Logo
 
 
12/25/2024
 
 
 
 
 
By:Tony Held
Dates:4/5/2021 - 9/30/2024
Album Info:More scenes from abandoned (and some not-so-abandoned) rail lines.
  Page Controls   View:  Pics Per Page:
End Of The Line
Title:  End Of The Line
Description:  The surviving trolley grade (which began life as a Milwaukee Road branch to Deephaven before being leased to the TCRT and electrified for streetcar use) ends at the curve in the center distance, where development after the 1932 abandonment of TCRT's Deephaven route wiped out all traces of the right-of-way.
Photo Date:  4/20/2021  Upload Date: 4/20/2021 9:05:32 PM
Location:  Minnetonka, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories: 
Locomotives: 
Views:  63   Comments: 0
Minnetonka's Streetcar Trail
Title:  Minnetonka's Streetcar Trail
Description:  Despite a massive influx of development after the Twin City Rapid Transit's Lake Minnetonka streetcar lines were abandoned in 1932, one piece of the Deephaven route, which began life as a Milwaukee Road branch before being leased to TCRT and electrified, survives. This segment run from Fairchild Avenue to just east of Highland Avenue (the street in the foreground). It is amazing this part of the line survived to become Minnetonka city trail, just like the TCRT lines out east in Mahtomedi did.
Photo Date:  4/20/2021  Upload Date: 4/20/2021 9:00:33 PM
Location:  Minnetonka, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories: 
Locomotives: 
Views:  102   Comments: 0
Whose Rails Were These?
Title:  Whose Rails Were These?
Description:  A stretch of heavily overgrown track can be found behind the Northfield Quality Inn & Suites. I dunno whose rails were these, but I wonder if these were part of an interchange track between the Chicago Great Western and the Milwaukee Road/Rock Island.
Photo Date:  4/22/2021  Upload Date: 4/23/2021 7:45:48 AM
Location:  Northfield, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories:  Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  82   Comments: 1
Overgrowtn Switch
Title:  Overgrowtn Switch
Description:  A overgrown stretch of track behind the Northfield Quality Inn & Suites includes this switch.
Photo Date:  4/22/2021  Upload Date: 4/23/2021 7:46:29 AM
Location:  Northfield, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories:  Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  79   Comments: 0
Where The Spur Track Was
Title:  Where The Spur Track Was
Description:  For years a spur track (itself a remnant of a connecting track that once formed part of a wye along the Minneapolis, Northfield, and Southern), used to exist south of Laurel Avenue. Canadian Pacific was parking cars along the spur as late as 2012, like in this photo I took (http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3315128). But by 2015, the spur track was taken up, apparently as part of a rehab project that put welded rail along the MNS Spur at this point.
Photo Date:  7/3/2021  Upload Date: 7/4/2021 8:43:09 PM
Location:  Golden Valley, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories:  Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  86   Comments: 0
Where The Switch Once Was
Title:  Where The Switch Once Was
Description:  The ties remain from the switch leading to a short spur track which used to be here along the Canadian Pacific's MNS Spur south of Laurel Avenue.
Photo Date:  7/3/2021  Upload Date: 7/4/2021 8:42:24 PM
Location:  Golden Valley, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories:  Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  93   Comments: 0
"I'm Still Standin'"
Title:  "I'm Still Standin'"
Description:  The sight of the old Minneapolis & St. Louis bridge over Highway 7 at the Hopkins/Minnetonka border calls to my mind the words of a Sir Elton John song. That bridge has retained its green coat of paint ever since the rails went up sometime after this stretch of the old Louie was abandoned by the North Western between Hopkins and Norwood in 1980.
Photo Date:  8/25/2021  Upload Date: 8/25/2021 8:19:35 PM
Location:  Minnetonka, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories:  Bridge
Locomotives: 
Views:  83   Comments: 0
Where The Spur Once Defied Time
Title:  Where The Spur Once Defied Time
Description:  A short spur track was left behind when the rails went up along this stretch of the old Minneapolis & St. Louis after abandonment in 1980. (http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1314889) The spur defied the passage of time well into the new century until, alas, a residential development nearby which included the land the spur sat on resulted in its demise at last. Today only some ties remain to mark where these rails once were.
Photo Date:  8/25/2021  Upload Date: 8/25/2021 8:16:39 PM
Location:  Minnetonka, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories: 
Locomotives: 
Views:  57   Comments: 0
Old Tie
Title:  Old Tie
Description:  An old tie remains where a short spur track sat intact after the old Louie was abandoned from Hopkins to Norwood until a nearby development which included the land the spur sat on resulted in the rails finally being pulled up.
Photo Date:  8/25/2021  Upload Date: 8/25/2021 8:19:13 PM
Location:  Minnetonka, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories: 
Locomotives: 
Views:  95   Comments: 0
Still Here After All These Years
Title:  Still Here After All These Years
Description:  When the Milwaukee Road abandoned its branch line through Harmony, MN, in 1977, the town's depot not only survived but also remained in its original location by the right-of-way through town! Here the building basks beneath unseasonably mild late November skies on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, 2021.
