FAX:
Email:
(708) 332-4377
(708) 990-5771
(708) 332-4361
Patrick.Waldron@cn.ca
Paul Hackett, Superintendent
Proctor Transportation Office
1052 Railroad Avenue
Proctor, MN 55810
Phone:
Cell:
FAX:
Email:
(218) 628-4106
(218) 410-1363
(218) 628-4152
Paul.Hackett@cn.ca
CN operates approximately 20,000 route miles
of line in the U.S. and Canada and is the only rail
network that connects all three coasts: the Pacific,
the Atlantic, and the Gulf of Mexico. CN has approximately 22,300 employees.
decessor companies dating back to 1901. The DWP
was incorporated in 1912 under the control of the
Canadian Northern, which had constructed the line
south of Lake of the Woods through Minnesota in
1900 under its subsidiary Minnesota & Manitoba. Canadian Northern became part of CN in 1919, but its
U.S. subsidiaries (Grand Trunk Western and the DWP)
retained their separate identities into the 1990s.
In November 1995, the CN became a publicly
owned company with U.S. shareholders owning
about two-thirds of the stock. CN acquired control
of Illinois Central Corp. in July 1999. In October
2001, CN acquired Wisconsin Central Transportation Corporation. On May 10, 2004, CN acquired the
Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway from Great
Lakes Transportation LLC. The Duluth, Winnipeg
& Pacific Railway, which has been a CN subsidiary
since 1912, was integrated into CN’s U.S. operations
in the 1990s.
Wisconsin Central’s roots go back more than a
century to 1871, when the original Wisconsin Central
Railway was formed. It was operated by the Soo Line
(now Canadian Pacific) from 1909 until 1987, when it
was acquired by WC.
The Cedar River Railroad was an Illinois Central
subsidiary until mid-1999, when IC merged with CN.
CEDR track extends north from CN’s Chicago-Omaha
main line at Waterloo, Iowa to Glenville, Minn, near
Albert Lea. Total mileage is 102, including 19 miles
of track in Minnesota.
CN’s principal main line in Minnesota extends
across the northeastern part of the state via the
Duluth/Superior gateway, providing an essential link
between Western Canada and the Midwest. Another
CN main line connects the Twin Cities with central
Wisconsin, Green Bay and Chicago. Other CN lines in
the Upper Midwest serve Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
CN in Minnesota
Miles of track owned:
425
Employees:
465
Principal commodities: Grain, lumber, potash, wood pulp, sulphur, paper products,
iron ore, fertilizer, coal, petroleum coke
The Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range was formed
in 1938 when the Duluth, Missabe and Northern and
the Duluth and Iron Range merged. With the acquisition of the DMIR, CN has become the largest rail
carrier of iron ore in North America.
Duluth, Winnipeg & Pacific started as a logging
railroad serving mills in the Virginia area with pre-
11
Canadian Pacific in Minnesota
CP
Trackage rights
To
Winnipeg
MANITOBA
Noyes
International Falls
ONTARIO
Thief River Falls
Grand
Forks
Plummer
Gully
Bemidji
Virginia
Hibbing
Grand Rapids
FA
R
G
O
NORTH DAKOTA
Erskine
DULUTH
6,456,530
Detroit Lakes
Cloquet
SUPERIOR
Brainerd
To Minot,
Portal
Glenwood
Bu
ff
Ro alo
ck
fo
rd
ST. CLOUD
WISCONSIN
Dresser
Andover
ST. PAUL
MINNEAPOLIS
Hopkins
Shakopee
ge
Hastings
Red Wing
Lake City
Wabasha
Jackson
Sa
va
New Richland
Hartland
W
ell A
s lde
Blooming
Prairie
n
IOWA
12
Austin a
Albert
Albert Lea
To Mason City
Minnesota City
Winona
a
ot
Ey
Mankato
go
ba
ne ada
t
in
W ran on
G irm e
m
Fa lco rn
e u
W herb ha
S Alp
on
nt
Be
ke
La
nntt
ouu on
m o gt ld r
sseem in fie nte
RRoo arm rth Ce t
F
No ge on
d m
rd
Do are
Cl nna Haywa
o
at a
Ow ec
s
a
W ille
on
sv
st n
ne
Ea lava
Ja
De
m
Ul
w
Ne
e
Ey
py
d
ee
Sl
iel
gf
rin n
Sp erto
b
m
La
y
ac
Tr
on
lat
Ba
S. DAKOTA
Paynesville
To Rapid
City
Ca
m
br
id
ge
Alexandria
RO
CH
ES
TE
R
La Crescent
Brownsville
To Quad Cities,
Chicago, Kansas City
La Crosse
To Chicago
CANADIAN PACIFIC
Canadian Pacific
120 South 6th St.
Suite 1000
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Phone: 1-800-766-7912
Website: http://www.cpr.ca
Contacts:
Phone: Herb M. Jones, Government Affairs
Brenda Rivera, Community Relations
Ed Greenberg, Communications
Lin Gartner, Commercial Development
Jim Krieger, Public Works Engineer
(605) 782-1223
(612) 851-5651 (612) 904-6180
(612) 904-5932
(612) 904-5994
Canadian Pacific Railway Limited operates a
14,700-mile rail network linking the principal cities
of Canada from Montreal to Vancouver, and the U.S.
Midwest and Northeast. CP’s U.S. operations are
conducted by its subsidiaries: Soo Line; Dakota,
Minnesota & Eastern; and the Delaware and Hudson
Railway. Alliances with other carriers extend CP’s
market reach throughout the U.S. and into Mexico.
the Soo from Owatonna to Mason City, Iowa, Austin
to Minnesota Lake and Jackson, Minn.; and south of
LaCrescent, along the Mississippi River.
CP’s freight traffic generated revenues of C$5.2
billion in 2011 of which 44 percent came from bulk
products such as grain, coal, sulfur and fertilizers.
Carload shipments of industrial and consumer products, automotive and forest products accounted
for 30 percent of CP’s revenues. The remaining 26
percent came from intermodal traffic moving in containers and trailers.
CP’s administrative departments, equipment
maintenance, train dispatching and crew calling facilities are concentrated in Minnesota. The railway’s
U.S. training facility for locomotive engineers and
conductors is located in the Twin Cities and uses
state of the art simulators and other equipment to
prepare and certify crews for their assignments.
Although system operations are fully integrated
with CP, Soo Line and DM&E remain as separate
companies due to different laws, labor contracts and
other unique characteristics in the U.S.
