Small rail operators looking for $91 million in Minnesota help over several years
February 8, 2020
The economic ripple created by a $1.5 million state investment a few years ago in a freight-rail spur line south of White Bear Lake, has empowered several small railroads to ship the Minnesota Legislature a 2020-2025, $91.4 million rail and crossing-improvement program.
"The proposed legislation requires a relatively small amount of funding compared with state spending on highways supporting truck traffic, a direct and more expensive competitor to rail shipping," said a report from the rail-improvement consortium. "Minnesota has no financial resources or programs devoted to rail infrastructure and rail-related economic development needs of [spur-line carriers] while Wisconsin has spent more than $240 million over the past two decades and Iowa more than $60 million."