Minnesota Prairie Line
Encyclopedia
Minnesota Prairie Line is a short-line railroad in the U.S. state
of Minnesota
which started operations in October 2002. It is a subsidiary of the Twin Cities and Western Railroad
(TC&W), and runs on 94 miles (151.3 km) of track owned by the Minnesota Valley Regional Railroad Authority (MVRRA). It has been partially funded through federal and state government sources. The tracks were originally built by the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway
around 1880 between Norwood and Morton, and 1884 west of their. From Morton west, the line was built by Wisconsin, Minnesota & PAcific Railway, which was purchased by M&STL in the late 1880's The line connects on its eastern end to parent TC&W at Norwood, and extends westward to Hanley Falls, Minnesota
.
The Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway was acquired by Chicago and North Western
in 1960, though C&NW eventually abandoned the Minnesota Prairie Line tracks in 1982. The MVRRA was created that summer and acquired the rails. Companies including the Minnesota Valley Authority (MNVA) and the Minnesota Central Railroad (MCTA) attempted to take over the line thereafter, but had little to no success. The line was again abandoned in 2000, and continued to deteriorate for two years.
Twin Cities and Western employees took an exploratory journey along the track in April 2002 to determine its condition. The track was rehabilitated over the summer, but could still only support speeds of 5 mile per hour by the time the first revenue train ran in October. MPLI initially used two former TC&W EMD GP10s, which had the MPLI logo applied to them on the long hood side. Currently, MPLI utilizes Red River Valley and Western
Caterpillar Generation II locomotives (GP20C
s and GP15Cs). Trains typically run five days per week between Norwood and Wood Lake, Minnesota
, with service as needed to Hanley Falls. Track condition remained poor as of 2009, still only supporting speeds of 10 mph or less, but the railroad had success in securing state and federal funding that year, and hopes to upgrade track to support 25 mph traffic, particularly on the segment from Norwood to Winthrop
where there is an ethanol
plant.
The line meets BNSF tracks in Hanley Falls. BNSF now owns the ex-M&StL track west of the city, as well as the ex-Great Northern track running southwest through town from Willmar
.
The communities of Fairfax
and Belview
still have old Minneapolis and St. Louis train stations preserved in their towns, turned into museums. The Fairfax building is still in its original location right next to the tracks, while the one in Belview has been moved.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
which started operations in October 2002. It is a subsidiary of the Twin Cities and Western Railroad
Twin Cities and Western Railroad
The Twin Cities and Western Railroad is a railroad operating in the U.S. state of Minnesota which started operations on July 27, 1991. Trackage includes the former Soo Line Railroad "Ortonville Line", originally built as the first part of the Pacific extension of the Milwaukee Road...
(TC&W), and runs on 94 miles (151.3 km) of track owned by the Minnesota Valley Regional Railroad Authority (MVRRA). It has been partially funded through federal and state government sources. The tracks were originally built by the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway
Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway
The Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway was an American Class I railroad that built and operated lines radiating south and west from Minneapolis, Minnesota which existed for 90 years from 1870 to 1960....
around 1880 between Norwood and Morton, and 1884 west of their. From Morton west, the line was built by Wisconsin, Minnesota & PAcific Railway, which was purchased by M&STL in the late 1880's The line connects on its eastern end to parent TC&W at Norwood, and extends westward to Hanley Falls, Minnesota
Hanley Falls, Minnesota
Hanley Falls is a city in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 304 at the 2010 census.Hanley Falls has two grain elevators run by the local farmers co-op and is the site of an annual thresher show.-Geography:...
.
The Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway was acquired by 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...
in 1960, though C&NW eventually abandoned the Minnesota Prairie Line tracks in 1982. The MVRRA was created that summer and acquired the rails. Companies including the Minnesota Valley Authority (MNVA) and the Minnesota Central Railroad (MCTA) attempted to take over the line thereafter, but had little to no success. The line was again abandoned in 2000, and continued to deteriorate for two years.
Twin Cities and Western employees took an exploratory journey along the track in April 2002 to determine its condition. The track was rehabilitated over the summer, but could still only support speeds of 5 mile per hour by the time the first revenue train ran in October. MPLI initially used two former TC&W EMD GP10s, which had the MPLI logo applied to them on the long hood side. Currently, MPLI utilizes Red River Valley and Western
Red River Valley and Western Railroad
The Red River Valley and Western Railroad is a regional railroad operating in the US states of North Dakota and Minnesota, which began operations in 1987...
Caterpillar Generation II locomotives (GP20C
EMD GP20
An EMD GP20 is a 4-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between November 1959 and April 1962. Power was provided by an EMD 567D2 16-cylinder turbocharged engine which generated 2000 horsepower...
s and GP15Cs). Trains typically run five days per week between Norwood and Wood Lake, Minnesota
Wood Lake, Minnesota
Wood Lake is a city in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 439 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
, with service as needed to Hanley Falls. Track condition remained poor as of 2009, still only supporting speeds of 10 mph or less, but the railroad had success in securing state and federal funding that year, and hopes to upgrade track to support 25 mph traffic, particularly on the segment from Norwood to Winthrop
Winthrop, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,367 people, 591 households, and 346 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,303.8 people per square mile . There were 632 housing units at an average density of 602.8 per square mile...
where there is an ethanol
Ethanol fuel
Ethanol fuel is ethanol , the same type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. It is most often used as a motor fuel, mainly as a biofuel additive for gasoline. World ethanol production for transport fuel tripled between 2000 and 2007 from 17 billion to more than 52 billion litres...
plant.
The line meets BNSF tracks in Hanley Falls. BNSF now owns the ex-M&StL track west of the city, as well as the ex-Great Northern track running southwest through town from Willmar
Willmar, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,351 people, 7,302 households, and 4,461 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,549.9 people per square mile . There were 7,789 housing units at an average density of 657.8 per square mile...
.
The communities of Fairfax
Fairfax, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,295 people, 534 households, and 335 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,006.6 people per square mile . There were 589 housing units at an average density of 457.8 per square mile...
and Belview
Belview, Minnesota
Belview is a city in Redwood County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 384 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
still have old Minneapolis and St. Louis train stations preserved in their towns, turned into museums. The Fairfax building is still in its original location right next to the tracks, while the one in Belview has been moved.