CP operates an intermodal terminal in Minneapolis, loading highway trailers and international
containers, which flow across the world to and from
Minnesota. Adjacent to the intermodal site is a facility
for transloading goods between trucks and freight
cars. CP also operates a large distribution center
for new and used automobiles at Cottage Grove,
where hundreds of vehicles arrive by train and are
transferred to highway auto carriers to take them to
dealers across five states.
CP operates a fleet of 1,703 locomotives, of which
61 percent are AC traction locomotives acquired
since 1995 and designed to improve overall fuel efficiency and reliability. CP’s freight car fleet totals
56,200 cars.
CP owns and operates 1,336 miles of track in Minnesota with major classification yards at Minneapolis,
St. Paul and Glenwood. CP also has major locomotive
and freight car repair facilities in St. Paul, where shop
capacity has been expanded several times.
CP in Minnesota
CP has held a major stake in the Soo Line since
1888 and purchased full control of the railroad in
1990. The Soo Line operates 750 miles in Minnesota
from the Mississippi River at La Crosse through the
Twin Cities and north to North Dakota and Canada.
Soo Line also accesses Duluth-Superior.
Miles of track owned:
1,222
Operated under trackage rights:
520
Employees:
1,671
Payroll excluding benefits:
$103.5 million
Major employment locations:
Glenwood,
Minneapolis, St. Paul,
Thief River Falls
In October 2008, CP assumed operational control of the DM&E Railroad. Operating 472 miles in
Minnesota, DM&E’s main line begins in Winona and
stretches west to the Black Hills of South Dakota.
DM&E lines also include track previously owned by
13
Union Pacific in Minnesota
Union Pacific
Trackage rights
MANITOBA
International Falls
ONTARIO
Grand
Forks
Virginia
R
G
O
Grand Rapids
FA
NORTH DAKOTA
Hibbing
DULUTH
Moorhead
SUPERIOR
Brainerd
Little Falls
Hu yp
ds ort
on
MINNEAPOLIS
Belle Plaine
New Prague
Le Sueur
South St. Paul
ee
op
y
ak
er
Sh
m
go
nt
Mo
SOUTH DAKOTA
Plymouth
ST
.P
A
U
Ba
L
Cambridge
ST. CLOUD
St. Peter
Madelia
Mankato
Butterfield
St. James
Windom
Trimont Blue Earth
Welcome
Worthington
Bricelyn
Fairmont
To Sioux City
IOWA
To Chicago
Rosemount
Cannon Falls
Northfield
Faribault
Owatonna
Ellendale
Clarks Grove
Albert Lea
To Mason City
14
WISCONSIN
Winona
La
Crosse
To Chicago
UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD
Union Pacific Railroad
1400 Douglas Street
Omaha, NE 68179
Phone:
Website:
(402) 544-5000
1-888-870-8777
http://www.uprr.com
Contacts: Jim Harrel, Real Estate Sales—Omaha
Rod Peterson, Property Leases—Omaha
Mark Davis, Corporate Relations—Omaha
Mike Blackley, Public Engineering—Omaha
Phones:
(402) 544-8557
(402) 544-8644
(402) 544-5459
(402) 544-8144
FAX:
(402) 501-0340 (402) 501-0340
(402) 501-0011
(402) 233-2892
Wayne Borg, Industrial Develop.—Woodridge, IL
(630) 427-2355
(402) 233-3356
Wes Lujan, Government Affairs, Suite 1910
101 North Wacker Drive; Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 777-2002
(312) 777-2020
24/7 Emergency Hotline:
1-888-877-7267
In 2011, UP originated 159,870 carloads of freight
in Minnesota with 83,425 carloads terminating in the
state. Principal commodities handled by the Union
Pacific in Minnesota include coal, taconite, agricultural products, automobiles and sand. UP serves
unit train shippers in prime corn and soybean areas
including flour mills, malt houses, soybean processors and many rail-to-river transfer stations. Also, UP
serves the ethanol market in southern Minnesota.
Union Pacific Railroad (UP), a subsidiary of
Union Pacific Corporation, operates in the western
two-thirds of the United States. UP serves 23 states
with 32,000 miles of track linking every major West
Coast and Gulf Coast port.
Union Pacific traces its history back more than
150 years when it was created to build the first transcontinental railroad, which was completed on May 10,
1869. All of UP’s Minnesota trackage was part of the
former Chicago and North Western Railway (C&NW),
which was purchased by UP in 1995. The company
employs more than 44,000 people.
The railroad’s top customers in Minnesota
are Xcel Energy and Unimin. Unimin is the largest
producer of industrial sand in the U.S. Its twin sand
plants at Kasota and Ottawa (both served by UP)
represent the largest production facilities for frac
sand in the nation. Inbound shipments of Mazda,
Mitsubishi and Toyota automobiles are handled at
the railroad’s Drake Street ramp in St. Paul.
Union Pacific owns and operates 646 miles of
track in Minnesota, with 468 employees. In 2011, the
company had a payroll of $37.8 million and made
purchases in Minnesota totaling $95.6 million.
Union Pacific owns two busy rail corridors in the
southern portion of Minnesota. The “Spine Line” runs
south from the Twin Cities to Kansas City, Mo. The
other major corridor runs southwest from the Twin
Cities through Mankato and Worthington to Sioux
City, Iowa. This line has been extensively rebuilt with
new ties, ballast and welded rail since it was acquired
from the C&NW. UP also has trackage rights over the
BNSF Railway from the Twin Cities to Duluth.
Union Pacific in Minnesota
Miles of track owned:
435
Employees:
468
Payroll:
$37.8 million
In-state purchases:
$95.6 million
Rail yards:
Albert Lea, East Minneapolis,
Mankato, Savage, St. Paul, South St. Paul
Auto distribution facility: St. Paul (Drake Street)
Administrative offices:
St. Paul
The transportation and engineering departments
that oversee the track territory in Minnesota, northern Iowa and Wisconsin are part of the “Twin Cities
Service Unit,” which is based in St. Paul. In 2011,
Union Pacific spent nearly $26 million on capital improvements to its Minnesota lines. UP’s 74,500 freight
cars and 8,200 locomotives benefit the state.
15
CLOQUET TERMINAL RAILROAD COMPANY INC.
