Chaska Trestle

In 1872, the Hastings and Dakota Railway completed 72 miles of new railroad between Hastings, Minnesota and Glencoe, Minnesota. Later that year, the H&D would convey this line to the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway, which would change its name to the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Company (CM&StP) in 1874. Known as the Milwaukee Road, the railroad was beginning to amass a large collection of railroads throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. The line would later be extended westwards, eventually reaching Aberdeen, South Dakota. In 1882, the Milwaukee Road built the Benton Cutoff, a new direct route between Minneapolis and Cologne, reducing the importance of the original line.

The Milwaukee Road was often in financial trouble, especially after the costly Pacific Extension was completed in 1909. In 1925, the company declared bankruptcy, and reorganized as the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad in 1928. The segment of this line between Hastings and Farmington was removed in 1935. As the Milwaukee Road continued to face financial hardship during the 1970s, numerous branch lines would be abandoned, including the segment between Shakopee and Cologne in 1977. The Chaska to Shakopee segment, including the large truss swing bridge over the Minnesota River, were purchased for trail use. The segment between Shakopee and Farmington was abandoned in 1980, and the Milwaukee Road utilized trackage rights over the Chicago & North Western to reach Rahr Malting in Shakopee. The Milwaukee Road would eventually be purchased by the Soo Line in 1986, which has since become part of CPKC. During the 1980s, the segment between Chaska and Shakopee was converted to the Chaska-Shakopee Trail. Due to a failing pier, the Minnesota River bridge was removed in 1996, and the Chaska segment of the trail has been abandoned. Union Pacific Railroad now operates the remaining spur of track in Shakopee.