| Soo Line Railroad | |
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 Map of the Soo Line Railroad. Red lines are former Soo trackage operated by CP Rail; dark blue lines are former Milwaukee Road trackage now operated by CP Rail; green lines are former Soo trackage spun off to the Wisconsin Central Railway and now part of Canadian National. The Canadian Pacific Railway ( The Canadian Pacific Railway ( The original Wisconsin Central Railroad Company was established by an act of the Wisconsin State Legislature and incorporated in February 1871 Dotted light blue lines are abandoned. |
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| Reporting marks | SOO, DSA, MNS, MILW |
| Locale | North Dakota to Michigan via Chicago |
| Dates of operation | 1883–2002 |
| Successor line | Canadian Pacific |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge) |
| Headquarters | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
The Soo Line Railroad (AAR reporting marks SOO) is the United States arm of the Canadian Pacific Railway, serving Chicago and the areas to the east and west. A reporting mark is an identification assigned by the Association of American Railroads (AAR to rail carriers and other companies operating in North America. North Dakota ( is a state located in the Midwestern and Western regions of the United States of America. Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. Year 1883 ( MDCCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. The Canadian Pacific Railway ( Rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the two parallel rails that make up a railway track. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. The Millimetre ( American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to The standard gauge (also named the Stephenson gauge after George Stephenson, or Normal gauge) is a widely-used Rail gauge. A reporting mark is an identification assigned by the Association of American Railroads (AAR to rail carriers and other companies operating in North America. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Canadian Pacific Railway ( Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. Formerly known as Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway (and commonly known as the Soo Line after the phonetic pronunciation of Sault), the present name was adopted as a trade name in 1950. A trade name, also known as a trading name or a business name, is the name which a Business trades under for commercial purposes although its registered Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In late 1960 the company was consolidated with several subsidiaries and reorganized under the current name. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
In 1985 the Soo Line purchased the Milwaukee Road and attempted to operate the pre-1985 Soo Line and selected Milwaukee Road branchlines as a wholly owned subsidiary, the Lake States Transportation Division. Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific Railroad ( CMSP&P RR), was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest Lake States Transportation Division (LSTD was a wholly-owned division of the Soo Line Railroad that existed from 1986-1987 Because of lackluster traffic levels and the need to pay off debt resulting from the purchase of the Milwaukee Road, most of the LSTD (including the original Wisconsin Central Railway) was sold in 1987 to the newly formed Wisconsin Central Transportation Corporation. The original Wisconsin Central Railroad Company was established by an act of the Wisconsin State Legislature and incorporated in February 1871 Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) At one time Wisconsin Central Ltd owned or operated railroads
The Soo Line is a part of the Canadian Pacific Railway system. The Canadian Pacific Railway ( As time passes, more and more Soo Line equipment is being repainted into the Canadian Pacific's current paint scheme, slowly erasing the Soo's identity as a subsidiary railroad.
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Passenger service
The Soo Line was never a major carrier of passenger traffic since its route between Chicago and Minneapolis was much longer than the competing Milwaukee Road, Chicago and North Western and Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad railroads. The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific Railroad ( CMSP&P RR), was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest The Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. The Soo Line also had no direct access to Milwaukee.
The primary trains operated by the Soo were:
- The Laker which operated an overnight service from Chicago's Grand Central Station to Duluth-Superior with a portion to Minneapolis-St. Paul. Grand Central Station was a passenger railroad terminal in downtown Chicago, Illinois from 1890 to 1969 The Twin Ports of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin are located at the western part of Lake Superior (the westernmost of An additional portion served Ashland, Wisconsin until January 1959. History Pre-settlement The Laker was discontinued completely on January 15, 1965.
- The Winnipeger which operated an overnight Minneapolis-St. In October 1904 the Minneapolis St Paul and Sault Ste Marie Railway ( Soo Line) and Canadian Pacific Railway began over-night passenger service between the Twin Cities Paul to Winnipeg, Manitoba service. Winnipeg (ˈwɪnɨpɛg is the capital and largest city in the Canadian province of Manitoba, and 7th largest municipality in Canada with a population It was discontinued in May 1967.
