Tracy Subdivision
Encyclopedia
The Tracy Subdivision or Tracy Sub is a railway line in southern Minnesota
owned and operated by the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad
(DM&E) subsidiary of Canadian Pacific
.
It begins at the end of the Waseca Subdivision in Waseca, Minnesota
in the east and runs approximately 124 miles (199.6 km) west to Tracy
where the rails continue as the Huron Subdivision
. U.S. Highway 14 closely follows the train route.
The rail line had been built westward from Winona
, reaching Waseca in 1868. The Chicago and North Western Railway
had taken ownership of the Winona and St. Peter Railroad the previous year, and continued building the line west, though the Winona and St. Peter continued to operate under the old name for a considerable time afterward. The rails extended to Mankato
and St. Peter
in 1870, then New Ulm
in 1871, and reached into Dakota Territory
(now South Dakota
) in 1872. The first branch line was completed in 1878 from Sleepy Eye
to Redwood Falls, Minnesota
. West of Tracy, the original mainline had gone northwest to Watertown, South Dakota
and nearby Lake Kampeska, so a new line was started from Tracy in 1879 and reached Pierre
two years later.
Passenger train service continued on the line from its formation until the 1950s when the Dakota 400 was shortened to only run as far as Mankato. The train was renamed the Rochester 400, but passenger service ended entirely on July 23, 1963 when the Rochester 400 made its final run. Chicago and North Western continued to operate the line across southern Minnesota and South Dakota until the 1980s, but started planning to abandon it. The Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad was formed and took over the line in 1986. Canadian Pacific moved to purchase DM&E in 2007, which was completed in 2008.
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...
owned and operated by the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad
Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad
The Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad is a Class II railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway operating across South Dakota and southern Minnesota in the northern plains of the United States...
(DM&E) subsidiary of Canadian Pacific
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
.
It begins at the end of the Waseca Subdivision in Waseca, Minnesota
Waseca, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,493 people, 3,388 households, and 2,219 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,215.6 people per square mile . There were 3,563 housing units at an average density of 929.5 per square mile...
in the east and runs approximately 124 miles (199.6 km) west to Tracy
Tracy, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,268 people, 922 households, and 533 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,045.2 people per square mile . There were 1,013 housing units at an average density of 466.8 per square mile...
where the rails continue as the Huron Subdivision
DME Huron Subdivision
The Huron Subdivision or Huron Sub is a railway line owned and operated by the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad subsidiary of Canadian Pacific Railway. The line stretches for across southwestern Minnesota and southeastern South Dakota, forming the major artery of DME's freight traffic...
. U.S. Highway 14 closely follows the train route.
The rail line had been built westward from Winona
Winona, Minnesota
Winona is a city in and the county seat of Winona County, in the U.S. State of Minnesota. Located in picturesque bluff country on the Mississippi River, its most noticeable physical landmark is Sugar Loaf....
, reaching Waseca in 1868. The Chicago and North Western Railway
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...
had taken ownership of the Winona and St. Peter Railroad the previous year, and continued building the line west, though the Winona and St. Peter continued to operate under the old name for a considerable time afterward. The rails extended to Mankato
Mankato, Minnesota
Mankato is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 39,309 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest city in Minnesota outside of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The county seat of Blue Earth County, it is located...
and St. Peter
St. Peter, Minnesota
St. Peter is a city in Nicollet County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 11,196 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Nicollet County.St...
in 1870, then New Ulm
New Ulm, Minnesota
New Ulm is a city in Brown County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,522 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Brown County....
in 1871, and reached into Dakota Territory
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of North and South Dakota.The Dakota Territory consisted of...
(now South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
) in 1872. The first branch line was completed in 1878 from Sleepy Eye
Sleepy Eye, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,515 people, 1,479 households, and 942 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,099.9 people per square mile . There were 1,591 housing units at an average density of 950.5 per square mile...
to Redwood Falls, Minnesota
Redwood Falls, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,459 people, 2,266 households, and 1,389 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,167.1 people per square mile . There were 2,377 housing units at an average density of 508.2 per square mile...
. West of Tracy, the original mainline had gone northwest to Watertown, South Dakota
Watertown, South Dakota
Watertown is a city in and the county seat of Codington County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 21,482 at the 2010 census. It is also the principal city of the Watertown Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Codington and Hamlin counties...
and nearby Lake Kampeska, so a new line was started from Tracy in 1879 and reached Pierre
Pierre, South Dakota
Pierre is the capital of the U.S. state of South Dakota and the county seat of Hughes County. The population was 13,646 at the 2010 census, making it the second least populous state capital after Montpelier, Vermont...
two years later.
Passenger train service continued on the line from its formation until the 1950s when the Dakota 400 was shortened to only run as far as Mankato. The train was renamed the Rochester 400, but passenger service ended entirely on July 23, 1963 when the Rochester 400 made its final run. Chicago and North Western continued to operate the line across southern Minnesota and South Dakota until the 1980s, but started planning to abandon it. The Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad was formed and took over the line in 1986. Canadian Pacific moved to purchase DM&E in 2007, which was completed in 2008.