PGR I-494 Bridge

In 1908, Marion W. Savage, owner of the race horse Dan Patch, sought to build a railroad to connect his farm and other rural areas south of Minneapolis with the railroad network at Minneapolis.  Work began on the Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester and Dubuque Electric Traction Company in 1908, and the 37-mile line from Northfield to 54th Street in Minneapolis was completed in 1910.  Grading was started on an extension south to Faribault in 1911, but this project was never completed.  In 1913, work began on a 14-mile line to Minneapolis, extending from Auto Club Junction north to Luce Line Junction.  In addition, the Electric Short Line Terminal company constructed an additional 4 miles from Luce Line Junction into downtown Minneapolis. 

In 1924, the company entered foreclosure and was purchased by the Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern Railway (MN&S).  In 1927, an additional extension was made to the existing Soo Line tracks at Crystal.  The MN&S was purchased by the Soo Line in 1982, and merged into the company in 1986.  In 1990, Soo Line was purchased by Canadian Pacific Railway (CP).  The Twin Cities & Western purchased the Minnesota River Bridge with the goal to reach customers at the Port of Savage.  Progressive Rail purchased the Lakeville to Northfield segment.  In 2023, CP merged with Kansas City Southern Railway to form CPKC.  CPKC currently owns the entire route north of Lakeville, with the exception of the Minnesota River Bridge.  The Minnesota River Bridge to Lakeville segment has been out of service since the early 2000s, although is intact if traffic ever warrants reopening the route.  The Lakeville to Northfield segment is operated by Progressive Rail as the Jesse James line.