The Minneapolis and Rainy River Railway was a 97 miles (156 km) long American short line railroad used primarily for logging activities in northern Minnesota in the early 20th century. It was incorporated on July 20, 1901 and was owned by the Itasca Lumber Company. Less than two weeks after its inception, the railway purchased the property of the Itasca Railroad.

Due to the abundance of liver sausage in the logging camps along the line, it was nicknamed the "Gut and Liver Line." Ironically, despite its name, the Minneapolis and Rainy River Railway never got within 200 miles of Minneapolis

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...

 nor within 75 miles of the Rainy River

Rainy River (Minnesota-Ontario)

The Rainy River is a river, approximately long, which forms part of the U.S.-Canada border separating northern Minnesota and Northwestern Ontario....

.

Faced with the dramatic reduction of logging activities and the effects of the Great Depression

Great Depression

The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...

, the railway reduced its services and ultimately abandoned its activities in 1932.