St. Croix Valley Railroad
Encyclopedia
The St. Croix Valley Railroad is a Class III
short line railroad that operates over 36 miles (58 kilometres) of track in eastern Minnesota
. The railroad is co-owned by KBN Incorporated and Independent Locomotive Service and is headquartered in Rush City, Minnesota
.
As of 2008, the St. Croix Valley Railroad handled approximately 3,700 carloads per year. The primary commodities hauled included, chemicals, grain
, flour
, and fertilizer
s.
The St. Croix Valley Railroad interchanges with the BNSF Railway
in Hinckley, Minnesota
.
, purchased two segments of track in eastern Minnesota
from the BNSF Railway
. Also included in the sale were 8 miles (13 kilometres) of trackage rights
on the BNSF Hinckley Subdivision between Hinckley, Minnesota
and Brook Park, Minnesota
.
The two segments of track initially acquired by the St. Croix Valley Railroad included the 36 mile (58 kilometre) Amber Subdivision between Hinckley, Minnesota
and North Branch, Minnesota
and an 11 mile (18 kilometre) spur of the Hinckley Subdivision between Brook Park, Minnesota
and Mora, Minnesota
.
Before the BNSF Railway
gained ownership of the portion of the Amber Subdivision subsequently sold to the St. Croix Valley Railroad, the line was owned by the Burlington Northern Railroad
. Before that, it was owned by the Northern Pacific Railway
and formed that railroad’s so-called "Skally Line" from St. Paul, Minnesota to Duluth, Minnesota
. This line was originally built as the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad
, later the St. Paul and Duluth Railroad
. The Great Northern Railway, however, also had tracks that followed roughly the same route. When both the Great Northern Railway and the Northern Pacific Railway
merged to form the Burlington Northern Railroad
in 1970, the "Skally Line" became redundant and portions of it slowly became abandoned. Along with the segment operated by the St. Croix Valley Railroad, the only other portions that remain today are small pieces near St. Paul, Minnesota (currently operated by the Minnesota Commercial Railway
) and Duluth, Minnesota
(currently operated by the BNSF Railway
). The abandoned portions of the route have been changed converted to rail trails: the Willard Munger State Trail
(also known as Hinckley Fire
Trail) between Hinckley and Duluth
, and the Hardwood Creek Trail and Sunrise Prairie Trail between North Branch and Hugo
.
The 11 mile (18 kilometere) spur sold by the BNSF Railway to the St. Croix Valley Railroad was also formerly owned by the Burlington Northern Railroad
. Before that, it was owned by the Great Northern Railway and formed a line that went from Brook Park, Minnesota
to St. Cloud, Minnesota
.
In March 2003, unsafe track conditions that led to an embargo on all traffic caused the St. Croix Valley Railroad to abandon its line from Brook Park to Mora. The railroad’s trackage rights on the BNSF between Hinckley and Brook Park were also given up since they were no longer needed.
Ownership of the St. Croix Valley Railroad was turned over from Railamerica Incorporated
to KBN Incorporated named for Kotnour, Bierworth Midwest Locomotive Inc. and Nesbitt Independent Locomotive Service, jointly owning KBN, in 2001. Both companies are based in Minnesota
and also co-own two other short line railroads: the Minnesota Northern Railroad
in northwestern Minnesota and the Dakota Northern Railroad
in eastern North Dakota
.
Deterioration of the Snake River bridge crossing in Pine City caused a disruption to the line in 2009.
lettered SCXY 1363.
The SCXY 1363 is now black with a yellow cab face and side trim (separated by a red stripe), recalling the Northern Pacific Railway
paint scheme commonly found on later NPRY diesels (shortly before the 1970 BN merger). The words "St. Croix Valley" are visible on the long hood
. The paint scheme was previously green with yellow striping.
Class III railroad
A Class III railroad, as defined by the Surface Transportation Board, is a railroad with an annual operating revenue of less than $20 million . The term only applies to United States railroads, but is sometimes applied to other countries...
short line railroad that operates over 36 miles (58 kilometres) of track in eastern 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...
. The railroad is co-owned by KBN Incorporated and Independent Locomotive Service and is headquartered in Rush City, Minnesota
Rush City, Minnesota
As of the census of 2010, there were 3,079 people, 844 households, and 524 families residing in the city. The population density was 990.3 people per square mile . There were 908 housing units at an average density of 292.9 per square mile...
.
As of 2008, the St. Croix Valley Railroad handled approximately 3,700 carloads per year. The primary commodities hauled included, chemicals, grain
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
, flour
Flour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
, and fertilizer
Fertilizer
Fertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use...
s.