- A Minneapolis-St. Paul to western Canada service. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page During the 1920s and 1930s the Soo Line operated the Soo-Pacific, a summer only Chicago-Vancouver service with the Canadian Pacific Railway. The Canadian Pacific Railway ( This later became The Mountaineer, which was then reduced to Minneapolis-St. Paul to Vancouver, before being discontinued in the early 1960s. During the non-summer months, the train ran as the Soo-Dominion from Minneapolis-St. Paul to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, where it was combined into Canadian Pacific Railway's The Dominion transcontinental passenger train. Moose Jaw is a city in south-central Saskatchewan, Canada on the Moose Jaw River 71 km (45 miles west of Regina The Canadian Pacific Railway ( The Dominion was a Canadian transcontinental Passenger train operated by the Canadian Pacific Railway.
- A Minneapolis-St. Paul to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan overnight train. Sault Ste Marie (ˌsuːseɪntməˈriː is the oldest city in both the state of Michigan and in the entire Discontinued March 1959.
Additionally, local trains served Chicago to Minneapolis-St. Paul, Duluth-Superior to Minneapolis-St. Paul, Duluth to Thief River Falls, Minnesota, and some summer-only services which relieved The Mountaineer of the local work along its route. Thief River Falls, also called Thief River or TRF, is a city in Pennington County, Minnesota, United States. The Soo Line's last passenger train was the Copper Country Limited, a joint service with the Milwaukee Road, which the Soo Line inherited when they merged the Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway in December 1960. The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific Railroad ( CMSP&P RR), was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest The Duluth South Shore and Atlantic Railway (DSS&A was an American Railroad serving the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the Lake Superior The Chicago-Champion-Calumet train was discontinued May 8, 1968. Champion Township is a Civil township of Marquette County in the U Calumet is a village in Calumet Township, Houghton County, in the U
Company Presidents
The Presidents of the Soo Line were[1]:
- William D. Washburn, 1883–1889. William Drew Washburn ( January 14, 1831 &ndash July 29, 1912) was an American Politician.
- Thomas Lowry, 1889–1890, 1892–1909. Thomas Lowry ( February 27, 1843 &ndash February 4, 1909) was a Lawyer, Real-estate magnate and Businessman who
- F. N. Finney, 1890–1892.
- Edmund Pennington, 1909–1922.
- G. R. Huntingdon, 1922–1923.
- C. T. Jaffray, 1924–1937.
- G. W. Webster, 1937–1944.
- H. C. Grout, 1944–1949.
- G. Allen MacNamara, 1950–1960.
- Leonard Murray, 1961–1978.
- Thomas M. Beckley, 1978–1983.
- Dennis Miles Cavanaugh, 1983–1986, 1987–1989.
- Robert C. Gilmore, 1986–1987.
- Edwin V. Dodge, 1989–
Timeline
- September 29, 1883: A consortium of flour mill owners in Minneapolis form the Minneapolis, Sault Ste. Events 522 BC - Darius I of Persia kills the Magian usurper Gaumâta securing his hold as king of the Persian Empire. Year 1883 ( MDCCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Marie and Atlantic Railway to build a railroad between its two namesake cities to avoid sending shipments through Chicago. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States.
- June 11, 1888: The Canadian Pacific Railway acquires control of the Minneapolis, Sault Ste. Events 1184 BC - Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned according to the calculations of Eratosthenes. Year 1888 ( MDCCCLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The Canadian Pacific Railway ( Marie and Atlantic Railway, consolidating it with the Minneapolis and Pacific Railway, Minneapolis and St. Croix Railway and Aberdeen, Bismarck and North Western Railway to form the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway.
- 1908: The Soo Line acquires a majority interest in the Wisconsin Central Railway, and obtains a 99-year lease of the property in 1909. Year 1908 ( MCMVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year
- December 30, 1960: The Soo Line Railroad is formed through a merger of the Minneapolis, St. Events 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield. 1816 - The Treaty of St Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway, Wisconsin Central Railway and Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway (AAR reporting marks DSA). The original Wisconsin Central Railroad Company was established by an act of the Wisconsin State Legislature and incorporated in February 1871 The Duluth South Shore and Atlantic Railway (DSS&A was an American Railroad serving the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the Lake Superior A reporting mark is an identification assigned by the Association of American Railroads (AAR to rail carriers and other companies operating in North America.
- June 2, 1982 The Soo Line buys the Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern Railway (AAR reporting marks MNS)
- February 21, 1985: The Soo Line Railroad obtains a controlling interest in the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (AAR reporting marks MILW) and renames it Milwaukee Road, Inc.