Photo Date:  11/27/2021  Upload Date: 12/2/2021 8:27:46 PM
Location:  Harmony, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories:  Station
Locomotives: 
Views:  109   Comments: 0
Nice Touch
Title:  Nice Touch
Description:  Though probably a replication, the "Harmony" sign above the baggage room door on the depot's southwest side is a nice touch.
Photo Date:  11/27/2021  Upload Date: 12/2/2021 8:28:57 PM
Location:  Harmony, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories:  Station
Locomotives: 
Views:  99   Comments: 0
BN Lives!
Title:  BN Lives!
Description:  The Burlington Northern logo remains to this day on the sand tower at Willmar yard. You can't keep a good emblem down!
Photo Date:  10/29/2022  Upload Date: 10/30/2022 9:51:50 PM
Location:  Willmar, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories: 
Locomotives: 
Views:  43   Comments: 0
East Side
Title:  East Side
Description:  The east side of the CGW depot. Don't you just wish the rails remained here? Well, at least the depot remains.
Photo Date:  5/28/2023  Upload Date: 5/30/2023 10:05:18 AM
Location:  Cannon Falls, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories:  Station
Locomotives: 
Views:  61   Comments: 0
Great Western Monument
Title:  Great Western Monument
Description:  The Chicago Great Western's Cannon Falls depot still stands as a monument to the CGW. Now privately owned, the station sits quiet on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend while me and my friend Andy (right background) scope out where Great Western Alcos once chanted.
Photo Date:  5/28/2023  Upload Date: 5/30/2023 10:03:55 AM
Location:  Cannon Falls, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories:  Station
Locomotives: 
Views:  52   Comments: 0
CGW North Channel Trestle
Title:  CGW North Channel Trestle
Description:  The Chicago Great Western crossed two trestles on Faribault's northeast side due to the Cannon River being split into two channels there. This trestle, now carrying a city trail, is on the river's north channel. North of here the old CGW has been erased by development for a few blocks before the Sakatah Singing Trail picks back up again on an intact stretch of grade.
Photo Date:  5/28/2023  Upload Date: 5/30/2023 10:26:20 AM
Location:  Faribault, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories:  Bridge
Locomotives: 
Views:  60   Comments: 0
CGW South Channel Trestle
Title:  CGW South Channel Trestle
Description:  The Chicago Great Western crossed two trestles on Faribault's northeast side due to the Cannon River being split into two channels there. This trestle, now carrying a city trail, is on the river's south channel. To think Alco RS-1s and RS-3s once crossed this bridge. (Sigh) Those were the days...
Photo Date:  5/28/2023  Upload Date: 5/30/2023 10:25:17 AM
Location:  Faribault, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories:  Bridge
Locomotives: 
Views:  64   Comments: 0
Where Alcos Once Rolled
Title:  Where Alcos Once Rolled
Description:  This scenic curve on the old Chicago Great Western line to Red Wing once saw Alcos roll around it with trains in tow. Now this spot witnesses the passage of cyclists, hikers, and walkers. The location is east of Bridge Street North.
Photo Date:  5/28/2023  Upload Date: 5/30/2023 10:05:40 AM
Location:  Cannon Falls, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories:  Scenic
Locomotives: 
Views:  53   Comments: 0
Bridge Display Marker
Title:  Bridge Display Marker
Description:  The marker at the 1912 Milwaukee Road Minnehaha Creek bridge is quite interesting, and a nice touch too.
Photo Date:  9/14/2023  Upload Date: 3/15/2024 7:44:42 PM
Location:  Saint Louis Park, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories:  Bridge
Locomotives: 
Views:  17   Comments: 0
Piece of the Old Milwaukee
Title:  Piece of the Old Milwaukee
Description:  The Milwaukee Road's 1912 Minnehaha Creek bridge was not entirely lost to history when the SWLRT project saw its replacement. This surviving piece now is at the Milwaukee Road depot in Jorvig Park.
Photo Date:  9/14/2023  Upload Date: 3/15/2024 7:29:47 PM
Location:  Saint Louis Park, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories:  Bridge,Station
Locomotives: 
Views:  23   Comments: 0
Rails Are At The Depot Again
Title:  Rails Are At The Depot Again
Description:  A 1912-vintage piece of former Milwaukee Road track is now in place by the St. Louis Park Milwaukee Road depot at Jorvig Park courtesy of the SWLRT project.
Photo Date:  9/14/2023  Upload Date: 3/15/2024 7:24:05 PM
Location:  Saint Louis Park, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories:  Station,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  23   Comments: 0
Track Display Marker
Title:  Track Display Marker
Description:  The track display marker at the Milwuakee Road depot in Jorvig Park amkes for interesting reading.
Photo Date:  9/14/2023  Upload Date: 3/15/2024 7:28:45 PM
Location:  Saint Louis Park, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories:  Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  18   Comments: 0
Where The Rails Vanish
Title:  Where The Rails Vanish
Description:  "Look at this. Awwww..." I lamented to my friend Andy as we viewed the end of track on the old NP Skally Line on the north side of the 104th Street North grade crossing. I then lamented aloud how Milwaukee Road F45s and other cool units that Andy had told me about once passed by here. Those were the days!
Photo Date:  9/29/2024  Upload Date: 9/30/2024 8:14:58 PM
Location:  Hugo, MN
Author:  Tony Held
Categories:  Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  17   Comments: 0


Site Design ©2001-2020 Tim Huemmer
Photos © respective authors
  Contact: info@rrpicturearchives.net