The St. Croix Valley Railroad interchanges with the 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...
in Hinckley, Minnesota
Hinckley, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,291 people, 551 households, and 332 families residing in the city. The population density was 454.3 people per square mile . There were 614 housing units at an average density of 216.0 per square mile...
.
History
The St. Croix Valley Railroad was created in September 1997 when the railroad’s former owner, RailAmerica IncorporatedRailAmerica
RailAmerica, Inc., based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a holding company of a number of short-line railroads and regional railroads in the United States and Canada....
, purchased two segments of track in eastern 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...
from the 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...
. Also included in the sale were 8 miles (13 kilometres) of trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
on the BNSF Hinckley Subdivision between Hinckley, Minnesota
Hinckley, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,291 people, 551 households, and 332 families residing in the city. The population density was 454.3 people per square mile . There were 614 housing units at an average density of 216.0 per square mile...
and Brook Park, Minnesota
Brook Park, Minnesota
Brook Park is a city in Pine County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 139 at the 2010 census.Minnesota State Highways 23 and 107 are two of the main routes in the community.-Geography:...
.
The two segments of track initially acquired by the St. Croix Valley Railroad included the 36 mile (58 kilometre) Amber Subdivision between Hinckley, Minnesota
Hinckley, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,291 people, 551 households, and 332 families residing in the city. The population density was 454.3 people per square mile . There were 614 housing units at an average density of 216.0 per square mile...
and North Branch, Minnesota
North Branch, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,023 people, 2,815 households, and 2,147 families residing in the city. The population density was 224.9 people per square mile . There were 2,900 housing units at an average density of 81.3 per square mile...
and an 11 mile (18 kilometre) spur of the Hinckley Subdivision between Brook Park, Minnesota
Brook Park, Minnesota
Brook Park is a city in Pine County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 139 at the 2010 census.Minnesota State Highways 23 and 107 are two of the main routes in the community.-Geography:...
and Mora, Minnesota
Mora, Minnesota
Mora is a city in and the county seat of Kanabec County in the central part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is located at the junction of Minnesota State Highways 23 and 65. The population was 3,571 at the 2010 census.-History:...
.
Before the 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...
gained ownership of the portion of the Amber Subdivision subsequently sold to the St. Croix Valley Railroad, the line was owned 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....
. Before that, it was owned by the Northern Pacific Railway
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
and formed that railroad’s so-called "Skally Line" from St. Paul, Minnesota to Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth 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,...
. This line was originally built as the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad
Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad
The Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad is the name for two different railroads in Minnesota.-Historic railroad:The Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad was the first rail link between the Twin Cities and Duluth and came into existence in 1863 when financier Jay Cooke selected Duluth as the...
, later the St. Paul and Duluth Railroad
St. Paul and Duluth Railroad
The St. Paul and Duluth Railroad was reorganized from the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad in 1877. It was bought by the Northern Pacific in 1900...
. The Great Northern Railway, however, also had tracks that followed roughly the same route. When both the Great Northern Railway and the Northern Pacific Railway
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
merged to form 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....
in 1970, the "Skally Line" became redundant and portions of it slowly became abandoned. Along with the segment operated by the St. Croix Valley Railroad, the only other portions that remain today are small pieces near St. Paul, Minnesota (currently operated by the Minnesota Commercial Railway
Minnesota Commercial Railway
The Minnesota Commercial Railway is a short line railroad in the United States.This railroad operates out of the St. Paul area with service to Minneapolis, Bayport, Hugo, Fridley and New Brighton. It is considered a terminal and switching line. It is based out of a roundhouse on Cleveland Ave. in...
) and Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth 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,...
(currently operated by the 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...
). The abandoned portions of the route have been changed converted to rail trails: the Willard Munger State Trail
Willard Munger State Trail
The Willard Munger State Trail is a system of recreational trails between Hinckley, Minnesota and Duluth, Minnesota. There are actually three segments of the trail.-Hinckley to Duluth Segment:...
(also known as Hinckley Fire
Great Hinckley Fire
The Great Hinckley Fire was a major conflagration on September 1, 1894, which burned an area of at least 810 km² , perhaps more than 1000 km², including the town of Hinckley, Minnesota. The fire killed hundreds, with the minimum number estimated at 418. However, some scholars believe the...
Trail) between Hinckley and Duluth
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth 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,...
