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Osceola and St. Croix Valley Railway

Coordinates: 45°19′02.6″N 92°42′31.9″W / 45.317389°N 92.708861°W / 45.317389; -92.708861
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Osceola and St. Croix Valley Railway
LocaleMinnesota
Wisconsin
TerminusWithrow, Minnesota
Dresser, Wisconsin
ConnectionsCanadian National Railway
Commercial operations
Built byMinneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad
Original gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Preserved operations
Owned byMinnesota Transportation Museum
Reporting markMNTX
Stations1
Preserved gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Commercial history
Opened1992
Preservation history
Headquarters114 Depot Road, Osceola, Polk County, Wisconsin
Website
trainride.org

The Osceola and St. Croix Valley Railway (reporting mark MNTX) is a heritage railroad in Osceola, Wisconsin owned and operated by the Minnesota Transportation Museum. It operates on former Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad ("Soo Line") trackage now owned by the Canadian National Railway.

History and operations

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The original Museum railway operated out of Stillwater, Minnesota, however urban crowding caused the railway to seek other areas for service. Invited to operate out of Osceola, Wisconsin, the railway moved in 1992, undergoing a name change to Osceola and St. Croix Valley Railway.

The line itself has operating rights from Withrow, Minnesota up to Dresser, Wisconsin. Due to climate conditions, the line does not operate in winter.

Under successive railroad ownership of the rail line "right-of-way" itself, Operations are currently based in the historic 1916 Soo Line depot, owned by the Osceola Historic Society and leased to the Minnesota Transportation Museum for its rail operations.

The line follows the original route of the Soo Line, running down the bluffs of the St. Croix River, and crossing into Minnesota on the 1887 iron bridge at Cedar Bend, then on to Marine on St. Croix through William O'Brien State Park.

The railway operates every weekend May through October. On alternating weekends it operates the Osceola and St. Croix Dinner Train.

Equipment

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The interior of a passenger coach on the Osceola and St. Croix Valley Railway

The railroad uses historic diesel locomotives from its fleet of Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) locomotives. It uses a variety of passenger cars for historic presentation and tourist runs throughout the operational season. The railroad runs coach trains every weekend from mid-May through October to Marine on St. Croix (Saturdays and Sundays) and to Dresser (on Saturday).

All operational equipment is serviced at MTM's Jackson Street Roundhouse, a functional railway roundhouse constructed in 1907. The Museum has its headquarters and maintenance base co-located at JSR, which is open to the public for railroad history. Every fall, 2–3 locomotives and up to 5 cars are ferried to St. Paul for annual servicing before returning to Osceola in late spring. Over winter, the maintenance shop demonstrate the servicing and repairs, being one of the few such facilities open to the public.

Locomotives

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These are the locomotives that are active or in restoration for service on the Osceola and St. Croix Valley Railway:

Railroad Number Model Built Retired Acquired Status Image
Burlington Northern Railroad 6234 EMD SD9 1959 2003 Donated 2003 Operational
Great Northern Railway 325 EMD SDP40 1966 2008 Donated 2009 Operational
Soo Line Railroad 559 EMD GP7 1951 N/A Purchased 1998 Operational
Great Northern Railway 454-A EMD F7A 1950 1981 2003 Stored awaiting restoration
Great Northern Railway 558 EMD SD7 1952 1983 2018 Stored awaiting restoration

Passenger cars

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Type Number Name Railroad Trains in use Notes
Streamlined lounge, observation, and business car A-11 Great Northern Railway First-class brunch and dinner trains In service
Streamlined parlor-buffet 1084 "Twin Ports" Great Northern Railway First-class brunch and dinner trains In restoration in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Streamlined baggage 265 "Mariah" Great Northern Railway All trains In service, concession car
Streamlined coach 1096 Great Northern Railway Coach class In service
Streamlined coach 1097 Great Northern Railway First-class brunch and dinner trains In service, converted to dining car
Streamlined coach 1213 Great Northern Railway Coach class In service
Streamlined coach 1215 "City Of Osceola" Great Northern Railway Coach class In service.
Heavyweight MU trailer commuter coach 2232 Erie Lackawanna Railway Coach class/pumpkin trains In service
Heavyweight commuter coach 2604 Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Coach class and pizza trains In service
Heavyweight commuter coach 2608 Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Coach class and pizza trains In service
Heavyweight triple combination 1102 Northern Pacific Railway U.S. mail car/Railway Express Agency In service

See also

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References

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Information used in this article is provided by Minnesota Transportation Museum, St. Paul, MN and based entirely on material in MTM archives or equipment inventories of the operating division of the Osceola and St. Croix Valley Railway. Photos depict actual equipment in appropriate livery for the Railway.

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45°19′02.6″N 92°42′31.9″W / 45.317389°N 92.708861°W / 45.317389; -92.708861