minnesota`s railroads - Minnesota Regional Railroads Association

Information about
MINNESOTA’S
RAILROADS
GENESEE & WYOMING PHOTO BY ROBERT M. REYNOLDS
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)
20
4,485
3,837,800
248,400,000
4,566
$361,300,000
$113,270
14,518
$297,600,000
$42,136,000
Carloads
Percent of
State’s total
631,800
141,800
85,000
74,900
32,900
204,800
1,171,300
57%
15%
8%
7%
3%
8%
509,200
101,600
48,700
41,600
25,900
240,400
967,500
55%
1%
7%
6%
3%
12%
Source: Association of American Railroads for the year 2012
Cover photo: Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad,
Inc., a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming Inc., began
freight service on June 1, 2014 on 670 miles of
former Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad track
acquired from Canadian Pacific Railway. RCP&E
operates between Tracy, Minnesota and the Black
Hills of South Dakota.
Genesee & Wyoming photo by Robert M. Reynolds
2
INTRODUCTION
Minnesota’s Railroads — Contributing to the Economic Vitality of the State
M
Mesabi Iron Range to Lake Superior ports and inland
steel mills. Minnesota originates three-fourths of the
iron ore mined in America.
innesota’s first train operated between St.
Paul and St. Anthony (now Minneapolis)
in 1862. Ever since then, railroads have
helped the state grow by providing vital transportation services to its citizens and industries.
Each year, Minnesota’s railroads move thousands of containers of freight that otherwise would
move by truck. Keeping freight on the rails, instead
Railroads benefit the state in many ways by offerof roads, reduces pollution and highway damage —
ing cost-effective and environmentally sound logissaving Minnesota taxpayers
tics options often sought by
millions of dollars in highway
industries looking to locate
This CD provides background information
maintenance costs.
or expand plants in the upabout the railroad companies that operate
per Midwest. Railroads are
in Minnesota. Included are maps, a list of
Railroads are four times
key commercial links for Minmajor commodities they carry, railroads’
more
fuel efficient than
nesota farmers, the taconite
economic contribution to the state and
trucks. This helps conserve
industry, manufacturers, and
communities they serve, and a list of key
energy and reduce polluother businesses. Since railpersonnel at each company.
tion. According to the U.S.
roads are able to move goods
Environmental Protection
at very competitive rates,
Agency, emissions from railroad locomotives are 75
they are able to hold down costs for shippers, fosterpercent less than trucks.
ing economic growth in Minnesota. For example, the
cost of shipping agricultural products by rail is much
Railroads are here for the long haul in Minless than the cost of shipping by truck. This helps
nesota. In 2015 alone, railroads will invest more
farmers earn higher profits and lowers the costs of
than $500 million in the state to reduce congestion,
products for consumers.
improve service and increase safety. Unlike trucks,
these physical improvements are paid for by the
Minnesota railroads provide a vital pathway for
the movement of taconite pellets from plants on the
railroads—not taxpayers.
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
28
American Short Line and Regional Railroad Assn. 4
Association of American Railroads
4
BNSF Railway (Burlington Northern Santa Fe)
6-7
CN (Canadian National)
8-9
Canadian Pacific Railway
10-11
Carloadings
2
Class I, II and III railroads
5
Cloquet Terminal Railroad Company Inc.
14
Commodities handled (total for state)
2
Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad (CP)
10
Employees
2
Federal Railroad Administration
4
Introduction
3
Mileage (by carrier)
5
Minnesota Commercial Railway
15
Minnesota, Dakota & Western Railway
16
Minnesota DOT - Office of Frt., RRs & Waterways 4
Minnesota Northern Railroad Company
17
Minnesota Prairie Line Inc.
