The Tracy Subdivision or Tracy Sub is a

railway Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...

line in southern

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

owned and operated by the

Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad The Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad is a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Kansas City. Before its purchase, it was the largest Class II railroad in the United States, operating across South Dakota and southern Minnesot ...

(DM&E) subsidiary of

Canadian Pacific The Canadian Pacific Railway () , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Canadian Pacific Ka ...

. It begins at the end of the Waseca Subdivision in

Waseca, Minnesota Waseca ( ) is a city in Waseca County, Minnesota, Waseca County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 9,229 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the county seat. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, t ...

in the east and runs approximately west to

Tracy, Minnesota Tracy is a city in Lyon County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,076 based on the 2020 census. U.S. Route 14 serves as a main arterial route in the community. History Tracy was platted in 1875. It was named for John F. Tracy, a ...

. At Tracy, the rails continue as the Huron Subdivision of the

Rapid City, Pierre and Eastern Railroad Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad is a Class II freight railroad operating across South Dakota and southern Minnesota in the northern plains of the United States. Portions of the railroad also extend into Wyoming and Nebraska. It is owned and ...

(RCPE). U.S. Highway 14 closely follows the train route. The rail line had been built westward from Winona by the Winona and St. Peter Railroad. The

Chicago and North Western Railway The Chicago and North Western was a Railroad classes#Class I, Class I railroad in the Midwestern United States. It was also known as the "North Western". The railroad operated more than of track at the turn of the 20th century, and over of t ...

had taken ownership of the W&StP in 1867, 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 Winona & St Peter Railroad Company was organized March 10, 1862, and completed its line from Winona to

Rochester, Minnesota Rochester is a city in Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. It is located along rolling bluffs on the Zumbro River's south fork in Southeast Minnesota. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a popul ...

, in 1864. In August it reached Owatonna. In 1867 the Chicago and Northwestern Railway Company purchased the controlling shares in the Winona and St Peter. Further railroad milestones were:

Janesville, Minnesota Janesville is a city in Waseca County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,256 at the 2010 census. U.S. Highway 14 serves as a main route in the community, running east–west, south of Janesville. County Road 3 runs north–sou ...

, in 1870, St. Peter in 1871, New Ulm (via Nicollet and Courtland) in 1872, and the western boundary of the state in 1874. The Winona Mankato and New Ulm Railroad Company was organized in 1870 and a railroad was built from New Ulm to

Mankato Mankato ( ) is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is the county seat of Blue Earth County, Minnesota. The population was 44,488 at the 2020 census, making it the 21st-largest city in Mi ...

and afterwards acquired by the Winona and St Peter. The first branch line was completed in 1878 from Sleepy Eye to

Redwood Falls, Minnesota Redwood Falls is a city in Redwood County, Minnesota, Redwood County, located along the Redwood River near its confluence with the Minnesota River, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 5,102 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 c ...

. West of Tracy, the original mainline had gone northwest to

Watertown, South Dakota Watertown is a city in and the county seat of Codington County, South Dakota, United States. Watertown is home to the Redlin Art Center, which houses many of the works of Terry Redlin, one of the nation's most popular wildlife artists. Watertow ...

and nearby

Lake Kampeska Lake Kampeska is a inland glacial lake in the United States, U.S. state of South Dakota. It is located west-northwest of Watertown, South Dakota and lies entirely within Codington County and the Coteau des Prairies. The lake is naturally shaped a ...

. A rail line was started from Tracy in 1879, towards

Volga, South Dakota Volga ( ) is a city in Brookings County, South Dakota, Brookings County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 2,113 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, and was estimated to be 2,340 in 2023. History Volga was founded by the ...

. The line reached

Pierre Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...

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. RCPE Trains have trackage rights to move trains beyond Tracy to Mankato, to interchange with the Union Pacific.UP's 'GroTrain' now serving South Dakota regional
Progressive Railroading, January 10, 2017

References

External links

Waseca County

Blue Earth County

Brown County

Redwood County

Lyon County
{{South Dakota railroads Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad Chicago and North Western Railway Rapid City, Pierre and Eastern Railroad Rail infrastructure in Minnesota