Short-line
rail has been connecting Minnesota products with the world since 1991
GLENCOE, Minn.--Later
this month, Minnesota's Twin Cities & Western Railroad (TC&W), one of
the state's busiest short-line freight rail carriers, will transport something
very different -dozens of passengers who, according to TC&W President Mark
Wegner, have helped the company survive and thrive to celebrate its 25th
anniversary. TC&W began service on July 26, 1991, and operates from its
headquarters in Glencoe.
On
July 21 and 22, TC&W will operate a series of special diesel-powered
passenger excursions to thank customers, employees and government leaders who
have helped make the railroad a successful and indispensable asset to rural
Minnesota and eastern South Dakota. Twenty-five years after its founding, the
company is responsible for moving almost $1.5 billion in goods
from Minnesota farms and manufacturers to market in 39 U.S. states, Canada and
Mexico.
"We
have been very fortunate to have the support of the communities we serve and
their elected representatives," Wegner said. "They have created a
positive business environment that has enabled our customers to invest over
$500 million in new or upgraded production, processing and shipping facilities
along the TC&W line."
Wegner said many Twin Cities residents are unaware of
the importance of short-line freight service to the rural communities outside
the metro area.
"Our
20 largest shippers employ more than 2,600 people, and they pay combined total
wages of over $111 million," he noted. "Several are among the largest
employers in their communities. They provide more than $12 million in benefits
to their workers. Good jobs with good benefits are not that easy to find in
many rural areas, so our customers are highly valued as employers."
TC&W
employs more than 85 people at its Glencoe headquarters and other locations,
spending $6 million annually on payroll and benefits, and another $1.2 million
in railroad retirement taxes.
Wegner
said TC&W has a "remarkably loyal and efficient" work force that
deserves much of the credit for the company's success. "Our employees have
been the key to our growth, and the quality of our customer service," he
said.
TC&W's main line extends from the Twin Cities to
Milbank, South Dakota, with branch lines serving grain terminals on the
Mississippi River at Camden Place and Savage. In total, the company operates on
294 route miles of track in Minnesota and 49 miles of track in South Dakota,
linking its shippers to Class I rail carriers including Canadian Pacific, Union
Pacific, BNSF Railway and Canadian National.
