Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad was a Class I railroad
subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway
in the Midwest U.S. Commonly known as the Soo Line after the phonetic spelling of Sault, it was merged with several other major CP subsidiaries on January 1, 1961 to form the Soo Line Railroad
. As time passes, more and more Soo Line equipment is being repainted into the Canadian Pacific's current paint scheme, slowly erasing the Soo's identity as a subsidiary railroad.
, Chicago and North Western
and Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
railroads. The Soo Line also had no direct access to Milwaukee.
The primary trains operated by the Soo were:
Additionally, local trains served Chicago to Minneapolis-St. Paul, Duluth-Superior to Minneapolis-St. Paul, Duluth to Thief River Falls, Minnesota
, and some summer-only services which relieved The Mountaineer of the local work along its route.
, some in operational condition. Some of the more notable equipment is:
Class I railroad
A Class I railroad in the United States and Mexico, or a Class I rail carrier in Canada, is a large freight railroad company, as classified based on operating revenue.Smaller railroads are classified as Class II and Class III...
subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
in the Midwest U.S. Commonly known as the Soo Line after the phonetic spelling of Sault, it was merged with several other major CP subsidiaries on January 1, 1961 to form the Soo Line Railroad
Soo Line Railroad
The Soo Line Railroad is the primary United States railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway , controlled through the Soo Line Corporation, and one of seven U.S. Class I railroads. Although it is named for the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste...
. As time passes, more and more Soo Line equipment is being repainted into the Canadian Pacific's current paint scheme, slowly erasing the Soo's identity as a subsidiary railroad.
Passenger service
The Soo Line was never a major carrier of passenger traffic since its route between Chicago and Minneapolis was much longer than the competing Milwaukee RoadChicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until its merger into the Soo Line Railroad on January 1, 1986. The company went through several official names...
, Chicago and North Western
Chicago and North Western Railway
The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s...
and Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
railroads. The Soo Line also had no direct access to Milwaukee.
The primary trains operated by the Soo were:
- The Laker which operated an overnight service from Chicago's Grand Central StationGrand Central Station (Chicago)Grand Central Station was a passenger railroad terminal in downtown Chicago, Illinois, from 1890 to 1969. It was located at 201 W. Harrison Street in the south-western part of the Chicago Loop, the block bounded by Harrison Street, Wells Street, Polk Street and the Chicago River...
to Duluth-SuperiorTwin PortsThe Twin Ports of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin are located at the western part of Lake Superior and together are considered the largest freshwater port in the world. They are twin cities and seaports, connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence...
with a portion to Minneapolis-St. Paul. An additional portion served Ashland, WisconsinAshland, WisconsinAshland is a city in Ashland and Bayfield counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The city is a port on Lake Superior, near the head of Chequamegon Bay. The population was 8,695 at the 2010 census....
until January 1959. The Laker was discontinued completely on January 15, 1965. - The WinnipegerWinnipeger (passenger train)In October 1904 the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway began over-night passenger service between the Twin Cities and Winnipeg, Manitoba. The train consisted of a mail and baggage cars, two passenger cars, a sleeper and dining car...
which operated an overnight Minneapolis-St. Paul to Winnipeg, ManitobaWinnipegWinnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
service. It was discontinued in March 1967. - A Minneapolis-St. Paul to western CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
service. During the 1920s and 1930s the Soo Line operated the Soo-Pacific, a summer only Chicago to VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
service with the Canadian Pacific RailwayCanadian Pacific RailwayThe Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
. This later became The Mountaineer, which was then reduced to Minneapolis-St. Paul to Vancouver, before being discontinued in early August 1960. The Mountaineer was a summer season only train, that carried exclusively sleeping cars but no coaches. During the non-summer months, the train ran as the Soo-Dominion from Minneapolis-St. Paul to Moose Jaw, SaskatchewanMoose Jaw, SaskatchewanMoose Jaw is a city in south-central Saskatchewan, Canada on the Moose Jaw River. It is situated on the Trans-Canada Highway, west of Regina. Residents of Moose Jaw are known as Moose Javians. It is best known as a retirement and tourist city that serves as a hub to the hundreds of small towns...
, where it was combined into Canadian Pacific RailwayCanadian Pacific RailwayThe Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
's The Dominion transcontinental passenger train. It was cut back to a Saint Paul to Portal, North DakotaPortal, North DakotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 131 people, 63 households, and 43 families residing in the city. The population density was 232.8 people per square mile . There were 98 housing units at an average density of 174.1 per square mile...
run after CP discontinued passenger service to Portal at the end of 1960, before being discontinued entirely in December 1963. - A Minneapolis-St. Paul to Sault Ste. Marie, MichiganSault Ste. Marie, MichiganSault Ste. Marie is a city in and the county seat of Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is in the north-eastern end of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, on the Canadian border, separated from its twin city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, by the St. Marys River...
overnight train. Discontinued March 1959.
