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Description
CGW route through Rochester between Simpson and Red Wing
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In 1889, the Duluth, Red Wing and Southern Railroad (DRW&S) completed 25 miles of new railroad between Red Wing and Zumbrota, Minnesota. In 1901, the Winona & Western Railway (W&W) would construct 7.5 miles of new railroad between Rochester, Minnesota and Simpson, Minnesota; where an existing route was already built. In 1901, the DRW&S and the W&W would be purchased by the Wisconsin, Minnesota & Pacific Railroad (WM&P), which was subsequently leased by the Chicago Great Western Railway (CGW). The WM&P would construct an additional 26 miles from Zumbrota to Rochester in 1903. The CGW would be reorganized as the Chicago Great Western Railroad (CGW) in 1909. <BR> The line never developed beyond a secondary route, and the WM&P would be fully consolidated into the CGW by 1920. The CGW abandoned the segment between Red Wing and Pine Island in 1964. By 1968, the CGW would be purchased by the Chicago & North Western Railway. The C&NW would abandon the segment between Pine Island and Rochester in 1972, and the segment between Rochester and Stewartville in 1979 The segment between Pine Island and Rochester would later be purchased by the Minnesota DNR, and converted to the Douglas State Trail. The only remaining portion of track remaining would be in Rochester. The C&NW operated the remaining spur until 1986, when it was sold to the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad (DM&E), along with the Dakota Division mainline between Winona and Rapid City, South Dakota. The DM&E would be purchased by Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) in 2008. In 2023, CP merged with Kansas City Southern to form Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited, commonly known as CPKC. CPKC continues to operate the remaining spur to serve industries in Rochester.
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