Why Didn't Illinois Central Build Further Into Minnesota?

GulfRail wrote:While Illinois Central didn't go any further than Albert Lea, Minnesota, they did try to acquire the Minneapolis & St. Louis on multiple occasions. After all: why build a new route when you can simply buy one that already exists?

IC blew hot and cold on that purchase - after the CRIP (Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern) lost control ca 1900, there was never a "right" time for IC to consummate a purchase before Heineman moved to C&NW and took the Louie with him.

More importantly, the Illinois Central didn't really have anywhere to go in MN or IA. CHI-MSP was saturated with CBQ, CNW, CMSP, CGW, CRIP, and Soo. CHI-Des Moines was saturated with CRIP, CBQ, CNW, CMSP, CGW, and WAB. IC had no friendly interchange partners at Albia, besides which IC would have short-hauled itself to St. Louis by using the Albia Gateway, nor would it have gained any better KCY access. Besides, IC accessed most major points in Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois, excepting Des Moines and Minneapolis/St. Paul.

The M&StL was bound to IC; not the reverse.

Now that gives me another idea, why didn't ICG consider buying the Spine Line when it was up for sale in the 1980s? Probably because SOO and CNW drove up the price since they both really wanted it but I have to wonder if ICG bid on it as well. But that would've gave IC access to not only CRIP's business in the Twin Cities but Kansas City as well.

I think ICG may have sniffed at the Spine (and the MILW post-1981), but the Gulf part of their name (ex-GMO, nee Alton) already got them to Kansas City. Minneapolis just had to wait for CN and WC.