Hinckley Subdivision

Hinckley Subdivision
A BNSF EMD SD70ACe leads an ore train through Nickerson, Minnesota.
Overview
Type	Freight rail
Operation
Owner	BNSF Railway
Operator(s)	BNSF Railway
Technical
Line length	136.9 mi (220.3 km)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Route map Legend to Lakes Subdivision BoylstonLakes Subdivision 24.5 Foxboro, Wisconsin Wisconsin/Minnesota border Holyoke, Minnesota 36.6 Nickerson St. Lawrence River Divide Duquette Kerrick 48.9 Bruno 57.2 Askov Kettle River 63.1 Sandstone 72.3 Hinckley to St. Croix Valley RR, old NP line 80.1 Brook Park 80.5 Mora Junctionformer Great Northern Henriette 91.3 Grasston Snake River 96.7 Braham 107.4 Cambridge 113.0 Isanti 119.0 Bethel 125.2 Cedar 131.0 Andover 136.9 Coon CreekStaples Subdivision Staples Subdivision

The Hinckley Subdivision or Hinckley Sub is a railway line operated by BNSF Railway between Coon Rapids, Minnesota, and Boylston Junction between Foxboro and Superior, Wisconsin. Before the Burlington Northern merger of 1970, this line was formerly owned by Great Northern Railway.^[1] The line branches off to the north from the Staples Subdivision at Coon Creek Junction in Coon Rapids,^[2] and ends where it meets the Lakes Subdivision that brings the rails into Superior and Duluth, Minnesota.^[3][4] This is the only active rail line between Duluth–Superior and Minneapolis–Saint Paul, so the other Class I railroads operating in Minnesota, including Canadian Pacific, Canadian National and Union Pacific have at times acquired trackage rights on the route. As of May 2013, about 14 trains per day used the route.^[5]

The Hinckley Subdivision has also recently hosted steam train excursions in 2013, and planned 2014, in the form of Milwaukee Road 261. Passenger trains used this route until 1985 when Amtrak's North Star service ended. As of 2010, a proposed train dubbed the Northern Lights Express (NLX) is in planning stages.^[6][7] While the previous train was limited to between 50 and 79 miles per hour (80 and 127 km/h), the Northern Lights Express would run at up to 110 mph (180 km/h).^[8][7] The North Star stopped in Cambridge and Sandstone,^[9] and the NLX is also expected to stop in those cities as well as Hinckley.

Milepost 139.9 is at Coon Creek Junction.

References

1. "GN Engineers Agreement". Agreements Governing Former Great Northern Territories. United Transportation Union. Retrieved January 2, 2013.
2. Cambridge Systematics, Inc.; Kimley Horn & Associates and TKDA, Inc. (October 2009). "Minnesota Comprehensive Statewide Freight and Passenger Rail Plan, Investment Needs - draft technical memorandum 6" (PDF). p. 4-22. Retrieved January 2, 2013.
3. Don Winter. "Coon Creek to Boylston". Retrieved June 2, 2010.
4. Don Winter. "Saunders to Duluth". Retrieved June 2, 2010.
5. Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations (May 2013). "MINNESOTA FREIGHT RAILROAD MAP" (PDF). Minnesota Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
6. Quandell Consultants, LLC (December 31, 2010). "Northern Lights Express Passenger Rail Project; Concept-Level Infrastructure Cost Report" (PDF). Retrieved January 2, 2013.
7. "Editorial: State should back Duluth rail project". StarTribune. October 12, 2008. Retrieved January 2, 2013.
8. Quandell Consultants (2010), p. 23.
9. "National Train Timetables, Effective April 30, 1978". The Museum of Railway Timetables. Amtrak. 1978. Retrieved September 23, 2010.