mcords19
MMNAU - Lake Benton, MN
Tucked deep within Southwestern Minnesota’s Coteau des Prairies, the Rapid City Pierre & Eastern’s Huron Subdivision meanders around geologic obstacles sculpted by the natural might of glaciation some ten thousand years prior.
The circuitous trackage outside Lake Benton was selected by Charles W. Irish and his team of surveyors for the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad in the early 1870s, who sought the most efficient route into new markets throughout present-day South Dakota. Today, RCPE isn’t hellbent on the livestock business or prospect of Black Hills gold mining as 19th-century CNW was. Rather, a steady flow of agricultural carloads, such as grain and ethanol, has generated enough traffic to warrant three weekly round trips between Mankato, MN, and Aurora, SD. Today’s MMNAU is a fairly sizeable train, and is making good time across the road.
This segment of the CNW was once known for a fleet of Alco locomotives, captive to these rolling hills and open prairies. The subsequent formation of the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad would then usher in a reliance upon Electro Motive products, many of which can still be seen today sporting the livery of a new owner.
However, with hand-me-down GE C44-9Ws arriving to undermine the railroad as a purely EMD operator, scenes across this Class II’s 743-mile network will soon look much different. With changes on the horizon, I’ve been diving deeper into the history of power currently rostered by RCPE.
Interestingly, all three EMD SD40-2s in this consist spent time on the Union Pacific’s roster to some extent. Leader RCPE #3458 was built for UP in March of 1979 in what would be their largest order of the model.
Trailing SD40M-2 MNA #2762 has been roaming the RCPE system since its former owner, Missouri & Northern Arkansas, was absorbed by the rail conglomerate, G&W. Originally built as a straight SD40 for UP in December of 1966, this unit is slated to be scrapped nearly sixty years after rolling off the production line.
The third and final unit powering the westbound freight, RCPE #3444 was built in August 1978 for the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. Starting life as MKT no. 605, this locomotive was part of the Katy’s first order of SD40-2s, with four additional orders from La Grange placed between ‘78 and ‘81 for a total of 37 units. The 605 was later renumbered to UP 3814 after the company assumed control of MKT in 1988.
MMNAU - Lake Benton, MN
Tucked deep within Southwestern Minnesota’s Coteau des Prairies, the Rapid City Pierre & Eastern’s Huron Subdivision meanders around geologic obstacles sculpted by the natural might of glaciation some ten thousand years prior.
The circuitous trackage outside Lake Benton was selected by Charles W. Irish and his team of surveyors for the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad in the early 1870s, who sought the most efficient route into new markets throughout present-day South Dakota. Today, RCPE isn’t hellbent on the livestock business or prospect of Black Hills gold mining as 19th-century CNW was. Rather, a steady flow of agricultural carloads, such as grain and ethanol, has generated enough traffic to warrant three weekly round trips between Mankato, MN, and Aurora, SD. Today’s MMNAU is a fairly sizeable train, and is making good time across the road.
This segment of the CNW was once known for a fleet of Alco locomotives, captive to these rolling hills and open prairies. The subsequent formation of the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad would then usher in a reliance upon Electro Motive products, many of which can still be seen today sporting the livery of a new owner.
However, with hand-me-down GE C44-9Ws arriving to undermine the railroad as a purely EMD operator, scenes across this Class II’s 743-mile network will soon look much different. With changes on the horizon, I’ve been diving deeper into the history of power currently rostered by RCPE.
Interestingly, all three EMD SD40-2s in this consist spent time on the Union Pacific’s roster to some extent. Leader RCPE #3458 was built for UP in March of 1979 in what would be their largest order of the model.
Trailing SD40M-2 MNA #2762 has been roaming the RCPE system since its former owner, Missouri & Northern Arkansas, was absorbed by the rail conglomerate, G&W. Originally built as a straight SD40 for UP in December of 1966, this unit is slated to be scrapped nearly sixty years after rolling off the production line.
The third and final unit powering the westbound freight, RCPE #3444 was built in August 1978 for the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. Starting life as MKT no. 605, this locomotive was part of the Katy’s first order of SD40-2s, with four additional orders from La Grange placed between ‘78 and ‘81 for a total of 37 units. The 605 was later renumbered to UP 3814 after the company assumed control of MKT in 1988.