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
Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad
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
18
4
19
28
20
21
22
23
2
24
25
2
10
26
29
29
12-13
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
Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad:
http://www.gwrr.com
Canadian Pacific Railway:
http://www.cpr.ca
Red River Valley & Western Railroad Company:
http://www.rrvw.net
Minnesota Commercial:
http://www.mnnr.net
Twin Cities & Western Railroad Company:
http://www.tcwr.net
Minnesota Prairie Line:
http://www.tcwr.net/mpl
Union Pacific Railroad:
http://www.uprr.com
Minnesota Southern Railway
http://www.mnsouthernrail.com
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.mnrailroads.com
4
MINNESOTA RAILROADS AND MILEAGE
I
n 2015, there are 20 railroad companies operating in Minnesota on 4,485 route miles of track. A
total of 3,586 miles, or 81 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 is the
federal economic regulator of railroads. Based on
2013 statistics, Class I railroads are those that had
annual operating revenue of $467.1 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 $37.4 million and $433.2 million. In addition,
Minnesota has 14 Class III railroads, which have annual operating revenue of less than $37.4 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
Mileage owned
in Minnesota
Class I
BNSF Railway (BNSF)
Canadian Pacific Railway (CP)
CN (Canadian National Railway)
Union Pacific Railroad (UP)
National Railroad Passenger Corp. (Amtrak)
1,572
1,155
424
435
0
North Shore Scenic Railroad (NSSR)
25
Northern Lines Railway, LLC (NLR)
Cloquet Terminal Railroad Co. (CTRR)
Minnesota, Dakota & Western Ry. Co. (MDW)
Red River Valley & Western Railroad (RRVW)
45
Class III
Twin Cities & Western Railroad Co. (TCWR)
Minnesota Commercial Railway Co. (MNNR)
Minnesota Northern Railroad (MNN)
Minnesota Prairie Line Inc. (MPLI)
Progressive Rail Inc. (PGR)
71
45
42
36
(St. Louis & Lake Counties Regional Rail
Authority between Duluth and Two Harbors)
Class II
Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad (RCPE)
Otter Tail Valley Railroad (OTVR)
Northern Plains Railroad (NPR)
Minnesota Southern Railroad Co. (MSWY)
St. Croix Valley Railroad (SCXY)
146
128
120
94
80
5
17
4
4
2
BNSF in Minnesota
BNSF
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
6
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:
Fax:
Email:
(651) 298-2458
(651) 298-7352
[email protected]
Customer Service
Phone:
1-888-428-2673
Industrial Development, Justin Pearson
Phone:
Email:
(701) 566-1116
[email protected]
Media Relations, Amy McBeth
Phone:
Email:
(763) 782-3212
[email protected]
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
4,500 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 2,628 employees and 1,572 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:
Rail Yards:
1,572
2,628
$192 million
Dilworth, Minneapolis,
St. Paul, Willmar
Intermodal Hub Centers:
Dilworth, St. Paul
Shops:
Brainerd, Dilworth,
Minneapolis
Administrative offices:
St. Paul
BNSF originated 388,241 carloads of freight in
Minnesota in 2013 with 278,178 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.
In 2014, BNSF embarked on a major program to
expand its capacity along its northern corridor. In
2015, BNSF plans to spend $326 million in Minnesota
to build additional tracks, install new signal systems,
and build sidings, as well as replace and upgrade rail
and cross ties.
7
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
KOOCHICHING
Cook
e
rtl
IOWA
Sax
Kelsey
Payne
Dresser
Osceola
S T. L O U I S
Humboldt Yard
To Stevens Point,
Chicago
WISCONSIN
MN
NR
Minneapolis
St. Paul
Withrow
SUPERIOR, WI
yt
Maple Island
rd
Ya
CN
Trackage rights
8
LAK
N
To Chicago
WISCONSIN
R
RIO
PE
U
ES
R
SS
DULUTH
ma
ga rs e
ke de dg
Po Saun bri
Am
M I N N E S O TA
Marine
CP
New Brighton
t
oc
Pr
or
Pe
Copas
RAMSEY
Taft
Bartlett
Nopeming Jct.
Brewer
CARLETON
Steelton
Oliver
WASHINGTON
HENNEPIN
Shaw
Alborn
Burnett
Saginaw
Munger
To
Waterloo
LAKE
Breda
son Jordan
Brim Norshor Jct.
McNair
Wales
Highland
Waldo
Two Harbors
Central
Lakes
Melrude
Whiteface
on
My
MINNESOTA
Spruce
Iron Jct.
Keenan
Peary
Emco
Mesaba
Wyman
Allen Jct.
