Paynesville Subdivision

Paynesville Subdivision
CP train 299 sweeps through the curve into Maple Lake, MN.
Overview
OwnerCanadian Pacific Kansas City
Technical
Line length118 mi (190 km)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Operating speed60 mph (97 km/h)
Route map

Legend
Paynesville Subdivision
 to Elbow Lake Subdivision
121.6 mi
 Winnipeg Junction to Detroit Lakes Subdivision
121.5
 former NP crossing to Little Falls
120.0
 Glenwood
114.9
 CP 115
112.2
 Sedan
104.1
 Brooten
former Brooten Subdivision to Duluth
97.3
 Belgrade
93.5
 Georgeville
89.1
 Regal
84.2
 former crossing of BN Cold Spring Branch
82.5
 Paynesville
72.9
 Eden Valley
69.9
 CP 70
66.0
 Watkins
60.6
 Kimball
Clearwater River
55.7
 South Haven
50.9
 Annandale
44.6
 Maple Lake
41.9
 CP 42
36.5
 Buffalo
32.1
 Dickinson
Crow River
26.5
 Rockford
21.3
 Loretto
17.4
 Mannix Spur to LORAM
15.5
 Hamel
11.6
 CP 11
7.2
 MN&S Junction to MN&S Spur
6.8
 BNSF Monticello Subdivision crossing
4.5
 Humboldt Yard
3.1
 Camden (14th Avenue Spur)
Mississippi River
2.5
 Marshall Street (Grove Connection to BNSF Midway Sub)
West Runner to BNSF St. Paul Subdivision
2.0
 CP University (Loop Track to CP Shoreham Yard)
to Withrow Subdivision

The Paynesville Subdivision or Paynesville Sub is a railway line that runs about 118 miles (190 km) from Glenwood to Minneapolis, Minnesota.[1] The line is operated by Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) under the Soo Line Railroad, its US subsidiary. Construction on the line began in 1886 by the Minneapolis & Pacific Railway (which later merged with the Soo Line) which intended to build a railroad out to the Dakotas to supply grain to flour mills in Minneapolis.[2] The line starts out at CP University and continues westward through the Humboldt Yard and crosses the BNSF Monticello Subdivision just east of the junction with MN&S Spur in Crystal. Then the line continues northwest through many small towns on its way to Glenwood.[3]

Regular passenger service ended on March 25, 1967 with the discontinuation of the Winnipeger.[4] As for freight traffic, the line sees many commodities ranging from grain and potash to crude oil, manifest and intermodal. This subdivision is of moderate capacity, carrying around 13 trains per day.[5]

State Highway 55 closely follows the Sub for the majority of the route. The Paynesville Sub meets the Withrow Subdivision at CP University in Minneapolis at the eastern end near Shoreham. At its western end in Glenwood, there are connections to the Elbow Lake Subdivision to Enderlin, North Dakota[6] and the Detroit Lakes Subdivision to Thief River Falls, Minnesota.[7]

  1. ^ Paul Nadolski. "CP Paynesville Subdivision". Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  2. ^ Alton Chermak (2011). "The Coming of the Railroads and the Early Years". Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  3. ^ Paul Nadolski. "CP Paynesville Subdivision". Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  4. ^ Dorin, Patric C (1979). The Soo Line. Burbank, California: Superior Publishing Company. p. 97. ISBN 0-87564-712-X. LCCN 79012204.
  5. ^ Rick Johnson and Roen Kelly. "CPKC Map". Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  6. ^ Paul Nadolski. "CP Elbow Lake Subdivision". Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  7. ^ Paul Nadolski. "CP Detroit Lakes and Noyes Subs". Retrieved June 6, 2017.