Additionally, local trains served Chicago to Minneapolis-St. Paul, Duluth-Superior to Minneapolis-St. Paul, Duluth to Thief River Falls, Minnesota
Thief River Falls, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,410 people, 3,619 households, and 2,091 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,760.0 people per square mile . There were 3,931 housing units at an average density of 822.7 per square mile...
, and some summer-only services which relieved The Mountaineer of the local work along its route.
Presidents
The Presidents of the Soo Line were:- William D. WashburnWilliam D. WashburnWilliam Drew Washburn was an American politician. He served in both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate as a Republican from Minnesota. Three of his seven brothers became politicians: Elihu B. Washburne, Cadwallader C. Washburn, and Israel Washburn, Jr...
, 1883–1889. - Thomas LowryThomas LowryThomas Lowry was a lawyer, real-estate magnate, and businessman who oversaw much of the early growth the streetcar lines in the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis, St. Paul, and surrounding communities in Minnesota...
, 1889–1890, 1892–1909. - F. N. Finney, 1890–1892.
- Edmund Pennington, 1909–1922.
- G. R. Huntingdon, 1922–1923.
- C. T. Jaffray, 1924–1937.
- G. W. Webster, 1937–1944.
- H. C. Grout, 1944–1949.
- G. Allen MacNamara, 1950–1960.
Timeline
- September 29, 1883: A consortium of flour mill owners in Minneapolis form the Minneapolis, Sault Ste. Marie and Atlantic Railway to build a railroad between its two namesake cities to avoid sending shipments through ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. - June 11, 1888: The Canadian Pacific RailwayCanadian Pacific RailwayThe Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
acquires control of the Minneapolis, Sault Ste. Marie and Atlantic Railway, consolidating it with the Minneapolis and Pacific Railway, Minneapolis and St. Croix Railway, and Aberdeen, Bismarck and North Western Railway to form the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway. - 1904: The Soo Line acquires the Bismarck, Washburn and Great Falls Railway.
- 1908: The Soo Line acquires a majority interest in the Wisconsin Central Railway, and obtains a 99-year lease of the property in 1909.
- 1910: The Soo line acquires the Cuyuna Iron Range Railway.
- 1913: The Soo Line acquires the Minnesota Northwestern Electric RailwayMinnesota Northwestern Electric RailwayThe Minnesota Northwestern Electric Railway was an interurban gasoline-electric railway which operated passenger and freight service between Thief River Falls, Minnesota and Goodridge, Minnesota, operating from 1914 to 1940. The railway also served Silverton Township and Mavie. There were several...
and the Fairmount and Veblen RailwayFairmount and Veblen RailwayThe Fairmount and Veblen Railway was a short line railroad which operated in Richland County, North Dakota; Roberts County, South Dakota; and Marshall County, South Dakota....
. - 1921: The Soo Line acquires the Wisconsin and Northern Railroad.
- 1932: The Wisconsin Central Railway enters receivership.
- December 31, 1937: The Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway files for bankruptcy.
- 1944: The Wisconsin Central Railway enters bankruptcy.
- September 1, 1944: The Soo Line reorganization takes effect, emerging as the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad.
- 1953: The Valley City Street and Interuban Railway is sold to the Soo Line.
- 1954: The Wisconsin Central emerges from its bankruptcy as the Wisconsin Central Railroad.
- January 1, 1961: The Soo Line RailroadSoo Line RailroadThe Soo Line Railroad is the primary United States railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway , controlled through the Soo Line Corporation, and one of seven U.S. Class I railroads. Although it is named for the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste...
is formed through a merger of the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad, Wisconsin Central Railroad, and Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railroad.
Preservation
A number of the railroad's rolling stock has been preserved in museums across AmericaUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, some in operational condition. Some of the more notable equipment is:
Steam locomotives
- Soo Line 321 – A restored B class 0-6-00-6-0Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
built in 1887 by Rhode Island Locomotive WorksRhode Island Locomotive WorksRhode Island Locomotive Works was a steam locomotive manufacturing company of the 19th century located in Providence, Rhode Island. The factory produced more than 3,400 locomotives between 1867 and 1906, when the plants locomotive production was shut down...
. Later rebuilt as an 0-6-0 tank engine, numbered X-90 and used as a shop swithcer. Rebuilt back to a tender engine in preservation. - Soo Line 346 – A restored B-4 classSoo Line B-4 classThe Soo Line B-4 class were 0-6-0 steam locomotives constructed for the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway by the American Locomotive Company...
0-6-00-6-0Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
built in 1915 by ALCOAmerican Locomotive CompanyThe American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:...
. - Soo Line 353Soo Line 353Soo Line 353 is a restored 0-6-0 type steam locomotive of the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway B-4 class. It is now owned & operated by WMSTR every Labor Day weekend....
– A restored B-4 classSoo Line B-4 classThe Soo Line B-4 class were 0-6-0 steam locomotives constructed for the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway by the American Locomotive Company...