315 St. Louis Avenue
Dunlap Island
Cloquet, MN 55720
Phone:
FAX:
Email:
(218) 878-0604
(218) 879-6558
Robert.Purcell@cloquet-trc.com
Contact: Robert Purcell, Resident Manager
The Cloquet Terminal Railroad Company (CTRR),
a subsidiary of Sappi Fine Paper North America, owns
four miles of track in the city of Cloquet. The railroad
has running rights on about 20 miles of yard track
in Cloquet, and interchanges traffic with the BNSF
Railway and Canadian Pacific.
CTRR in Minnesota
Miles of track owned:
Employees:
Locomotives:
Total carloads:
Principal commodities:
The railroad has 23 full-time employees: 20
hourly and 3 salaried. The company owns three diesel
locomotives: two 600-h.p. units and one 1,000-h.p.
unit. CTRR owns 160 freight cars, including 75 used
exclusively to serve the Sappi mill.
Administrative offices:
Cloquet Terminal’s major shipper is Sappi. The
railroad also serves the United States Gypsum (USG)
factory in Cloquet, which makes ceiling tiles. CTRR
handles approximately 10,000 cars per year.
BNSF To
Grand Forks
St. Louis R
iver
CTRR Shops
Sappi Mill
CTRR/BNSF
interchange
CLOQUET
BNSF To
Duluth/Superior
16
4
23
3
10,000
Logs, paper products
and pulp
Cloquet
MINNESOTA COMMERCIAL RAILWAY
508 Cleveland Avenue North
St. Paul, MN 55114
Phone:
FAX:
Website:
Contact:
Wayne Hall, Director of Operations
Phone:
Joe Richardson, Dir. of Finance & Asst. to Pres. John Walsh, Chief Mech. Officer-Cars & Signals Scott Wardrope, Chief Mech. Officer-Locomotives (651) 632-9000
(651) 646-8337
http://www.mnnr.net
(651) 632-9022. whall@mnnr.net
(651) 632-9008
(651) 632-9020
(651) 632-9018
The railroad serves 70 customers including seven
grain elevators and two flour mills in the Twin Cities.
Other major customers include: RockTenn, Andersen Window, Rather, Saab, Weekes Forest Products,
Murphy Warehouse and the Hugo and Roseville
industrial parks.
The Minnesota Commercial Railway (MNNR)
operates on 122 miles of track (including operating
rights on other railroads) in Anoka, Hennepin,
Ramsey and Washington counties. Minnesota Commercial connects with all Twin Cities railroads.
MNNR extends the railroad’s economic benefits
to non-rail served customers through truck-rail transload programs. Commercial Transload of Minnesota
operates a 60,000 sq. ft. warehouse that specializes
in handling heavy steel and other materials. CTM
Trucklines, Inc. operates 18 trucks handling steel,
lumber, heavy equipment and other commodities.
A warehouse, transload facility and team track in
Fridley offer reload services for much of the metro
area.
The Minnesota Commercial began operations
in 1987 when it acquired the Minnesota Transfer
Railway Company—at the time handling only 8,000
revenue units. In 2011, the Minnesota Commercial
handled more than 49,300 revenue units. In the past
three years, Minnesota Commercial has spent about
$8 million for capital improvements.
The Minnesota Transfer Railway was incorporated in 1883 as a switching line and was owned by
the major railroads in the Twin Cities area. Rail lines
operated today by Minnesota Commercial include
those acquired from the old Minnesota Transfer in
1987, plus lines from other Class I carriers.
The railroad serves a total of ten Minnesota communities with a main line extending from St. Paul into
the northern suburbs of Anoka County and east to
Bayport and Hugo. Minnesota Commercial trains also
use BNSF, Canadian Pacific, and Union Pacific tracks
to reach other carriers’ yards in Minneapolis and St.
Paul for interchange. Amtrak trains travel over the
Minnesota Commercial to reach the Midway depot in
St. Paul. In addition, MNNR services Amtrak trains.
Hugo
Fridley
Arden Hills
MNNR in Minnesota
New Brighton
Miles of track owned:
35
Employees:
92
Annual payroll:
$4.7 million
Total revenue units:
49,300
Commodities carried:
Lumber, steel, paper, grain and grain products, potash,
consumer goods
Number of locomotives:
32
Freight cars:
80
White Bear
Lake
Little Canada
Belt Line
Crossing
Roseville
Minnesota Commercial
Trackage Rights
BNSF
Northtown
Yard
MINNEAPOLIS
To Bayport
UP-BNSF
Amtrak depot
Merriam Park
CP
UP
ST. PAUL
CP St. Paul Yard
UP Belt Yard
17
MINNESOTA, DAKOTA & WESTERN RAILWAY
101 2nd Street
International Falls, MN 56649
Phone:
FAX:
(218) 285-5290
(218) 285-5742
Contact: Darwin Joslyn, General Manager
Email:
DarwinJoslyn@boiseinc.com
The Minnesota, Dakota & Western Railway
(MD&W) serves a vital role in northern Minnesota’s
papermaking industry by providing rail service to
paper mills in International Falls, Minn. and Fort
Frances, Ontario.
The Minnesota, Dakota & Western dates to
August 15, 1910 and is one of the last vestiges of
Minnesota’s once vast logging railroad system. Its
predecessor, the International Bridge & Terminal
Company, was incorporated in 1906.
The railway switches pulpwood, chemicals
and other raw materials used in the papermaking
process and removes the finished paper products
for interchange with the CN. The MD&W has a fleet
of 2,000 freight cars, which helps assure prompt,
cost-effective rail service for Boise, Inc.—the largest
employer in Koochiching County and the owner of
the railway.
MD&W in Minnesota
Miles of track owned:
4
Employees:
30
Revenue units:
10,000
Commodities carried:
Wood pulp, pulpwood, chemicals, other raw materials
and finished paper products
Number of freight cars:
2,000
Number of locomotives:
4
Payroll:
$2,300,000
Headquarters, rail yard, shops:
International Falls
Minnesota, Dakota & Western consists of four
route miles of track and four locomotives. A modern
car and locomotive shop has been constructed by the
railway at International Falls. All track and equipment
is operated and maintained locally by a work force
of 30 employees. MD&W invests $200,000 annually
to improve track, machinery and vehicles. The company handles about 10,000 carloads annually, mostly
related to paper or paper products. Along with its rail
operation, the MD&W operates an Intermodal Hub
Center with CN to transport paper shipments from
International Falls, Fort Frances and Kenora.
O N TA R I O
CN to
Winnipeg
Ft. Frances
International
Falls
Rainy
Lake
Ranier
Falls Jct.