Skibo
Fairbanks
ph
Wolf
g en d
bin ilp wooForbes
Hib W her Fairlane
S
Zim
ol
Lyle
Bo
on
nd
Lo
A
LE
Glenville
Buhl
F
BNS
Shelton
Ad
RT
ve
y
Ca -Co
lu ler
Pe met- aine
ng Ma
illy rb
le
BE
MOWER
Gi
lb
Mc ert
Bi Kinl
wa ey
bik
Virginia
Mt Iron
AL
FREEBORN
Minorca
Au
Co rora
lby
I TA S C A
CN
CN
Southern Region
17641 South Ashland Ave.
Homewood, IL 60430-1345
Phone:
Website:
1-800-452-7332, ext. 3508
(708) 332-3508
http://www.cn.ca
Patrick Waldron
Mgr. Public Affairs
Phone:
Cell:
FAX:
Email:
(708) 332-4377
(708) 990-5771
(708) 332-4361
[email protected]
Peter Bistis, Superintendent
Proctor Transportation Office
1052 Railroad Avenue
Proctor, MN 55810
Phone:
FAX:
(218) 628-4106
(218) 628-4152
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.
Duluth, Winnipeg & Pacific started as a logging
railroad serving mills in the Virginia area with predecessor 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.
Contacts:
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
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.
Miles of track owned:
424
Employees:
485
Principal commodities:
Iron ore, potash, energy commodities, wood,
paper, intermodal
9
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
Detroit Lakes
Cloquet
SUPERIOR
Brainerd
To Minot,
Portal
Glenwood
Bu
ff
Ro alo
ck
fo
rd
ST. CLOUD
Dresser
Andover
Hopkins
Shakopee
ge
Hastings
Red Wing
Lake City
Wabasha
Jackson
va
Sa
New Richland
Hartland
W
ell A
s lde
Blooming
Prairie
n
IOWA
10
Austin a
Albert
Albert Lea
To Mason City
Minnesota City
Winona
a
ot
Ey
Mankato
go
ba
ne a
in ad t
W an n
Gr irmo 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 ca
Ow se
a
W ille
on
sv
st n
ne
Ea lava
Ja
De
RCPE
WISCONSIN
ST. PAUL
MINNEAPOLIS
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: Herb M. Jones, Government Affairs
Andy Cummings, Media Relations
Jim Krieger, Public Works Engineer
Phone: Canadian Pacific Railway Limited operates a
13,700-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.
30, 2014, Genesee & Wyoming Inc. bought the west
end of the DM&E, consisting of 670 miles of line
from Tracy, Minnesota to South Dakota, Wyoming
and Nebraska—operating as the Rapid City, Pierre
& Eastern Railroad, Inc.
(605) 782-1223
(612) 851-5616
(612) 904-5994
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’s freight traffic generated revenues of C$6.6
billion in 2014 of which 42 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 37 percent of CP’s revenues. The remaining 21
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.
CP operates a fleet of 1,578 diesel-electric locomotives. Seventy percent are alternating current
(“AC”} units, which are more fuel efficient and reliable
and have superior hauling capacity. CP’s freight car
fleet totals 45,700 cars.
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 owns and operates 1,155 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:
1,155
Operated under trackage rights:
520
Employees:
1,300
Locomotives (2014)
1,578
Major employment locations:
Glenwood,
Minneapolis, St. Paul,
Thief River Falls
In October 2008, CP assumed control of the
DM&E Railroad, which operated more than 2,500
route miles from Chicago west to Kansas City, Missouri and the Black Hills of South Dakota. On May
11
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
12
WISCONSIN
Winona
La
Crosse
To Chicago
UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD
Union Pacific Railroad
Phone:
1400 Douglas Street
Omaha, NE 68179
Website:
(402) 544-5000
1-888-870-8777
http://www.uprr.com
Contacts:
Jason Sokolewicz, Property Sales—Omaha
Rod Peterson, Property Leases—Omaha
Mark Davis, Corporate Relations—Omaha
Mike Blackley, Public Engineering—Omaha
Wayne Borg, Industrial Develop.—Woodridge, IL
Phones:
(402) 544-8580
(402) 544-8644
(402) 544-5459
(402) 544-8144
(630) 427-2355
Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Wes Lujan, Government Affairs, Suite 1910
101 North Wacker Drive; Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 777-2002
[email protected]
24/7 Emergency Hotline:
1-888-877-7267
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.
