Rochester, MN

Hey guys,

First forum topic for C&NW!

As much as I'd like to talk about Winona some more, I'm also currious to know about how extensive operations were in Rochester, MN. If I'm not mistaken, the trackage in Rochester was originally that of the Chicago Great Western, wasn't it?

I know the 400 made regular stops in Rochester and the Silver Lake power plant is an on-line industry (coal), but what other customers were there? Were there any shop facilities in Rochester? Even though I grew up in a small town near Rochester and have spent a lot of time there, but for as long as I can remember, I've only seen a few tracks there and not much else (i.e. no yards or major terminals). It doesn't seem like there's much left of the infrastructure (if there really was anything to begin with) but am currious to know what was around in the pre-DM&E period.

Would appreciate any info. anyone can share about this.

I grew up an hour and a half away from Rochester, so I don't have a lot of first hand knowledge. But, here's what I know (or think I know). The trackage that runs essentially north/south through town is old CGW tracks. Currently, it goes to the south end of town to serve a food distributor and a scrap metal business, maybe others... The north end doesn't really go anywhere, I don't think. It used to serve IBM. The east/west tracks are former Winona & St. Peter, then CNW, and of course, now DM&E. That's about all I can tell you. Most of what I know is based on a number of books I've got - Hirsimaki's "The Alco Line", Luecke's "The CNW in Minnesota" and his "The CGW in Minnesota".

dhaugh,

Hey, thanks for the info.! I'll have to look into getting those books (if they're still in print). Will also have to raid the appropriate agencies to see if I can get copies of old plat maps, etc. that show the old track arangements and whatnot.

Dbaugh is correct in his assessment of the infrastructure in Rochester. I lived there from '84 to '93 and can expand upon his answer. The old CGW north of town towards the Twin Cities is now the Douglas Trail. It begins somewhere west and north of IBM. The CGW that goes south of the CNW serves the AMPI milk processor downtown and Libby Foods just north of the fairgrounds. It also serves a scrap dealer where the line now ends in SE Rochester. The CGW north serves some customers, I dont know much about this other than the line veers off of the mainline under US52. From what I was told the CNW and CGW shared the mainline thru town from US52 to where CGW veers south by Rochester Ready Mix. The coal delivered to the Silver Lake Power Plant would always arrive in IC and ICG hoppers; this was during the early DME era, but it probably was the same during CNW's tenure. The CNW depot used to be on the west side of Boardway on the south side of the tracks. This was removed and the junction for the CGW south was reworked when Civic Center Drive was constructed in the early 90's. The CGW depot was behind the library downtown and served as a Greyhound depot until the late 80's. It was moved to a vacant lot by the Silver Lake power plant for preservation. I do not know what has happened to it since it was moved over 15 years ago. The CNW and DME both stationed a switcher in Rochester to work local industries. It was parked at the junction of the south CGW line and was normally one of the old Nickle Plate GP9's in the early DME era. Interestingly, last year I photographed old DME GP9 1483 in Fergus Falls, MN now wearing RailAmerica colors for the Otter Tail Valley Railroad. The CGW had an engine facility and small yard on the south line. I believe it was a small roundhouse (dont quote me on that, it might have been a regular enginehouse). This facility was located between South Broadway and the CGW mainline just south of the Zumbro River crossing and AMPI. It is now a small strip mall next to Kmart, accross Broadway from Soldier's Field Park. This was removed before I moved to Rochester so I never saw it myself. There are some pictures of it in "The CGW in Minnesota" co-authored by Roger Bee, who lived in Rochester at the time that I did. It is a wonderful source of information on the CGW and there are quite a few pictures of operations in Rochester.

mnrailfan,

Rochester is a nice town, wouldn't mind living there myself.

We used to shop at that K-Mart quite often when I was a kid, and we ate at the Pizza-Hut (now a Mexican resturaunt) across the tracks from the K-Mart) and Great Hunan Chinese place (at the strip mall mentioned above)as well. I also used to frequent the Hardee's that was a little south of that strip mall (now an Indian resturaunt). (I used to bug my folks to sit in the booths trackside so I could watch the trains roll by... whenever they rolled through.

Interesting to know that's where the roundhouse was...

I did some digging around and found that the C&NW did an article on it in one of their issues.

Libby's (now Sencia Foods) is still around (that corn-cob water tower is a Rochester landmark) although, I don't know how much traffic they generate for the line. My Dad is the Driver's Ed. instructor here in town, so we used to go to the DMV branch office in Rochester quite often to talk to the head hancho and I used to scope out the tracks next to the Silver Lake Power Plant. I don't remember the IC/ICG on the cars, but I'll take your word on it. I haven't been to that area in a while either (the DMV moved to Northgate Plaza), so I can't say where the cars are from now.

The CGW depot is still where it was moved in '93 (can't remember where they stuck it at the moment... been a while since I've been in that part of Rochester), as far as I know. I remember when they moved it, it was a big deal. They're still trying to get the funds together to restore it although, the last time I saw it, it was in pretty bad shape. Be interesting to see it restored and relocated back near the tracks (should be in my opinion).

Well, that should catch you up on Rochester doings thus far (don't know if you've been back since then). Unfortunately, I live 30 miles away and am the only railfan in my family and clique of friends, so I don't really get to go railfanning in Rochester that often. The only other big item is the DM&E Powder River project. The EPA, DOT, and all the other "alphabet soup" agenices involved in the disputes between the railroad and the city have been settled by the courts and the project has been greenlighted, although, they haven't done any work as of yet (I think they're waiting for the other disputes along the route to be settled before they start work).

Been meaning to post this for a while, but have been busy with a few other things...

About two months ago, or so, I was up in Rochester with a friend/co-worker (he was on a sales trip, I was along for the ride), and we were going to visit a client of his, just south of the Federal Courthouse/City Hall/Law Enforcement Center complex, and as we crossed one of the sets of tracks, I noticed a greyish colored building that bore a striking resemblence to the old Rochester CGW Depot.

Unfortunately, due to my buddy's schedule, we couldn't double back and scope it out for confirmation.

So, a month later, I was again in Rochester on business for my hometown historical society (of which I am now the Vice President) with the president and we were in the neighborhood, so I thought we should have a closer look at the building.

It was, indeed, the Depot.

I believe it is located next to the DM&E mainline (but I'm not sure of that at the moment), and clad in grey vinyl siding, although, the original (or decent reproductions thereof) doors and roof supports are still there. I don't have a photo of the depot as it was in its glory days, but I assume the restoration was close to what the depot once looked like. (The only photo I have is in the Rochester/Olmstead County 150th anniversary photo album that was published by the Rochester Post Bulliten. The photo is from July 23, 1963 and shows C&NW train #519, the westbound 400 making its last run through Rochester and doesn't really show the station, it's on the right hand of the picture, obscoured in the background behind a large platform shelter and a crowd observing the end of an era..)

Interestingly enough, the building is now being used as a Mexican resturaunt (can't tell you how the food is, as I haven't dined there yet).

Anyway, that's the latest in the saga of the Rochester depot, thought I'd give you guys an update on that.