Western Railroad Discussion > Explain downtown trackage in Winona, MN?

Spent some time along the Mississippi riverline of CP last week and looked over the trackage into the downtown area of Winona. This is the track that splits off CP at Tower CK, loops through town and heads back out to CP with some street track on the east (or south end of town).

At first I figured it was CP/Soo/Milw. maybe the passenger main of olden times, but as I followed the DME train into the downtown yard, I noticed it looked more like a UP yard than a CP or DME.

So who is owner and who is tennant? Was DME visiting UP or UP visiting DME. I also noticed an abandonded bridge over the Mississippi headed to the east side of the river. Who's bridge was this?

At one point after the DME came in the UP train (called the Adams job on the radio) backed out to Tower CK and headed east (south along the river). Where is this jobs other end point since it orginate in Winona? How does it get back on UP?

After explaining the current operations can anyone explain the history of the RR's in Winona? I noticed a Hardees resturant in a former CNW depot that had CNW style signs now adorned with the Hardees name?

Did I not notice some abandoned ROW on the BNSF side of the river as well?

I believe the abandoned bridge you saw was the old Green Bay and Western bridge. Burned many years ago and was never repaired. Can't help with your other questions; sorry.

Trackage in Winona is as follows: C & NW entered Winona via a swing bridge over the
Mississippi River just east of the Interstate Bridge (Hwy.43-54). Upon crossing the
river, it made an abrupt turn to the west along the river in the current industrial
area. There was a lower yard which now contains retail stores and a motel.
The "new yard" and car and locomotive shops were located on the city's west end.
Two tracks run parallel to River View Drive, these were the former C&NW main line and
"dispatcher's track" The west yard, the levee park yard and the Bay State yard are
all controlled by Union Pacific. Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern operates into this yard
by crossing over the CP Main just west of where Tower CK, a C&NW facility was located.
The CP main traverses the city from west to east along Mark Street. There is a small
yard located near the current Amtrak Depot at 52 East Mark St., there is another yard
just east of Mankato Avenue on Winona's east end. Street trackage runs down Wall
Street to the former CGW, CB&Q and GBW yard located along the river near Adams Street,
where CGW maintained offices in an old passenger car. The Winona Bridge Railway Co.
swing bridge, a joint venture of GBW and CB&Q crossed the river from the yard to
East Winona, Wisconsin. This even had passenger service connecting to the "Q" trains
at a passenger station at East Winona. This was the location of a major wash out in
the flood of 1965, after which, the double track "Q" became a single track road for
about three miles to Winona Jct., Wisconsin. Up until the mid-50s, Winona was a
bustling railroad community with five main-line railroads, and about 25 daily passenger
trains, including West Coast bound trains (GN-NP-Milw).
The scope of railroading in Winona has changed greatly in the last twenty years.
The double-track Milwaukee became the single track SOO, now the CP, UP is an isolated
island, they reach their yard tracks in Winona via trackage rights on CP from Tunnel
City, Wisconsin. With the bridges gone, BNSF does not operate into Winona at all.
DME operates west from MC Jct. near Minnesota City, MN. and maintains a yard track
to interchange with CP. If you have any more questions that I have not answered,
please feel free to contact me off-line.
Oh yes, the Hardees restaurant you spoke of is in Red Wing, Minnesota about
sixty miles upriver from Winona. It is the former CGW depot, hence the ball and bar
logo from the post-merger C&NW days. Hope this helps you.

jcnienow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ...The scope of railroading in Winona has
> changed greatly in the last twenty years.
> ...With the bridges gone, BNSF does
> not operate into Winona at all...

Good summary of Winona history and current activity. I was wondering about current BNSF action in Winona so I checked BNSF's map at http://www.bnsf.com/tools/reference/division_maps/?menu=5&submenu=0 I clicked on Chicago Division, dated 2/05, and it shows BNSF trackage rights on CP from La Crosse. Is there a haulage agreement for UP or CP to handle BNSF traffic to Winona and DME? TIA!

mapboy

Isn't it amazing how such a small town could have so much rail activity in its hayday?

mapboy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jcnienow Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > ...The scope of railroading in Winona has
> > changed greatly in the last twenty years.
> > ...With the bridges gone, BNSF does
> > not operate into Winona at all...
>
> Good summary of Winona history and current
> activity. I was wondering about current BNSF
> action in Winona so I checked BNSF's map at
> http://www.bnsf.com/tools/reference/division_maps/
> ?menu=5&submenu=0 I clicked on Chicago
> Division, dated 2/05, and it shows BNSF trackage
> rights on CP from La Crosse. Is there a haulage
> agreement for UP or CP to handle BNSF traffic to
> Winona and DME? TIA!
>
mapboy
>
>
While BNSF may have trackage rights to Winona, I do not believe they have run a train
into Winona since the bridge was removed from service and then burned suspiciously.
The former "Q" yard at Second and Lafayette and the trackage down the north lane of
Second Street is long gone. I do not believe any former "Q" customers have any
track left to their facilities hence no traffic. I am sure that any interchange for
Winona from BNSF is handled by the UP or CP from the La Crosse, Wisconsin CP yard. UP
interchanges with DME in the UP (former CNW) yard, CP at Carlson Pass near MC Jct.
approximately CP Milepost 312.
An interesting side light. About thirty years ago, the Milwaukee Road would run a short
freight several days a week to the Durand, Wisconsin branch, via the Winona Bridge Railway and on to the BN at East Winona. They would then operate on the BN main to
the former tower, Mears or Trevino, I can't recall which was the north point and which
was the south on the single track over the Chippewa River. At one point, the Durand
Branch crossed the "Q" and proceeded through the swamp to the Mississippi River where
crossing was made on a pontoon bridge to Read's Landing, Minnesota. The removal of the
bridge made the unusual move necessary.... you never saw the little ALCO RSs run so fast!
>