In 2014, UP originated 185,016 carloads of freight
in Minnesota with 83,166 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 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 47,200 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 566 employees. In 2014, the
company had a payroll of $50.8 million and made
purchases in Minnesota totaling $400.5 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, Missouri.
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:
566
Payroll:
$50.8 million
In-state purchases:
$400.5 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 2014,
Union Pacific spent $55.1 million on capital improvements to its Minnesota lines. UP’s 66,218 freight cars
and 8,463 locomotives benefit the state.
13
CLOQUET TERMINAL RAILROAD COMPANY INC.
2201 Avenue B
P.O. Box 511
Cloquet, MN 55720
Contact: Bruce Baker, General Manager
Phone:
Mobile:
FAX:
Email:
(218) 878-0604
(218) 391-6667
(218) 879-6558
[email protected]
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:
The railroad has 23 full-time employees. The
company owns four locomotives: three diesel-electric
units and one 2,000-h.p. hybrid unit.
Principal commodities:
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 and
Specialty Minerals Inc. (SMI). CTRR handles approximately 6,000 cars per year.
4
23
4
6,000
Logs, paper products
and pulp
Cloquet
BNSF To
Grand Forks
C LOQUET
TERMINAL
R AILROAD
St. Louis R
iver
CTRR Shops
Sappi Mill
CTRR/BNSF
interchange
CLOQUET
BNSF To
Duluth/Superior
14
MINNESOTA COMMERCIAL RAILWAY
508 Cleveland Avenue North
St. Paul, MN 55114
Contact:
Wayne Hall, Director of Operations
Matt Looyen, Dir. of Finance & Asst. to Pres.
John Walsh, Chief Mech. Officer-Cars & Signals
Joe Kellner, Chief Marketing Officer
Phone:
FAX:
Website:
(651) 632-9000
(651) 646-8337
http://www.mnnr.net
Phone:
(651) 632-9022. [email protected]
(651) 632-9008
(651) 632-9020
(651) 632-9018
The railroad serves 82 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)
owns or leases 128 miles of track (plus rights to operate on 20 miles of 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. Its Commercial Transload subsidiary
provides a 60,000 sq. ft. warehouse that specializes in
handling heavy steel and other materials. CTM Trucklines, Inc. is licensed by the U.S. DOT and 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 2014, the Minnesota Commercial
handled 53,200 revenue units. In the past four years,
Minnesota Commercial has spent about $9.5 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 St. Paul Union
Depot. In addition, MNNR services Amtrak trains.
Hugo
Fridley
Arden Hills
MNNR in Minnesota
New Brighton
Miles of track owned or leased:
128
Employees:
102
Annual payroll:
$6 million
Total revenue units:
53,200
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
MINNESOTA COMMERCIAL
15
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:
[email protected]
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. Boise was acquired by Packaging Corporation of America in October 2013.
MD&W in Minnesota
Miles of track owned:
4
Employees:
21
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:
$1,200,000
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
MD&W Railway
Rainy
Lake
Ranier
Falls Jct.
CN/BNSF to
Duluth-Superior
KOOCHICHING
16
MINNESOTA NORTHERN RAILROAD COMPANY
P.O. Box 705 (mailing address)
1420 S. Main St.
Crookston, MN 56716
Phone:
Contacts:
Monique Hollands, Manager of Administration
Jason Bierwerth, Manager of Operations
LeAnn Halland, Manager of 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.
FAX:
1-888-200-0415
(218) 281-4704
(218) 281-4705
Phone:
Email:
Email:
Email:
(218) 281-1750
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Minnesota Northern in Minnesota
Miles of track owned:
Employees:
Total carloads:
Commodities:
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.
120
16
11,000
Grain, seeds,
sugar and sugar by-products,
aggregates, coal, feeds, fertilizers
Number of locomotives:
8
Number of freight cars:
Headquarters, rail yards, shops:
Based in Crookston, Minnesota Northern has
16 employees and handles approximately 11,000
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 eight locomotives; freight cars
are supplied by BNSF or CP and MNN owns
ten 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
E
Thief River Falls
BNSF to
Grand Forks
RTH STAR
L
LRO
AD
St. Hilaire
PENNINGTON
RED LAKE
Crookston
IN
E
NO
AI
ERN
TH
TA NOR
SO
TH
MINNE
Holt
R
10
Crookston
Eldred
Climax
Nielsville
Shelly
17
Tilden Jct.