, and the Hardwood Creek Trail and Sunrise Prairie Trail between North Branch and Hugo
Hugo, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,363 people, 2,125 households, and 1,742 families residing in the city. The population density was 187.2 people per square mile . There were 2,174 housing units at an average density of 64.0 per square mile...
.
The 11 mile (18 kilometere) spur sold by the BNSF Railway to the St. Croix Valley Railroad was also formerly owned 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....
. Before that, it was owned by the Great Northern Railway and formed a line that went from Brook Park, Minnesota
Brook Park, Minnesota
Brook Park is a city in Pine County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 139 at the 2010 census.Minnesota State Highways 23 and 107 are two of the main routes in the community.-Geography:...
to St. Cloud, Minnesota
St. Cloud, Minnesota
St. Cloud is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the largest population center in the state's central region. The population was 65,842 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Stearns County...
.
In March 2003, unsafe track conditions that led to an embargo on all traffic caused the St. Croix Valley Railroad to abandon its line from Brook Park to Mora. The railroad’s trackage rights on the BNSF between Hinckley and Brook Park were also given up since they were no longer needed.
Ownership of the St. Croix Valley Railroad was turned over from Railamerica Incorporated
RailAmerica
RailAmerica, Inc., based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a holding company of a number of short-line railroads and regional railroads in the United States and Canada....
to KBN Incorporated named for Kotnour, Bierworth Midwest Locomotive Inc. and Nesbitt Independent Locomotive Service, jointly owning KBN, in 2001. Both companies are based in 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...
and also co-own two other short line railroads: the Minnesota Northern Railroad
Minnesota Northern Railroad
The Minnesota Northern Railroad is a Class III shortline railroad that operates over of track in northwestern Minnesota. The railroad is co-owned by KBN Incorporated and Independent Locomotive Service and is headquartered in Crookston, Minnesota....
in northwestern Minnesota and the Dakota Northern Railroad
Dakota Northern Railroad
The Dakota Northern Railroad is a Class III short line railroad that operates over 72 miles of track in the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of North Dakota....
in eastern North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
.
Deterioration of the Snake River bridge crossing in Pine City caused a disruption to the line in 2009.
Locomotive and Freight Car Fleet
St. Croix Valley Railroad co-owner Independent Locomotive Service supplies the railroad with an EMD GP9EMD GP9
An EMD GP9 is a four-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division in the United States, and General Motors Diesel in Canada between January, 1954, and August, 1963. US production ended in December, 1959, while an additional thirteen units were built in Canada, including...
lettered SCXY 1363.
The SCXY 1363 is now black with a yellow cab face and side trim (separated by a red stripe), recalling the Northern Pacific Railway
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
paint scheme commonly found on later NPRY diesels (shortly before the 1970 BN merger). The words "St. Croix Valley" are visible on the long hood
Long hood
The long hood of a hood unit-style diesel locomotive is, as the name implies, the longer of the two hoods on a locomotive.-Equipment:...
. The paint scheme was previously green with yellow striping.
Stations on the St. Croix Valley Railroad
The St. Croix Valley Railroad owns track that goes through the following communities:- Beroun, MinnesotaBeroun, MinnesotaBeroun is a small unincorporated community in Pine County, Minnesota, United States.Interstate 35 and County Roads 14 and 61 are three of the main routes in the community...
- Harris, MinnesotaHarris, MinnesotaHarris is a city in Chisago County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,132 at the 2010 census. It was named after Philip S. Harris, an officer of the St...
- Hinckley, MinnesotaHinckley, MinnesotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 1,291 people, 551 households, and 332 families residing in the city. The population density was 454.3 people per square mile . There were 614 housing units at an average density of 216.0 per square mile...
(also a BNSFBNSF RailwayThe 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...
station) - North Branch, MinnesotaNorth Branch, MinnesotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 8,023 people, 2,815 households, and 2,147 families residing in the city. The population density was 224.9 people per square mile . There were 2,900 housing units at an average density of 81.3 per square mile...
- Pine City, MinnesotaPine City, MinnesotaPine City is a city in Pine County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,123 at the 2010 census. Pine City is the county seat of, and the largest city in, Pine County...
- Rock Creek, MinnesotaRock Creek, MinnesotaRock Creek is a city in Pine County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,628 at the 2010 census. Portions of the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation is located within Rock Creek....
- Rush City, MinnesotaRush City, MinnesotaAs of the census of 2010, there were 3,079 people, 844 households, and 524 families residing in the city. The population density was 990.3 people per square mile . There were 908 housing units at an average density of 292.9 per square mile...