State Rail Plan

Please use the interactive map to provide your insight and experience with rail in Minnesota!

You are encouraged to share specific suggestions or concerns regarding the rail system. Choose one of the "Pins" to identify a location on the map where you believe an improvement is necessary.  

To place a comment: 

• Zoom to the location of your choice on the map. 
• Click the Add Pin button. 
• Drag the icon representing your concern to a location on the map. 

Topics include: 

• Crossing improvement: An infrastructure improvement such as a grade separation or other improvement to reduce traffic congestion or improve safety at a road/rail intersection. 
• New passenger line/station: Provide new connections and/or additional locations for passenger service. 
• New freight line/station: Identify new connections and additional service between shipping routes to promote economic development. 
• Track repairs/upgrades: Identify locations where upgrades result in faster service, increased capacity, improved reliability, or modernized infrastructure which enhances the viability of the rail system. 
• Environmental Concern: Examples may include air quality, noise, incompatibility of land uses, and/or concerns about hazardous material storage and transport. 
• Safety Issue: A general safety concern or dangerous situation. 

Legend: 

• The clay brown lines represent freight rail routes in Minnesota. The freight rail routes category includes four Class 1 railroads and about 20 shortline railroads operating locally throughout the state. The four Class 1 operators include 
  • BNSF Railway (BNSF), 
  • Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), 
  • Canadian National Railroad (CN), and 
  • Union Pacific (UP).
• The dark blue lines represent passenger rail routes in Minnesota. 
  • Empire Builder, 
  • Northstar Commuter Rail, 
  • The new Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago train.