Erskine
Beltrami
POLK
NORMAN
MAHNOMEN
MINNESOTA PRAIRIE LINE INC.
2925 12th Street East
Glencoe, MN 55336
Phone: (320) 864-7200
FAX:
(320) 864-7220
Website: http://www.tcwr.net
Contacts: Mark Wegner, President
Victor Meyers, VP Operations
Dave Long, VP Marketing & Sales
Robin Bergeron, Dir. Marketing & Sales
Mitch Clementson, Mgr. Marketing & Sales
Jim Hommerding, Gen. Mgr. Operations
Tim Jeske, Gen. Mgr. Mech. & Maintenance
Minnesota Valley Regional Rail Authority
Julie Rath, MVRRA, Administrator
Minnesota Prairie Line Inc. (MPL) is a wholly
owned subsidiary of the Twin Cities & Western Railroad, based in Glencoe, Minnesota.
(507) 637-4084
[email protected]
MPL in Minnesota
Miles of track operated:
94
Total carloads:
More than 5,000
Commodities:
Grains, fertilizer, DDGs, salt,
canned vegetables, ethanol,
butter, magnesium chloride
Headquarters:
Glencoe
Maintenance shops:
Glencoe, Morton
Restoration started in April 2002 and MPL began
operations in October 2002. Since then, rail traffic
has increased year after year. Annual track upgrades
permitted track speeds to increase to 25 mph in
December 2012 from Winthrop east to Norwood.
le
leil
lv
nvni
oto
a
Orrt
O
ess
Od
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Prior to MPL, the rail line 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.
MPL operates 94 miles of track owned by the
Minnesota Valley Regional Railroad Authority (MVRRA) between Norwood and Hanley Falls, Minnesota.
MPL works in partnership with the MVRRA and the
communities it serves to enhance rural economic
development.
Sisseton
Sisseton
(320) 864-7204
(320) 864-7225
(320) 864-7206
(320) 864-7211
(320) 864-7233
(320) 864-7210
(320) 864-7214
BIG STONE
Hanley Falls
SOUTH
DAKOTA
Wo
od
Lak
e
Ec
ho
Be
lvie
w
RENVILLE
MCLEOD
SIBLEY
REDWOOD
E
R I E LI
N
PR
AI
ESO
TA
MI
YELLOW MEDICINE
NN
MINNESOTA
HENNEPIN
lat
OE
o
No
rwo
Bo od
ng
Co ards
log
ne
Jon
atha
n
Cha
nha
Hop ssen
kins
LAC QUI PARLE
WASHINGTON
on
an
ats C H I P P E W A
Mil
hW
t
r
ioo
No
idve
lls
tetve l
nn
o
o
lls Fa rt
h
M
M
gda te Fa ota Hea
e
s
i
W an e ed
Gr Minn acr
S
MINNEAPOLIS
ST. PAUL
Camden
RAMSEY
Pigs Eye/
Daytons Bluff
yards
yards
GL
EN
C
P
Milbank
KANDYOHI
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
A
ANOKA
SWIFT
18
Gib
bo
n
Wi
nth
rop
Ga
ylo
rd
Arl
ing
ton
n
eto
ppl
De
lhi
Re
dw
ood
Fal
ls
Mo
rto
Fra n
nkl
in
Fai
rfa
x
SMRR
Savage
CARVER
Hamburg
Green Isle
SCOTT
DAKOTA
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:
Website:
(507) 283-4269
(507) 283-4272
http://www.mnsouthernrail.com
Brent Polanchek
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.
ballast to strengthen the track structure.
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, corn oil, ethanol, fertilizer, lumber, and
rebar. 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
4
Total carloads
600
Commodities:
Feed, corn oil, ethanol,
fertilizer, lumber, rebar, waste oil
Transload yard and
Administrative offices:
Luverne
The railroad opened a 10-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.