0-6-00-6-0Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
built in 1920 by ALCOAmerican Locomotive CompanyThe American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:...
. - Soo Line 950 – A 2-10-02-10-0Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-10-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, ten powered and coupled driving wheels on five axles, and no trailing wheels...
locomotive, the only one of its type on the Soo, it is displayed in front of the old Soo Line Depot in Ashland, WisconsinAshland, WisconsinAshland is a city in Ashland and Bayfield counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The city is a port on Lake Superior, near the head of Chequamegon Bay. The population was 8,695 at the 2010 census....
. - Soo Line 1003Soo Line 1003Soo Line 1003 is a restored 2-8-2 Mikado type steam locomotive of the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway L-1 class. It is occasionally operated on the major railroads of the American Upper Midwest....
– A restored 2-8-22-8-2Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
built in 1913 by ALCOAmerican Locomotive CompanyThe American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:...
. - Soo Line 2654 – An E-25 class 4-6-04-6-0Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This wheel arrangement became the second-most popular...
built by the Brooks Locomotive WorksBrooks Locomotive WorksThe Brooks Locomotive Works manufactured steam railroad locomotives and freight cars from 1869 through its merger into the American Locomotive Company until 1934.-History:...
in 1900 for the Wisconsin Central RailwayWisconsin Central RailwayThe original Wisconsin Central Railroad Company was established by an act of the Wisconsin State Legislature and incorporated in February 1871. It built track throughout Wisconsin, connecting to neighboring states, before being leased to Northern Pacific Railway between 1889–1893...
as their No. 247. - Soo Line 2713Soo Line 2713Soo Line 2713 is an H-21 class 4-6-2 steam locomotive that was built for the Wisconsin Central Railway in May 1911. The WC had fallen under the control of the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste...
– A restored H-21 class 4-6-24-6-24-6-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle .These locomotives are also known as Pacifics...
built in 1913 by ALCO SchenectadyAmerican Locomotive CompanyThe American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:...
. It is located in Depot Park in Stevens Point, WisconsinStevens Point, WisconsinStevens Point is the county seat of Portage County, Wisconsin, United States. Located in the central part of the state, it is the largest city in the county, with a population of 24,551 at the 2000 census...
. This park also includes Soo Line Caboose 158. - Soo Line 2714 – A restored H-22 class 4-6-24-6-24-6-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle .These locomotives are also known as Pacifics...
built in 1914 by ALCO SchenectadyAmerican Locomotive CompanyThe American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:...
. It is located in Lakeside Park in Fond Du Lac, WisconsinFond du Lac, WisconsinFond du Lac is a city in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, United States. The name is French for bottom of the lake, for it is located at the bottom of Lake Winnebago. The population was 42,203 at the 2000 census...
. - Soo Line 2718Soo Line 2718Soo Line 2718 is a Pacific class 4-6-2 steam locomotive that was originally owned by the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway , but operated by their subsidiary, the Wisconsin Central Railway.- History :...
– A restored H-23 class 4-6-24-6-24-6-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle .These locomotives are also known as Pacifics...
built in 1923 by ALCOAmerican Locomotive CompanyThe American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:...
. - Soo Line 2719Soo Line 2719Soo Line 2719 is a restored 4-6-2 steam locomotive that was originally operated by the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway . The 2719 was used to haul the Soo Line's last steam-powered train, on a June 21, 1959, round-trip excursion between Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Ladysmith,...
– A restored H-23 class 4-6-24-6-24-6-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle .These locomotives are also known as Pacifics...
built in 1923 by ALCOAmerican Locomotive CompanyThe American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:...
. This locomotive hauled the Soo Line's last steam-powered train in excursion service in 1959.
Diesel locomotives
- Soo 500-A an EMD FP7EMD FP7The EMD FP7 was a , B-B dual-service passenger and freight-hauling diesel locomotive produced between June 1949 and December 1953 by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division and General Motors Diesel. Final assembly was at GM-EMD's La Grange, Illinois plant, excepting locomotives destined for...
displayed at Ladysmith, WisconsinLadysmith, WisconsinLadysmith is a city in Rusk County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,932 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rusk County. It is the former location of Mount Senario College, which closed in 2002 due to significant debt. For the 2006-2007 school year, part of the former campus... - Soo 2500-A an EMD FP-7, at the Lake Superior Railroad MuseumLake Superior Railroad MuseumThe Lake Superior Railroad Museum is a railroad museum in Duluth, Minnesota.The museum has seven steam, fourteen diesel and two electric locomotives, and over 40 other pieces of rolling stock...
, Duluth, MinnesotaDuluth, MinnesotaDuluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
. Restored for use on their North Shore Scenic RailroadNorth Shore Scenic RailroadThe North Shore Scenic Railroad is a heritage railroad that operates between Duluth, Minnesota and Two Harbors, Minnesota, USA.The railroad is owned by the Lake Superior Railroad Museum and offers several different types of passenger excursion trains between May 28 and October 15 each year...
.