« :: MAC Commissioners Don't Get It | Main | :: Most Shocking Results Evah! »
March 10, 2007
:: Minnesota...Everyone Wants a Train
Amtrak's North Star train at Duluth's Union Station ca. early-1980's. Photo by Dave Schauer, from duluthsuperior.railfan.net
Last year, news broke about folks up in Duluth yearning for a commuter rail service to the Twin Cities. Only two decades after Amtrak's unprofitable North Star train ceased to operate, and during unprecedented hype over new commuter and light rail possibilies for the Twin Cities, proponents of the proposed line are now sparring politically with proponents of an already-struggling-for-support parallel line. The "Rush Line" which is proposed to run from St. Paul to Hinckley has been in the works for about twice the amount of time as the Duluth line.
Here is the hitch, however...the Rush Line would need huge improvements, including a trackage rebuild, whereas the Duluth line would not. The Rush Line would operate over a long-abandonded roadbed that used to serve the North Star. From White Bear Lake to Rush City the line was pulled up, and now a popular recreational trail graces the roadbed. Trackage does exist from Rush City up to Hinckley where (coincidentally enough) it meets up with the tracks that Duluth line proponents wish to utilize.
The Duluth line - cueing off of the Northstar Commuter Rail line which is nearing finalization of pre-construction stages - would utilize an already busy freight rail line owned by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF). Known as the "Hinckley Sub" this line spurs off of the "Staples Sub" of the BNSF - the same tracks that will carry Northstar Commuter Rail passengers - at Coon Rapids, and follows up MN Hwy 65 to Cambridge and then up along MN Hwy 23 through Hinckley up to Duluth. The line already supports not only BNSF traffic, but also trains from the Union Pacific, Canadian Pacific and Canadian National. It is really the only link between the Twin Ports of Lake Superior and huge intermodal transportation centers of the Twin Cities.
Duluth line rail proponents, however, envision a train that runs 65-80 mph from Duluth non-stop to the Twin Cities. While stations have not been finalized, there have been political rumblings as to where they will be...which has been perfect fodder for Rush Line supporters to use in their fight to win over government support. The Rush Line is thought to have several stops...Hinckley, Pine City, Rush City, Wyoming, Forest Lake, etc...making it truly a bedroom community line.
But, alas, these aren't the only proposed lines that public folk and private citizens alike are clamboring for about the state. Also out of St. Paul and heading down to Rosemount, or possibly Hastings/Red Wing, would be the proposed "Red Rock" line (named after the trackage now owned by Union Pacific and Canadian Pacific that the line would run over). From Minneapolis, the old Minneapolis and St. Louis tracks now being utilized by the Twin Cities and Western Railway is another target for commuter rail, which would serve Eden Prairie, Chanhassen, Chaska, and the new sprawl in Carver County. Finally, once touted, then forgotten, but not dead yet, is the Dan Patch Line (formerly a railway of the same name, then the Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern, and now owned by Canadian Pacific and operated by local shortline Progressive Rail). The Dan Patch would have come full circle if returned to passenger service, as Col. Marion Savage worked up the plan for his railroad to carry passengers from Minneapolis to Dubuqe, IA back in the late 19th century. Current efforts would serve the "spine line" communities along the Hwy 100 corridoor, and then south of the Minnesota River through Burnsville, Lakeville, and possibly south through Dakota county into Northfield.
Below I have doctored up a map of the Twin Cities Metro, roughly showing the locations of all these proposed lines. I also drew in the LRT lines (the existing Hiawatha Line and the forthcoming University/Midway line to St. Paul.).
Posted by pierre at March 10, 2007 6:55 PM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.meggisi.org/mt4.01/mt-tb.cgi/266