In 2014, MSWY doubled its locomotive fleet by
acquiring two 3,000-h.p. SD40-2 locomotives. For
the last five years, the railroad has focused on rightof-way improvements installing new ties and rock
BNSF to
Willmar,
Twin Cities
Jasper
MSWY
SOUTH
DAKOTA
ROCK
Garretson
Magnolia
Adrian
Rushmore
nl
ey
LUVERNE
NOBLES
Ma
Worthington
Agate
Beaver Creek
SIOUX FALLS
Hills
BNSF to
Sioux City,
Lincoln
MINNESOTA
IOWA
MINNESOTA SOUTHERN RAILWAY
Other railroads
19
UP to
Sioux City,
Omaha
UP to
Mankato,
Twin Cities
NORTHERN LINES RAILWAY, LLC
2015 Sixth Street North
St. Cloud, MN 56303
Contacts:
Justin Chalich, President
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, Minnesota.
Phone:
FAX:
Website:
(320) 253-8130
(320) 253-5282
http://www.anacostia.com/nlr/nlr.html
Phone:
(320) 980-6297
(320) 253-8130
Northern Lines has three 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 10,000 carloads annually, providing
daily switching service to major customers including
Archer Daniels Midland, Borgert Products, Inc., CHS,
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:
8
Total carloads:
10,000
Locomotives
3
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 2014, Wenner Gas and CHS expanded
the Rockville Propane Terminal into one of the largest transfer facilities in the U.S., handling more than
1,000 carloads annually.
RN L
S
R
HE
E
IN
NORT
BNSF to Fargo, Pacific Northwest
AIL
W
AY
BENTON
STERNS
St. Joseph
Rockville
ST. CLOUD
SHERBURNE
BNSF to Minneapolis,
Chicago, Kansas City
20
NORTHERN PLAINS RAILROAD, INC.
114 Main Street South
P.O. Box 38
Fordville, ND 58231
Phone:
FAX:
Web:
Contacts:
Jesse J. Chalich, President
Todd L. Gullickson, Manager Operations
Dan Watson, Superintendent Industrial Switching
(701) 229-3330
(701) 229-3365
www.nprail.com
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
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, North Dakota
and run north and west from Fordville, North Dakota to a connection with the CP at Kenmare, North
Dakota. Northern Plains also connects with CP at
Thief River Falls.
Fordville. 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.
Northern Plains was named 2010 Regional Railroad of the Year by Railway Age magazine.
Northern Plains
Based in Fordville, Northern Plains has 75 employees and serves 40 communities, including six
in Minnesota.
Miles of track:
348 (45 miles in Minnesota)
Employees:
75
Total carloads:
20,000
Locomotives:
25
Freight cars:
60
Principal commodities:
Small grains,
aggregates, frac sand and fertilizer
Administrative offices:
Fordville, N.D.
The company has 25 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, Minnesota and
CPR to
Canada
MARSHALL
To North
Dakota
Points
Oslo
Alvarado
Warren
Radium
Viking
Thief River Falls
NORTH
DAKOTA
PENNINGTON
POLK
RED LAKE
21
CPR to
Twin Cities
OTTER TAIL VALLEY RAILROAD COMPANY
200 North Mill Street
Fergus Falls, MN 56537
Phone:
FAX:
Website:
Contact:
Troy Dodds, Assistant General Manager
Russ Nacke, 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.
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
and now operates as BNSF Railway.
Otter Tail Valley was formed in 1986 and is one of
120 freight 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:
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 is locally managed. OTVR owns three 2,000-to-3,000 h.p.
diesel locomotives. Freight cars are supplied through
BNSF Railway, or are customer leased/owned. OTVR
71
12
3
Grain, coal, ethanol
Fergus Falls
SOUTH DAKOTA
Fr
en
NORTH DAKOTA
ch
Fergus Falls
MINNESOTA
Otter Tail Valley Railroad
Trackage rights
22
PROGRESSIVE RAIL INCORPORATED
Airlake Industrial Park
21778 Highview Ave.
Lakeville, MN 55044
Phone:
FAX:
Email:
Website:
Email:
Contacts:
Dave Fellon, President
Lon Van Gemert, Chief Executive Officer
Doug Whiteley, Chief Financial Officer
Jeanette Lentz 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.
