Dakota Northern Railroad has begun its lease of more than eighty miles of former BNSF Railway trackage in northeastern North Dakota.

The trackage is separated in two segments, approximately 60 miles between Grafton and Walhalla and 22 miles from Grafton to Glasston. DNR was named by the partnership who will operate the railroad, KBN, Inc. The same partnership already onws and operates the Minnesota Northern Railroad in Crookston, Minnesota.

Dakota Northern made a light-engine run over the route on Sunday to insure familiarization and also to make certain track conditions and switches were ready for Monday's official startup. The primary commodity on the route will be grain, with several large elevators located trackside in the region.