St. Paul and Duluth Railroad
Encyclopedia
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...
in 1877. It was bought by the Northern Pacific in 1900. Known to this day as the "Skally Line", it operated from Saint Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
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,...
, with branches to Minneapolis, Taylors Falls, Kettle River, and Cloquet, in Minnesota, and Grantsburg and Superior in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
.
Disposition
The line was purchased by the Northern Pacific RailwayNorthern 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...
, which was succeeded by the Burlington Northern and then the Burlington Northern Santa Fe. Most of the line became redundant with other lines after the Burlington Northern merger, as it paralleled another line of the Great Northern Railway. Most of the line therefore was abandoned and many segments were turned into rail trails.
The disposition of those segments is as follows:
- St. Paul, Minnesota to Maplewood, MinnesotaMaplewood, MinnesotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 34,947 people, 13,758 households, and 9,190 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,017.5 people per square mile . There were 14,004 housing units at an average density of 808.5 per square mile...
- abandoned; now part of the Bruce Vento Regional TrailBruce Vento Regional TrailThe Bruce Vento Regional Trail is a rail trail in the cities of Vadnais Heights, Gem Lake, Maplewood, and Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA.The trail occupies an abandoned Burlington Northern Railroad corridor and intersects with the Gateway State Trail in Maplewood and continues to just east of Lake... - Maplewood, MinnesotaMaplewood, MinnesotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 34,947 people, 13,758 households, and 9,190 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,017.5 people per square mile . There were 14,004 housing units at an average density of 808.5 per square mile...
to Hugo, MinnesotaHugo, MinnesotaAs 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...
- now operated by the Minnesota Commercial RailwayMinnesota Commercial RailwayThe 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... - Hugo, MinnesotaHugo, MinnesotaAs 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...
to 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...
- abandoned; now the Hardwood Creek Regional Trail and Sunrise Prairie Trail - 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...
to 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...
- now operated by the St. Croix Valley RailroadSt. Croix Valley RailroadThe St. Croix Valley Railroad is a Class III short line railroad that operates over 36 miles 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... - 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...
to 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,...
- abandoned; now the Willard Munger State TrailWillard Munger State TrailThe 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:...