(952) 985-7245
1-888-PRO-RAIL (776-7245)
(952) 985-7626
[email protected]
http://www.progressiverail.com
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
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, Minnesota, tying into its current
Airlake Industrial Park operation and the Rosemount
to Eagandale industrial spur.
The railroad has 130 full-time employees and
owns or leases 11 diesel-electric locomotives.
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:
134
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
Rosemount
Lakeville
Randolph
Cannon Falls
PGR
Trackage rights
Other railroads
Northfield
PROGRESSIVE RAIL
INCORPOR ATED
Faribault
UP to Kansas City, Texas
23
RAPID CITY, PIERRE & EASTERN RAILROAD, INC.
246 Founders Park Drive, Suite 202
Rapid City, SD 57701
Phone:
FAX:
Website:
Contacts: Brad Ovitt, President
Todd Bjornstad, General Manager
Alicia Martin, Asst. VP Sales & Marketing
(605) 877-3699, [email protected]
(605) 877-3699, todd.bjornstad@gwrr com
(605) 515-1846-1223, [email protected]
Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern bought this and
other trackage in 1986, which was subsequently
acquired by Canadian Pacific on October 30, 2008.
The Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad operates 670 route miles of track in four states extending
from Tracy, Minnesota to Rapid City, South Dakota,
north to Colony, Wyoming, south to Dakota Jct., Nebraska, as well as trackage from Dakota Junction to
Crawford, Nebraska.
Genesee & Wyoming Inc., based in Darien, Connecticut, owns or leases 113 freight railroads in 41
states and four Canadian provinces with more than
13,000 track miles.
RCP&E, a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming
Inc., began freight service on June 1, 2014 on former
Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad track acquired
May 30, 2014 from Canadian Pacific Railway.
RCP&E In Minnesota
Based in Rapid City, RCP&E has 183 employees;
most were hired from the DM&E.
Miles of track owned:
670 (45 in Minnesota)
Employees: 183
Locomotives: 53
Annual carloads: (2014)
More than 60,000
Rail yard in Minnesota:
Tracy
Commodities: Grain, bentonite clay, ethanol,
fertilizer, and other products
RCP&E connects with BNSF, Canadian Pacific and
Union Pacific and handles more than 60,000 carloads
annually. Mechanical shops are located in Huron and
Rapid City, South Dakota.
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The original line from Tracy to the South Dakota
state line was built in 1879 by the Chicago & Dakota
Railway, a predecessor of the Chicago and North
Western. The line was completed to Rapid City in
1907.
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RCP&E
Canadian Pacific
24
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To Rapid City,
Texas and
West Coast
(605) 877-3699
(605) 341-3703
http://www.gwrr.com
RED RIVER VALLEY & WESTERN RAILROAD
CO.
Contacts:
Nathan Asplund, CEO and President
Daniel L. Zink, Director of Administration
Website:
P.O. Box 608
209 Dakota Avenue
Wahpeton, ND 58075
Sharon Trudell, Vice President – Marketing
Dan Keogh, Transportation Manager
Cal Gruebele, Track & Structures Manager
Dave Volk, Freight Car Repair Manager
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 $28 million has been allocated for capital projects. In 2015, RRVW plans to
spend an additional $14 million to replace 37 miles
of track with heavier rail—the largest capital project
to date. 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. 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 (2014):
56,940
Locomotives:
15
Commodities:
Grain, 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 some
40 grain elevators (including two shuttle 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,
Minnesota, while administrative offices are located
across the Red River in Wahpeton, North Dakota.
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
MINNESOTA
Kent
Colfax
WILKIN
N. DAKOTA
R A I L R O A D C O M PA N Y
Dwight
To Oakes
y
RICHLAND
on
RRV&W
Trackage rights
Doran
Campbell
Aberdeen
Line Jct.