CN/BNSF to
Duluth-Superior
MD&W Railway
a Boise Company
KOOCHICHING
18
MINNESOTA NORTHERN RAILROAD COMPANY
P.O. Box 705 (mailing address)
Phone:
1420 S. Main St. Crookston, MN 56716
FAX:
Contacts:
Lee Lautt, Manager Administration & Marketing
1-888-200-0415
(218) 281-4704
(218) 281-4705
Phone:
Email:
Email:
Email:
Jason Bierwerth, Manager of Operations
LeAnn Halland, Customer Service The Minnesota Northern Railroad Company
(MNN) was formed in December 1996 when the
company purchased 204 miles of track from the
BNSF Railway. Lines extend from Crookston north
to Roseau and St. Hilaire, south from Crookston
to Shelly and east to Tilden Junction. Minnesota
Northern also serves the “Wilds” industrial yard in
the southwest corner of Crookston.
(218) 281-1750
mnn@rrv.net
mnnjb@rrv.net
mnnll@rrv.net
Minnesota Northern in Minnesota
Miles of track owned:
120
Employees:
18
Total carloads:
10,300
Commodities:
Grain, seeds,
sugar and sugar by-products,
aggregates, coal, feeds, fertilizers
Minnesota Northern connects with BNSF at
Crookston and CP at Thief River Falls. Total mileage
owned and operated is 197, including trackage rights
over other railroads.
Number of locomotives:
10
Number of freight cars:
Headquarters, rail yards, shops:
Based in Crookston, Minnesota Northern has
18 employees and handles approximately 10,300
carloads annually. Principal commodities carried
are grain, seeds, sugar and sugar by-products, aggregates, coal, feeds and fertilizers.
LAKE OF
THE WOODS
The company has ten locomotives; freight cars
are supplied by BNSF or CP and MNN has
leased 40 grain hopper cars. Minnesota
Northern grain customers can reach markets throughout North America, via MNN’s
connections with BNSF and CP.
Roseau
Badger
Greenbush
Strathcona
KITTSON
ROSEAU
Middle River
MARSHALL
Thief River Falls
BNSF to
Grand Forks
E
ERN
TH
TA NOR
SO
E
NO
AI
R T H S TA R
L
LRO
AD
St. Hilaire
PENNINGTON
RED LAKE
Crookston
IN
TH
MINNE
Holt
R
40
Crookston
Eldred
Climax
Nielsville
Shelly
19
Tilden Jct.
Erskine
Beltrami
POLK
NORMAN
MAHNOMEN
MINNESOTA PRAIRIE LINE INC.
2925 12th Street East
Glencoe, MN 55336
Phone: (320) 864-7200
Website: http://www.tcwr.net/mpl
FAX:
(320) 864-7220 Contacts: Mark Wegner, President Dave Long, VP Marketing & Sales Robin Bergeron, Dir. Mktg & Sales Bob Suko, Gen. Manager, Operations Tim Jeske, Gen. Mgr. Mech. & Maintenance Minnesota Valley Regional Rail Authority
Julie Rath, Administrator for MVRRA Bob Fox, Chair, MVRRA Miles of track operated:
94
Locomotives
2
Freight cars:
100
Total carloads:
More than 5,000
Commodities:
Grains, fertilizer, biodiesel,
canned vegetables, DDGs,
ethanol, salt and butter
Headquarters:
Glencoe
Maintenance shops:
Glencoe, Morton
a
KANDYOHI
n
an
tso
Mil
Wa C H I P P E W A
rth
ioo
o
N
idve
s
tetve
nn
all
Moo dahl Falls ta F eart
M
g
We anite eso ed H
Gr Minn acr
S
Hanley Falls
MINNESOTA
MCLEOD
Re
dw
ood
Fal
ls
Mo
rto
n
Fra
nkl
in
Fai
rfa
x
De
lhi
SIBLEY
REDWOOD
HENNEPIN
MINNEAPOLIS
ST. PAUL
Camden
RAMSEY
Pigs Eye/
Daytons Bluff
yards
yards
GL
EN
C
P
RENVILLE
Wo
od
Lak
e
Ec
ho
Be
lvie
w
ES O
TA
M
YELLOW MEDICINE
N
IN
WASHINGTON
Gib
bo
n
Wi
nth
rop
Ga
ylo
rd
Arl
ing
ton
L A C Q U I PA R L E
ANOKA
SWIFT
lat
OE
o
No
rwo
Bo od
ng
Co ards
log
ne
Jon
atha
n
Cha
nha
Hop ssen
kins
n
eto
pl
Ap
Re
n
Ru ville
e
Da bel
nu
b
Olil e
O
viv
iaia
Bir
d Is
lan
d
He
cto
r
Bu
ffal
oL
ake
Ste
wa
rt
Bro
wn
ton
ess
Od
Milbank
SOUTH
DAKOTA
julie@redwoodfalls.org
http://www.mvrra.org
e
eill
onvnilvl
ot
Orrt
O
SMRR
(507) 637-4084
Website:
MPL in Minnesota
Restoration started in April 2002 and MPL began
operations in October 2002. With restoration of dependable service, rail traffic has been increasing year
after year. Annual track upgrades are being made.
Track speed from Winthrop east to Norwood was
increased to 25 mph in December 2012. MPL works
in partnership with the MVRRA and the communities
it serves to enhance rural economic development.
BIG STONE
mwegner@tcwr.net
dlong@tcwr.net
rbergeron@tcwr.net
bsuko@tcwr.net
tjeske@tcwr.net
Prior to MPL’s operation of the rail line, it was
operated by a series of short lines following abandonment by the Chicago and North Western in 1980. The
line was originally part of the Minneapolis & St. Louis
Railway’s line to the Missouri River.
The Minnesota Prairie Line Inc. (MPL), is a
wholly owned subsidiary of the Twin Cities & Western Railroad based in Glencoe, Minn. MPL serves
some of the most productive agricultural counties of
Minnesota. MPL is the operator on 94 miles of track
between Norwood and Hanley Falls, Minn., which
is owned by the Minnesota Valley Regional Railroad
Authority (MVRRA).
Sisseton
Sisseton
(320) 864-7204
(320) 864-7206
(320) 864-7211
(320) 864-7210
(320) 864-7214
PR
E
AI
RIE LIN
20
Savage
CARVER
Hamburg
Green Isle
SCOTT
D A K O TA
Minnesota Prairie Line
Twin Cities & Western
Sisseton Milbank RR
Trackage rights
MINNESOTA SOUTHERN RAILWAY, INC.
