Western Railroad Discussion > CPKC's Waseca Local

Minnesota’s third largest city, Rochester, is served by a CPKC local originating 55 miles to the west at Waseca, MN. The local runs on an as needed schedule servicing all of the towns east of Waseca including Rochester. There are only 2 rail customers in Rochester; a large Seneca Foods warehouse and Tamarack Builders Supply. Here are 2 shots of said local taken a few days apart.
 
!)         About 2 miles or so south of downtown is this local landmark, The Corn Tower. The local is running down this short, ex. CGW spur, towing a couple of loads of wallboard headed to Tamarack Builders Supply.
2)         After dropping the wallboard loads the local heads back to the CPKC “shack”, downtown, on the main line for a return to Waseca.
 
Big time Class 1 railroad action in Minnesota’s third largest city.
 
Dick Ebright
Rochester, MN
 

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Thanks for your posting.  First photo is absolutely super!
ALLEN

last time is was in rochester mn, there was still some if the CGW main there, that was used to reach an industry.  that was a while ago..

Wasnt there at one time anyway an industry near Rochester that got steel coil cars?
JC

Posted from Android

JasonCNW Wrote:
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> Wasnt there at one time anyway an industry near
> Rochester that got steel coil cars?
> JC
>
> Posted from Android

Are you thinking of Dodge Center MN? There is a steel place there, McNeilus I believe. 
MILW86A 

I know in pre CPKC days, Lakeside foods in Plainview had a spur and a small tank farm in Elgin I believe.

Mark Kennebeck
Saint Paul, MN

So that there is no confusion about my post, there are only 2 customers in Rochester proper, but others in towns both east and west of Rochester. Yes, the customer for steel in Dodge Center is McNeilus Steel. They have a lead on the south side of the CPKC tracks and manufacture trash/garbage trucks there. CPKC serves the Al-Corn ethanol plant at Claremont and there is also an short spur just west of Eyota that may serve Magellan Pipeline. Likely, there are others too.

Dick Ebright
Rochester, MN

Neat!  Anyone have a listing of CGW rails still in service?  I know the line from Oelwein to Waterloo is still in use, as well as a couple miles through Oelwein.

TIA!

Z

I also like Pic 1!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/29/24 17:13 by ns1000.