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25
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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
P.O. Box 563 (mailing address)
Rush City, MN 55069
Phone:
Contacts:
Monique Hollands, Manager of Administration
Jason Bierwerth, Manager of Operations
LeAnn Halland, Customer Service
FAX:
1-888-200-0415
(320) 358-0383
(320) 358-0276
Phone:
Email:
Email:
Email:
(218) 281-1750
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Principal commodities carried include grain,
flour, and fertilizers. The railroad handles approximately 7,000 carloads annually and is locally
managed. The railroad owns four 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 five 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:
36
5
7,000
Grain, flour,
fertilizers and frac sand
Locomotives:
4
Headquarters, rail yards, shops:
Rush City
SF
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BNSF to Minneapolis
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North Branch
26
TWIN CITIES & WESTERN RAILROAD COMPANY
2925 12th Street East
Glencoe, MN 55336
Phone: (320) 864-7200 or 1-800-290-TCWR (8297)
FAX:
(320) 864-7220
Website: www.tcwr.net
Contact: Mark Wegner, President
Victor Meyers, VP Operations
Dave Long, VP Marketing and Sales
Robin Bergeron, Dir. Marketing & Sales
Mitch Clementson, Mgr. Marketing & Sales
Jim Hommerding, Gen. Mgr. Operations
Tim Jeske, Gen. Mgr. Mech. & Maintenance
Katie Masog, Dir. of Accounting
Holli Schafer, Mgr. Revenue Accounting
Lori Koelln, Mgr. Car Accounting & Utilization
Subsidiaries include Minnesota Prairie Line, Inc.
and Sisseton Milbank Railroad Company.
TC&W in Minnesota
Miles of track owned:
Employees:
Locomotives:
Freight cars:
Total carloads:
Operations began on July 27, 1991 between
Minneapolis-St. Paul and Milbank, South Dakota over
what was formerly known as the “Ortonville Line,”
operated by the Soo Line (now Canadian Pacific).
Previously, it was part of the former Milwaukee
Road’s main line to the Pacific Northwest. Track was
constructed in the 1870s by the Hastings & Dakota
Railway.
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Twin Cities & Western
Minnesota Prairie Line
Trackage rights
MINNESOTA
ANOKA
WASHINGTON
HENNEPIN
MINNEAPOLIS
ST. PAUL
RAMSEY
Pigs Eye/
Daytons Bluff
yards
yards
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DAKOTA
TC&W
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80
14
More than 500
18,000
Commodities:
Grains, edible beans, sugar,
coal, fertilizers, beet pulp pellets, DDGs,
plastics, lumber, limestone, canned and frozen
vegetables, ethanol, LPG, animal fats/tallow,
corn oil, crushed rock, machinery, animal feeds
Headquarters:
Glencoe
Maintenance shops:
Glencoe, Morton
TC&W interchanges in the Twin Cities with BNSF,
Canadian Pacific, CN, Minnesota Commercial and
Union Pacific. TC&W serves Minnesota River terminals at Savage and can also access all other major
river terminals via its connecting rail carriers.
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[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
TC&W has about 80 employees, most of them
working out of the Glencoe terminal.
The Twin Cities and Western Railroad (TC&W)
operates 229 miles of track and serves some of
Minnesota’s most productive agricultural counties.
TC&W shipments consist primarily of agricultural
products. The railroad also provides a truck/rail
transload service at Montevideo and Glencoe, Minnesota and rail car storage services.
BIG STONE
(320) 864-7204
(320) 864-7225
(320) 864-7206
(320) 864-7211
(320) 864-7233
(320) 864-7210
(320) 864-7214
(320) 864-7207
(320) 864-7203
(320) 864-7216
Savage
CARVER
Hamburg
Green Isle
SCOTT
DAKOTA
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:
[email protected]
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.
One of the most popular long-distance passenger trains in America, the Empire Builder carried a total of
142,262 passengers to and from Minnesota stations in FY 2014.
Amtrak has more than 20,000 employees including 43 in Minnesota. Payroll in the state in FY 2014 was
approximately $4.0 million. In the same period, Amtrak spent $24.8 million for goods and services in the state.
Minnesota is in Amtrak’s Central Division, which is based in Chicago.
Amtrak returned passenger train service to St. Paul Union Depot on May 7, 2014. Union Depot and the track
within the 33-acre property are owned by the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority.
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 2013,
Amtrak carried a record 31.6 million passengers on more than 300 daily trains.
In 2015, Amtrak completed 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
Chicago and St. Paul-Minneapolis, using the same route as the Empire Builder, and possibly extending service
to St. Cloud.
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.
28
29
&
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
2015
2015