106 East Fletcher Street
P.O. Box 562
Luverne, MN 56156
Contact: Phone:
FAX:
(507) 283-4269
(507) 283-4272
Brent Polanchek
rock ballast to strengthen the track structure.
The Minnesota Southern Railway (MSWY) operates freight service on 42 miles of track from a
connection with the Union Pacific at Agate (south of
Worthington) to a connection with the BNSF Railway
at Manley.
The company was founded in November 2001
and is privately owned. The track is owned by a regional rail authority, and is operated by Minnesota
Southern under a 20-year lease agreement. The line
from Agate to Manley once belonged to the Chicago,
St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway (later part of
the Chicago and North Western) and was part of a
branch line from Worthington to Sioux Falls, S.D.
Minnesota Southern is based in Luverne and employs seven people. The railroad operates in Nobles
and Rock counties and serves seven Minnesota
communities. Principal commodities carried include
animal feed, ethanol, fertilizer, and corn oil. Minnesota Southern handles approximately 600 carloads
annually, which helps keep more than 2,000 trucks
off the highways.
MSWY in Minnesota
Miles of track operated:
42
Employees:
7
Annual purchases:
$200,000
Locomotives
2
Total carloads
600
Commodities:
Feed, corn oil, ethanol,
fertilizer, waste oil
Transload yard and
Administrative offices:
Luverne
The railroad opened a four-acre truck/rail transload facility at Luverne in 2012 to handle corn oil and
construction materials. Unused trackage provides
seasonal storage for up to 500 freight cars.
MSWY is a large contributor to the local economy,
spending approximately $200,000 on purchases in the
state. For the last five years, the railroad has focused
on right-of-way improvements installing new ties and
BNSF to
Willmar,
Twin Cities
Jasper
SOUTH
DAKOTA
ROCK
Garretson
Magnolia
Adrian
Rushmore
Ma
n
ley
LUVERNE
NOBLES
Worthington
Agate
Beaver Creek
SIOUX FALLS
Hills
BNSF to
Sioux City,
Lincoln
MINNESOTA
IOWA
MINNESOTA SOUTHERN RAILWAY
Other railroads
21
UP to
Sioux City,
Omaha
UP to
Mankato,
Twin Cities
NORTHERN LINES RAILWAY, LLC
2015 Sixth Street North
St. Cloud, MN 56303
Phone:
FAX:
Website:
Contacts:
Justin Chalich, President
Phone:
Steve Thissen, Lead Transportation Specialist Northern Lines Railway (NLR) began operations
on April 23, 2005 and currently operates on 17 miles
of track leased from BNSF Railway in St. Cloud,
Minn., with branch lines extending to Collegeville
and Rockville, Minn.
(320) 253-8130
(320) 253-5282
http://www.anacostia.com/nlr/nlr.html
(320) 980-6297
(320) 253-8130
Northern Lines has two locomotives and a wide
range of freight cars are supplied by BNSF.
NLR is a member of the Anacostia & Pacific Company, Inc. (www.anacostia.com), a transportation and
development firm based in Chicago and New York,
which has developed eight new railroads since it was
formed in 1985.
NLR connects with BNSF at St. Cloud and handles
approximately 8,500 carloads annually, providing
daily switching service to major customers including Archer Daniels Midland, Borgert Products, Inc.,
Cold Spring Granite, Electrolux, Maiers Transport
& Warehousing, American Iron, Knife River Corp.,
Manion’s Wholesale Building Supply, Mathew Hall
Lumber, Northern Metals, Quad Graphics, Martin
Marietta, RockTenn and Wenner Gas Co. In addition,
NLR offers multiple transload locations for customers
lacking a rail siding.
At one time, NLR’s lines were operated by the
Great Northern Railway, which was merged into Burlington Northern when it was created in 1970.
Northern Lines Railway
Miles of track operated:
17
Employees:
6
Total carloads:
8,500
Locomotives
2
Purchases in Minnesota
$200,000
Principal commodities: Aggregates, grain, scrap steel, pulp board, paper and lumber.
Administrative offices:
St. Cloud
Since beginning operations in 2005, NLR has completed tie replacement projects on the Collegeville
and Rockville spurs and constructed about 1.5 miles
of main track to facilitate a new road in Waite Park.
In 2012, ADM-Benson Quinn constructed a 3.2 million
bushel shuttle loader grain elevator in St. Cloud to
load corn and soybeans primarily for export to Asian
markets.
RN L
S
R
HE
E
IN
NORT
BNSF to Fargo, Pacific Northwest
AIL
W
AY
BENTON
STERNS
Collegeville
Rockville
ST. CLOUD
SHERBURNE
BNSF to Minneapolis,
Chicago, Kansas City
22
NORTHERN PLAINS RAILROAD, INC.
100 Railroad Avenue
P.O. Box 38
Fordville, ND 58231
Phone:
FAX:
Web:
Contacts:
Larry R. Jamieson, President
Jesse J. Chalich, VP Operations
Brian Dauksavage, Manager of Rail Car Repair
Todd L. Gullickson, Manager Operations
(701) 229-3330
(701) 229-3365
www.nprail.com
larry_jamieson@nprail.com
jesse_chalich@nprail.com
brian_dauksavage@nprail.com
todd_gullickson@nprail.com
ville, N.D. NPRS is a M1003 AAR certified shop. In
addition, NPRS constructs and maintains tracks on
a contract basis. NPRS services locomotives on a
contract basis as well.
The Northern Plains Railroad was formed in
January 1997 when the company leased 388 miles
of branch lines in Minnesota and North Dakota from
Canadian Pacific Railway (CP). Lines extend west
from Thief River Falls to Devils Lake, N.D. and run
north and west from Fordville, N.D. to a connection
with the CP at Kenmare, N.D. Northern Plains also
connects with CP at Thief River Falls.
Northern Plains was named 2010 Regional Railroad of the Year by Railway Age magazine.
Northern Plains
Based in Fordville N.D., Northern Plains has 88
employees. Northern Plains serves 40 communities,
including six in Minnesota.
Miles of track:
410 (45 miles in Minnesota)
Employees:
88
Payroll:
$5.7 million
Total carloads:
20,544
Locomotives:
22
Freight cars:
60
Principal commodities:
Small grains,
aggregates, frac sand and fertilizer
Administrative offices:
Fordville, N.D.
