UP Picha Creek Bridge

In 1865, the Minnesota Valley Railway Company (MVR) began construction on a new railroad line between Mendota, Minnesota and St. James, Minnesota.  In 1865, the first 22 miles were completed between Mendota, Minnesota and Merriam Junction, Minnesota; followed by 17 additional miles to Belle Plaine, Minnesota in 1866.  In 1867, the MVR completed an additional 16 miles to Le Sueur, Minnesota; followed by 12 additional miles to Kasota, Minnesota in 1868.  In 1869, the MVR completed an additional 22 miles to Lake Crystal, Minnesota.  The same year, an additional 5 miles would be completed between St. Paul, Minnesota and Mendota.  In 1870, the MVR would be purchased by the St. Paul and Sioux City Railroad (StP&SC). 22 additional miles to St. James, Minnesota would be completed in 1870. The StP&SC completed 58 more miles from St. James to Worthington, Minnesota in 1871; and 64 additional miles to Le Mars, Iowa were completed in 1872. At Le Mars, the route connected to an existing railroad, over which the StP&SC used trackage rights to reach Sioux City, Iowa.

In 1881, the StP&SC would be sold to the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway (Omaha Road). The Omaha Road would come under control of the Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) the next year.  The C&NW had developed a large network of railroad lines in the Midwest, with the Omaha Road serving as the northern extent of the company.  This route became the main line of the Western District of the Omaha Road.  Several improvements were made to the line in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries.  Between 1898 and 1906, several sections of the line were realigned between Blakeley, Minnesota and Mankato.  In 1957, the C&NW leased the Omaha Road, and the C&NW purchased the company in 1972.  The C&NW was purchased by Union Pacific Railroad (UP) in 1995.  UP still operates the St. Paul to St. James segment as the Mankato Subdivision and the St. James to Sioux City segment as the Worthington Subdivision. The line remains a mainline for UP, connecting St. Paul to Sioux City and providing UP with a mainline into the Twin Cities.