- January 1, 1986: The Milwaukee Road is merged into the Soo Line Railroad. Events 455 - The Vandals enter Rome, and plunder the city for two weeks Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) The Minneapolis Northfield and Southern Railway was an long American short line Railroad connecting Minneapolis and Northfield, A reporting mark is an identification assigned by the Association of American Railroads (AAR to rail carriers and other companies operating in North America. Events 362 - Athanasius returns to Alexandria. 1245 - Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific Railroad ( CMSP&P RR), was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest A reporting mark is an identification assigned by the Association of American Railroads (AAR to rail carriers and other companies operating in North America. The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific Railroad ( CMSP&P RR), was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar)
- April 4, 1987: The Soo Line Railroad announces the sale of its Lake States Transportation Division to private investors, forming the new Wisconsin Central Transportation Corporation. Events 1581 - Francis Drake completes a circumnavigation of the world and is knighted by Elizabeth I. Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) Lake States Transportation Division (LSTD was a wholly-owned division of the Soo Line Railroad that existed from 1986-1987 At one time Wisconsin Central Ltd owned or operated railroads
- 1992: The Canadian Pacific Railway, which had owned a controlling interest in the Soo Line Railroad for many years, finishes buying up all remaining stock. Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) The Canadian Pacific Railway (
Locomotives
Preservation
A number of the railroad's rolling stock has been preserved in museums across America, some in operational condition. Included in this list of Soo Line locomotives are those of the Minneapolis St The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Some of the more notable equipment is:
Steam locomotives
- Soo Line 353 - A restored 0-6-0 built in 1920 by ALCO. Soo Line 353 is a restored 0-6-0 type Steam locomotive of the Minneapolis St Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco (or less frequently ALCo) was a builder of Railroad Locomotives in
- Soo Line 1003 - A restored 2-8-2 built in 1913 by ALCO. Soo Line 1003 is a restored 2-8-2 Mikado type Steam locomotive of the Minneapolis St In the Whyte notation, a 2-8-2 is a Railroad Steam locomotive that has one Leading axle followed by four powered driving axles and Year 1913 ( MCMXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco (or less frequently ALCo) was a builder of Railroad Locomotives in
- Soo Line 2719 - A restored 4-6-2 built in 1923 by ALCO. Soo Line 2719 is a restored 4-6-2 Steam locomotive that was originally operated by the Soo Line Railroad. Under the Whyte notation for the classification of Steam locomotives, a 4-6-2 Locomotive has four Leading wheels (generally arranged in a Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco (or less frequently ALCo) was a builder of Railroad Locomotives in This locomotive hauled the Soo Line's last steam-powered train in revenue service in 1959. [2]
- Soo Line 2713 - A restored 4-6-2 H-21 built in 1913 by ALCO Schenectady. Under the Whyte notation for the classification of Steam locomotives, a 4-6-2 Locomotive has four Leading wheels (generally arranged in a Year 1913 ( MCMXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco (or less frequently ALCo) was a builder of Railroad Locomotives in It is located in Depot Park in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Stevens Point is a city in and the County seat of Portage County, Wisconsin, United States. This park also includes Soo Line Caboose 158.
Diesel locomotives
- Soo 500-A an EMD FP7 displayed at Ladysmith, Wisconsin
- Soo 2500-A an EMD FP-7, at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, Duluth, Minnesota. The EMD FP7 was a, B-B dual-service passenger and freight-hauling Diesel locomotive produced between June 1949 and December 1953 by General Motors ' Ladysmith is a city in Rusk County, Wisconsin, United States. The Lake Superior Railroad Museum is a railroad museum in Duluth Minnesota. Duluth is a Port City in the US state of Minnesota and the County seat of St Restored for use on their North Shore Scenic Railroad. The North Shore Scenic Railroad is a heritage railroad that operates between Duluth Minnesota and Two Harbors Minnesota.
- Soo 700, an EMD GP30, at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, Duluth, Minnesota. Restored for use on their North Shore Scenic Railroad.
- Soo 703, an EMD GP30, at the Colfax Railroad Museum, Colfax, Wisconsin
References
External links
- Soo Line Historical and Technical Society
- Soo Line Online
- A 100-year Timeline History of The Soo Line Railroad and its Predecessors
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