Minnesota Commercial

[cthart]

Hi,

Can anyone tell me how the Minnesota Commercial operates?

How do they use their yard? I've read that they store some empty cars for other railroads and pull them as needed.

I've seen references to various jobs with numbers on Flickr. What are these? Anyone have a list?

Thanks,

Colin

[steinjr]

Hi Colin --

Bit dated info, but here is a virtual tour of the core part of the Minnesota Commercial, by David "Zoo" Zuhn in St. Paul: http://www.mnnr.org/prototype/tour/

The official site of the railroad: http://www.mnnr.net/

Smile,
Stein

[Ralph]

Hi Colin,

Stein has provided good links. I can offer this forum <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://twincitiesrailfan.com/index">http://twincitiesrailfan.com/index</a><!-- m --> that discusses Twin Cities railroading which has a subforum devoted to the Minnesota Commercial. There is good current info about operations on the line available in their "resources" section. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://twincitiesrailfan.com/trainids">http://twincitiesrailfan.com/trainids</a><!-- m --> I live within a mile of the MN Commercial Junction with the CN and yard at New Brighton.



regards,
Ralph

[steinjr]

Hi Colin,

Stein has provided good links. I can offer this forum <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://twincitiesrailfan.com/index">http://twincitiesrailfan.com/index</a><!-- m --> that discusses Twin Cities railroading which has a subforum devoted to the Minnesota Commercial. There is good current info about operations on the line available in their "resources" section. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://twincitiesrailfan.com/trainids">http://twincitiesrailfan.com/trainids</a><!-- m --> I live within a mile of the MN Commercial Junction with the CN and yard at New Brighton.

Is that the junction over by County Road E2 and 35W ?

I usually see (and hear) the Minnesota Commercial a little further to the SE - from Belt Line Junction along county Road C in Roseville, and along the south end of lake Owasso - at the closes point it is maybe 1/4 mile away from the house of my parents-in-law. The line runs just by a playground on Dale street where I take my kids sometimes when we are there for the summer.

Guess I should head north from Belt Line Crossing next summer and look around up in New Brighton.

Belt Line crossing:


Tank farm on county road C just north of Belt Line Crossing:


Along county road C in Roseville








Also found a little video someone had made of the Midway yards on youtube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itb6A5QeTo0

Smile,
Stein

[Ralph]

That's right Stein. I'll take some picture of the area this weekend.
Ralph

[railohio]

Amtrak's Midway Station is on Minnesota Commercial property. When the Empire Builder carries an extra car between St. Paul and Chicago the Minnesota Commercial is contracted to do the switching on that end.

[steinjr]

Btw - one summer a couple of years ago I took some pictures of the area around the HQ of potato chip maker "Old Dutch Foods" on Terminal Road in Roseville.

Here are some of the pictures - might be useful for look and flavor:

South of the road:


Road crossing signs and closeup:




Old Dutch foods:






Smile,
Stein