The company has 22 locomotives and 60 freight
cars. A majority of freight cars are supplied by CP.
Northern Plains grain customers can reach all grain
markets through NPR’s connections with CP.
Northern Plains Rail Services, a NPR affiliate,
performs running repairs, contract maintenance
services, and painting for locomotives and freight
cars at its shops located in Erskine, Minn. and Ford-
CP to
Canada
MARSHALL
To North
Dakota
Points
Oslo
Alvarado
Warren
Radium
Viking
Thief River Falls
PENNINGTON
NORTH
DAKOTA
POLK
RED LAKE
23
CP to
Twin Cities
OTTER TAIL VALLEY RAILROAD COMPANY
200 North Mill Street
Fergus Falls, MN 56537
Phone:
FAX:
Website:
Contact:
Preston Miller, General Manager
Troy Dodds, Operations Manager (218) 736-6073
(218) 736-7636
http://www.gwrr.com
Otter Tail Valley Railroad Company (OTVR) operates 71 miles of former Burlington Northern (now
BNSF) trackage between Fergus Falls and Moorhead/
Dilworth, Minn. Branch lines extend from Fergus Falls
to French and Hoot Lake, plus a five-mile branch
from Barnesville to Downer. OTVR also serves the
Moorhead McCara Industrial Park. There are six communities served by the Otter Tail Valley Railroad.
BNSF Railway, or are customer leased/owned. OTVR
interchanges traffic with BNSF at Dilworth yard, just
east of Moorhead.
The line now operated by OTVR was once part of
the Great Northern Railway’s main line between St.
Cloud and Fargo/Moorhead. Great Northern merged
into Burlington Northern when it was created in
1970.
Otter Tail Valley was formed in 1986 and is one
of 111 railroads owned by Genesee & Wyoming.
RailAmerica, Inc. purchased the railroad in September 1996 from its owners, Anacostia & Pacific
Company, Inc. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. acquired
RailAmerica on October 1, 2012.
Otter Tail Valley in Minnesota
Miles of track owned:
Employees:
Locomotives:
Total carloads:
Principal commodities:
Administrative offices:
th
or
lw
Di
So
o
BNSF to Minneapolis–St. Paul
ille
wn
da
le
Ba
ke
La
ot
Ho
Ca
rli
s
le
Ro
th
sa
y
La
Ba
ke
r
Sa
rn
e
sv
bi
n
Fa
rg
BNSF to Seattle,
Portland
ut
h
Mo
or
he
ad
Principal commodities transported by Otter
Tail Valley are grain, coal and ethanol. The railroad
handles approximately 14,000 carloads annually and
is locally managed. The company owns six 1,7502,000 h.p. diesel locomotives and a fleet of covered
hoppers. Other freight cars are supplied through
71
11
6
14,000
Grain, coal, ethanol
Fergus Falls
SOUTH DAKOTA
Fr
en
NORTH DAKOTA
ch
Fergus Falls
MINNESOTA
Otter Tail Valley Railroad
Trackage rights
24
PROGRESSIVE RAIL INCORPORATED
Airlake Industrial Park
Phone:
21778 Highview Ave. Lakeville, MN 55044
FAX:
Email:
Contacts:
Website:
Dave Fellon, President
Email:
Lon Van Gemert, Chief Executive Officer Doug Whiteley, Chief Financial Officer Duane Jenkins, VP Customer Service Progressive Rail Incorporated is a contract rail
carrier that operates nearly 80 miles of line on behalf
of the Canadian Pacific and Union Pacific railroads
in the greater Twin Cities area, including operations
to Cannon Falls, Northfield, Lakeville and Faribault,
Minn. Administration offices are located in Lakeville.
In March 2004, in partnership with the Union
Pacific, PGR acquired the former Cannon Falls subdivision and operations to Faribault, Minn. This expansion provides PGR with access to over 450 acres of
rail-served industrial development property. In May
2004, PGR assumed operations of Canadian Pacific’s
yard in Northfield, Minn, tying into its current Airlake
Industrial Park operation and the Rosemount to Eagandale industrial spur.
The railroad has 75 full-time employees and owns
or leases nine diesel-electric locomotives and a fleet
of five flat cars.
Progressive Rail also offers transloading services,
which allows customers to transfer cargo from rail to
truck. In addition, PGR can provide temporary storage of materials in heated, 110,000 sq. ft. warehouses
in Lakeville and Bloomington.
Progressive Rail began operations on September 25, 1996 in Airlake Industrial Park in Lakeville,
formerly operated by the Canadian Pacific Railway.
In February 2001, Progressive Rail leased nine miles
of track from CP, known as the Dan Patch Line, from
Bloomington to south Minneapolis.
Progressive Rail in Minnesota
Miles of track owned and operated:
80
Employees:
75
Locomotives:
9
Total carloads:
13,000
Principal commodities:
Forest products,
cement/flyash, pipe, paper,
plastics, canned goods,
chemicals, building products, salt
Administrative offices:
Lakeville
CP to Canada
ST. PAUL
MINNEAPOLIS
Richfield
Bloomington
CP, UP to Chicago
Eagan
(952) 985-7245
1-888-PRO-RAIL (776-7245)
(952) 985-7626
info@progressiverail.com
http://www.progressiverail.com
dfellon@progressiverail.com
lvangemert@progressiverail.com
dwhiteley@progressiverail.com
djenkins@progressiverail.com
Rosemount
Lakeville
Randolph
Cannon Falls
PGR
Trackage rights
Other railroads
PROGRESSIVE RAIL
INCORPORATED
Northfield
Faribault
UP to Kansas City, Texas
25
RED RIVER VALLEY & WESTERN RAILROAD
CO.
Contacts:
Andrew J. Thompson, President & CEO
Daniel L. Zink, Director of Administration Website:
P.O. Box 608
116 South Fourth St.
Wahpeton, ND 58074
Sharon Trudell, VP Marketing
Dan Keogh, Manager Transportation
Cal Gruebele, Manager Track & Structures
Dave Volk, Manager - Car Shop
501 Minnesota Ave.
Phone: (218) 643-4994
Breckenridge, MN 56520 FAX:
(218) 643-4980
The Red River Valley & Western Railroad Company (RRVW) began operations on July 19, 1987 over
track acquired from Burlington Northern Railroad
(now BNSF). Since then, RRVW has tripled its freight
volume and has moved nearly one million carloads
of freight for customers. RRVW employs about 100
people, up from 45 at start-up.
road and customers. Specialized equipment includes
an automated washer for cleaning tank cars.
