MPL opens from Morton to Norwood

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

FAIRFAX -- The Minnesota Prairie Line sprung to life Friday morning, revving its two diesel locomotive engines that sent clouds of black smoke high into the sky.

Train whistles blew as 52 freight car loads of corn moved past the restored Fairfax Depot and east through town. The movement of 175,000 tons of corn capped years of meetings, trips to St. Paul and Washington, D.C. lobbying for state and federal funding.

The train rambled east at 10 mph over newly-straightened rails, 80,000 new crossites and huge amounts of crushed rock ballast. It passed through Gibbon, Winthrop, Gaylord, Arlington, Green Isle, Hamburg and Norwood where it connected to the Twin Cities & Western Railroad based in Glencoe.

The TC&W pulled the cars to the Twin Cities where they were hooked up to the Canadian Pacific Railroad which pulled them to Alberta, Canada where corn crops have failed for two straight years.

South Central Coop General Manager Eugene Lutteke was thrilled.

"This is a great day after years of work," said Lutteke, who has been instrumental in helping create the railroad that came about with help from five surrounding counties that helped raise $6 million in state and federal rehabilitation funding.

Lutteke was bubbling with good feelings about the railroad for his business and everybody else in the region.

"It opens up new markets in Chicago and the Ohio River Valley," Lutteke said. "It enhances our capacity and is a huge boost to the county with business potential and employment. I'm happy for everybody."

The Minnesota Department of Transportation Rail Service Improvement Program provided a $4.8 million project loan. A federal appropriation added $1 million. Shippers along the line added $600,000. That amount was matched by the Minnesota Valley Regional Rail Authority.

"This is the best this track has looked in decades," Lutteke said. "Who would have thought this would happen years ago? This was just a concept a few years ago. But we've got to take this to the next level."

Phase II of the project would mean adding new track and support for trains to travel 20-30 mph.

Redwood County Commissioner Gene Short of Belview told onlookers to "keep the faith" that the railroad would continue to improve.

TC&W President and CEO William F. Drush -- who was born in New Ulm -- said the MPL would handle about 8,200 cars per year, equivalent to more than 30,000 trucks. The project will add 15 to 20 jobs to the MPL and TC&W.

The 94-mile MPL connectes with the TC&W on the east end at Norwood and the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway at Hanley Falls on the west end.

Drush thanked key members of the Minnesota legislature who's work for public support made the project happen.

He mentioned Senators Dennis R. Frederickson (R-New Ulm) and Dean Johnson (R-Willmar); and Representatives Jim Knoblach (R-St. Cloud), Carol Molnau (R-Chaska) and Howard Swenson (R-Nicollet). He thanked Minnesota Senators Paul Wellstone (D) and Mark Dayton (D) and Representatives Mark Kennedy (R) and Martin Sabo (D).