Minnesota Department of Transportation

511 Travel Info

Rail Systems

A barge.

Railroad companies serving Minnesota

Minnesota has 4,278 route miles of railroads serviced by 21 railroad companies. Railroad companies are divided into three classes, based on operating revenues and status defined by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB).

Class I Railroads (Major Railroads)

Annual gross operating revenues of at least $447.6 million

Railroad Companies
Miles of Track
BNSF Railway
1,490
CN, Canadian National
377
CPKC, Canadian Pacific Kansas City Southern
1,132
UP, Union Pacific
418
Total Class I Miles
3,417

Class II Railroads (Regional & Short Line Railroads)

Annual gross operating revenues between $35.8 million and $447.6 million

Railroad Companies
Miles of Track
RCPE, Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern
43
Total Class II Miles
43

Class III Railroads (Local & Switching Railroads)

Annual gross operating revenue of $35.8 million or less

Railroad Companies
Miles of Track
CTRR, Cloquet Terminal
4
EE, Ellis & Eastern
42
MDW, Minnesota, Dakota, & Western
4
MNN, Minnesota Northern
120
MNNR, Minnesota Commercial
128
MPLI, Minnesota Prairie Line
94
NLR, Northern Lines
17
NPR, Northern Plains
45
NSSR, North Shore Scenic (SLLX)
25
OTVR, Otter Tail Valley
81
PGR, Progressive Rail
22
RRVW, Red River Valley & Western
3
SCXY, St. Croix Valley
36
TCWR, Twin Cities & Western
146
Total Class III Miles
767

Private Railroads, Excursions & Mining

Railroad Companies
Miles of Track
CODX, City of Duluth
4
NMCZ, North Shore Mining
47
Total Private Miles
51