Since 1987, more than $26 million has been allocated for capital projects, including relaying 50 miles
of track with heavier rail. In addition, RRVW spends
about $5 million each year on track maintenance.
More than 100 miles of track are surfaced each year
for smoother operation.
RRVW owns or operates on 576 route miles of
track (31 miles in Minnesota, including trackage
rights). It is one of the larger of the approximately
550 regional and short line railroads operating in the
United States and RRVW was named 2005 Regional
Railroad of the Year by Railway Age.
RRVW in Minnesota
Miles of track owned:
440 (2 in Minnesota)
Employees:
100
Total carloads:
59,700
Locomotives:
15
Commodities: Sugar, corn syrup, aggregates,
lumber, plastic, fertilizer,
petroleum products, coal, steel,
farm machinery, ag processing by-products
Administrative offices:
Wahpeton, N.D.
Operations and car repair facility: Breckenridge
RRVW presently has about 75 customers in Minnesota and North Dakota. The railroad serves approximately 40 grain elevators (including two shuttle
train facilities in Breckenridge), which generate more
than 50 percent of the traffic. The railroad’s locomotive shops and a large marshaling yard are located in
Breckenridge, Minn., while administrative offices are
located across the Red River in Wahpeton, N.D.
In mid-2009, RRVW dedicated a new two-track,
19,200 sq.ft. freight car repair facility in Breckenridge
to handle running and contract repairs for the rail-
BNSF to
Fargo/Moorhead
To Casselton
Red River
Valley Western
R A I L R O A D
MINNESOTA
Kent
Colfax
WILKIN
N. DAKOTA
C O M PA N Y
Dwight
To Oakes
y
RICHLAND
on
RRV&W
Trackage rights
Doran
Campbell
Aberdeen
Line Jct.
ey
nn
Te
nt
ou
irm
Fa
n
so
in
nk
Ha
od
wo
er
dg
Li eo
s
ne
Ge
S. DAKOTA
26
Breckenridge
Wahpeton
et
or
ne
Mo
r
Ba
RRV&W Breckenridge Area
http://www.rrvw.net
Phone: (701) 642-8257
FAX:
(701) 642-5102
BNSF to
Minneapolis
ST. CROIX VALLEY RAILROAD
175 West 4th Street
Phone:
P.O. Box 563 (mailing address) Rush City, MN 55069
FAX:
Contacts:
Lee Lautt, Manager Admin. & Marketing
Phone:
Email:
Email:
Email:
Jason Bierwerth, Manager of Operations
LeAnn Halland, Customer Service
1-888-200-0415
(320) 358-0383
(320) 358-0276
(218) 281-1750
mnn@rrv.net
mnnjb@rrv.net
mnnll@rrv.net
Principal commodities carried include grain,
flour, and fertilizers. The railroad handles approximately 2,700 carloads annually and is locally
managed. The railroad owns two locomotives; all
freight cars are supplied by BNSF.
The St. Croix Valley Railroad owns and operates 36 miles of former BNSF Railway trackage from
Hinckley to North Branch. Interchange is made with
BNSF at Hinckley.
St. Croix Valley has two employees and serves
three communities: North Branch, Pine City and
Rush City. The railroad is operated as a subsidiary of
Minnesota Northern Railroad Co. (MNN). SCXY was
purchased from BNSF in September 1997.
The line from Hinckley to North Branch once
belonged to the Northern Pacific Railway and was
part of its main line from Duluth to St. Paul.
BNSF to
Duluth/Superior
St. Croix Valley in Minnesota
Hinckley
Miles of track owned:
Employees:
Annual carloads:
Principal commodities:
SF
BN
Locomotives:
Headquarters, rail yards, shops:
BNSF to Minneapolis
Pine
City
KANABEC
PINE
ISANTI
Rock
Creek
CHISAGO
EY
HE
T
R
IX VA
RO
LL
ST. C
Rush
City
S KA
LLY LI
Harris
NE
AI
LROAD
North Branch
27
36
2
2,700
Grain, flour,
fertilizers
2
Rush City
TWIN CITIES & WESTERN RAILROAD COMPANY
2925 12th Street East
Glencoe, MN 55336
Phone: (320) 864-7200 or 1-800-290-TCWR (8297)
Website: www.tcwr.net
FAX:
(320) 864-7220
Contact: Mark Wegner, President (320) 864-7204 mwegner@tcwr.net
Dave Long, VP Marketing and Sales (320) 864-7206 dlong@tcwr.net
Robin Bergeron, Dir. Mktg. & Sales (320) 864-7211 rbergeron@tcwr.net
Bob Suko, Gen. Manager, Operations (320) 864-7210 bsuko@tcwr.net
Tim Jeske, Gen. Mgr. Mech. & Maintenance (320) 864-7214 tjeske@tcwr.net
Katie Masog, Dir. of Accounting (320) 864-7207 kmasog@tcwr.net
Sue Bombeck, Office Manager (320) 864-7201 sbombeck@tcwr.net
Lori Koelln, Mgr. Car Accounting & Utilization (320) 864-7216 lkoelln@tcwr.net
Holli Schafer, Mgr. Revenue Accounting (320) 864-7203 hschafer@tcwr.net
Diane McCall, Mgr. Transportation Services (320) 864-7213 dmccall@tcwr.net
terminals in Minneapolis and St. Paul through use of
connecting rail carriers.
The Twin Cities and Western Railroad (TC&W)
operates 229 miles of track and trackage rights
serving some of the most productive agricultural
counties of Minnesota. TC&W shipments consist
primarily of commodities in the agricultural markets.
TC&W also provides intermodal service between
Montevideo and St. Paul.
In 2008, TC&W was named Regional Railroad of
the Year by Railway Age magazine.
TC&W in Minnesota
Operations began on July 27, 1991 over track and
trackage rights acquired from the Soo Line Railroad
(now Canadian Pacific) between the Twin Cities and
Milbank, S.D.—formerly known as the “Ortonville
Line.” Prior to TC&W and Soo Line, the track was
part of the former Milwaukee Road’s main line providing freight and passenger service to the Pacific
Northwest. The main line was constructed in the
1870s by the Hastings & Dakota Railway.
