The Lakes Subdivision or Lakes Sub is a railway line operated by BNSF Railway

BNSF Railway

The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...

 that runs about 157 miles (252.7 km) from the Grand Forks Subdivision at Cass Lake, Minnesota

Cass Lake, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 860 people, 331 households, and 192 families residing in the city. The population density was 753.2 people per square mile . There were 384 housing units at an average density of 336.3 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 30.12% White, 64.42%...

 to Superior, Wisconsin

Superior, Wisconsin

Superior is a city in and the county seat of Douglas County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 26,960 at the 2010 census. Located at the junction of U.S. Highways 2 and 53, it is north of and adjacent to both the Village of Superior and the Town of Superior.Superior is at the western...

, where there are a number of lines. U.S. Highway 2 runs parallel to the line for most of its route. U.S. 2 continues across the St. Louis River east of Brookston

Brookston, Minnesota

Brookston is a city in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States; located along the Saint Louis River, opposite the mouth of the Artichoke River. It serves as one of three administrative centers for the Fond du Lac Indian Reservation. The population was 141 at the 2010 census.Brookston is...

, while the rail line stays on the southern bank of the river. Prior to the creation of BNSF, the line was operated by the Burlington Northern Railroad

Burlington Northern Railroad

The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States-based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1996....

 as part of their Lake Superior Division. Today, it is operated by BNSF's Twin Cities Division.

BNSF's Casco Subdivision to Hibbing

Hibbing, Minnesota

Hibbing is a city in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 16,361 at the 2010 census. The city was built on the rich iron ore of the Mesabi Iron Range. At the edge of town is the largest open-pit iron mine in the world. U.S...

 connects to the Lakes Sub on both ends, at Gunn near Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 7,764 people, 3,446 households, and 1,943 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,057.8 people per square mile . There were 3,621 housing units at an average density of 493.3 per square mile...

 and at Brookston. The Lakes Sub also has a junction with the Brainerd Subdivision at Carlton

Carlton, Minnesota

Carlton is a city in Carlton County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 862 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Carlton County.Minnesota State Highways 45 and 210; and County Roads 1 and 3 are four of the main routes in the community....

 and the Hinckley Subdivision

Hinckley Subdivision

The Hinckley Subdivision or Hinckley Sub is a railway line operated by BNSF Railway between Coon Rapids, Minnesota and Boylston Junction between Foxboro and Superior, Wisconsin...

 at Boylston in Wisconsin.

As of 2009, the line carried about seven trains per day which primarily had loads of coal

Coal

Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...

 and taconite

Taconite

Taconite is a variety of iron formation, an iron-bearing sedimentary rock, in which the iron minerals are interlayered with quartz, chert, or carbonate...

.