Miles of track owned:
146
Employees:
70
Payroll and fringes:
$6.5 million
Locomotives:
12
Freight cars:
More than 600
Total carloads:
18,000
Commodities: Aggregates, animal fats/tallow,
beet pulp, canned/frozen vegetables,
coal, DDGs, ethanol, fertilizers,
forest products, grains and
organic grains, pellets, sugar
Headquarters:
Glencoe
Maintenance shops:
Glencoe, Morton
TC&W interchanges in the Twin Cities with BNSF,
CN, CP, MNNR and UP. TC&W has direct access to
Camden Place barge terminal on the Mississippi
River in North Minneapolis and Savage on the Minnesota River. TC&W can access all other major river
Sisseton
Sisseton
le
leil
lv
nvni
o
t
o
a
t
r
Or
O
ess
BIG STONE
L A C Q U I PA R L E
Hanley Falls
YELLOW MEDICINE
RENVILLE
MCLEOD
REDWOOD
Fal
ls
Mo
rto
n
Fra
nkl
in
Fai
rfa
x
De
lhi
SIBLEY
dw
ood
TCW
&
MINNESOTA
Re
SOUTH
DAKOTA
WASHINGTON
n
an
tso
Mil
Wa C H I P P E W A
rth
ioo
o
N
idve
s
tetve
nn
all
Moo dahl Falls ta F eart
M
g
We anite eso ed H
Gr Minn acr
S
HENNEPIN
o
E
No
rw
Bo ood
ng
Co ards
log
ne
Jon
atha
n
Cha
nha
Hop ssen
kins
Milbank
KANDYOHI
MINNEAPOLIS
ST. PAUL
Camden
GL
E
Pla NCO
t
A
ANOKA
SWIFT
28
Gib
bo
n
Wi
nth
rop
Ga
ylo
rd
Arl
ing
ton
ton
e
ppl
Re
n
Ru ville
e
Da bel
nu
b
Olil e
O
viv
iaia
Bir
d Is
lan
d
He
cto
r
Bu
ffal
oL
ake
Ste
wa
rt
Bro
wn
ton
Od
Wo
od
Lak
e
Ec
ho
Be
lvie
w
SMRR
Pigs Eye/
Daytons Bluff
yards
yards
Savage
CARVER
Hamburg
Green Isle
RAMSEY
SCOTT
D A K O TA
Twin Cities & Western
Minnesota Prairie Line
Sisseton Milbank RR
Trackage rights
Other railroads serving Minnesota
Amtrak
(National Railroad Passenger Corporation)
525 West Van Buren Street
Suite 200
Chicago, IL 60607
Contact: Derrick L. James
Director of Government Affairs
Website:
http://www.amtrak.com
Phone:
FAX:
(312) 880-5118
(312) 880-5167
Email:
jamesde@amtrak.com
Amtrak’s long-distance, Chicago to Seattle, Wash. and Portland, Ore., Empire Builder passenger train operates
over 373 miles of BNSF Railway, Canadian Pacific Railway and Minnesota Commercial Railway trackage in
Minnesota. The Empire Builder operates daily serving Winona, Red Wing, St. Paul-Minneapolis, St. Cloud,
Staples and Detroit Lakes.
The Empire Builder is the most popular long-distance passenger train in America and in Fiscal Year 2012
(ending September 30) carried a total of 543,072 passengers. Total ridership at Minnesota stations was
181,535.
Amtrak has 20,000 employees including 40 in Minnesota. Payroll in the state in FY 2012 was approximately
$3.4 million. In the same period, Amtrak spent $19.6 million for goods and services in the state. Minnesota is
in Amtrak’s Central Division, which is based in Chicago.
Amtrak owns and operates St. Paul Midway Station and plans to relocate and serve St. Paul Union Depot by
the end of 2013.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., Amtrak provides passenger rail service over a nationwide network of
21,000 route miles connecting 46 states, the District of Columbia, and three Canadian provinces. In FY 2012,
Amtrak carried a record 31.2 million passengers on more than 300 daily trains.
Amtrak is conducting an analysis for the Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation for
potential ridership, revenue and operating costs for a second daily, state-supported round-trip between St.
Paul-Minneapolis and Chicago, supplementing the Empire Builder.
Amtrak has participated in efforts by Minnesota DOT to develop a state passenger and rail freight plan.
Amtrak actively seeks partnerships with state governments to expand rail passenger service on existing and
new routes and works with 15 states to operate 170 daily trains over 20 routes.
North Shore Scenic Railroad
St. Louis & Lake Counties Regional Rail Authority
506 West Michigan Street
Duluth, MN 55802
Phone:
(218) 722-1273 or 1-800-423-1273
FAX:
(218) 733-7596
Website: http://www.northshorescenicrailroad.org
Contact: Tim Schandel, Dir. of RR Operations
The North Shore Scenic Railroad provides tourist passenger service during the summer and fall months
between Duluth and Two Harbors, 25 miles. The track is owned by the St. Louis & Lake Counties Regional Rail
Authority, which purchased the track from the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway. The railroad is operated
under contract by the Lake Superior Railroad Museum of Duluth.
Steam-powered trains are operated on the last three weekends of August and the first two weekends of
September using Soo Line Pacific Class locomotive No. 2719, built by American Locomotive Co. in 1923.
29
30
&
TC
UP
169
212
494
169
CP
CP
101
5
212
100
SF
81
Universityl Ave.
P
GR
35W
To Northfield
CP
62
35W
77
65
94
62
77
55
MNNR
Minneapolis
BN
SCOTT
&W
TC
CP
55
100
94
252
BNSF
7-10-06
7
394
169
694
610
University Ave.
To Mankato
F
12
CP
HENNEPIN
494
12
Central Ave.
To Glencoe
To Willmar
BNS
94
SF
BN
169
10
SF
To
Glenwood
To
Monticello
1
N
10
13
UP
280
36
R
149
Cliff Road
94
55
494
110
13
To Mason City
D A K O TA
35E
5
CP
BNSF
BNSF
St. Paul
51
MNN
694
52
52
35E
CP
RAMSEY
ANOKA
35W
CP
3
52
35E
61
5
UP
61
35E
120
To
Hugo
R
MNN
B
P
To Duluth
F
BNS
MNNR
PG
U
To St.
Cloud
P
C
BNS
F
Mississippi R.
R
W
694
36
5
61
94
To Eau Claire
BNSF, CP to
La Crosse
WASHINGTON
To Withrow,
CN to Wisconsin
MINNESOTA’S
RAILROADS
2013
2013