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Twin City Rails -Minneapolis

Minneapolis was one of the major cities on the Great Northern route. Traffic included eastbound, westbound, and northbound freight and passenger service. A major landmark was the stone arch bridge on east end of Minneapolis which was built by the Great Northern.

The layout includes a large freight yard requiring a yard master for operations. It also includes a GN engine house and caboose track. Most of the industries are ones that existed in Minneapolis during the 1950s. Many are still in operation today. There is also the Great Northern Depot on the layout. The depot shared facilities with several other railroads.

On the west end of Minneapolis there are two mainlines. One is the northbound mainline (right side) and the other is east/west mainline (left side). All turnouts should be set back for eastbound and westbound traffic which has priority.

Picture of Minneapolis freight yard and downtown area

Minneapolis Depot, GN engine house and caboose track, and industries in east Minneapolis near the Mississippi River

Western end of freight yard and industries on west end of Minneapolis

Minneapolis freight yard, freight mainline is the track furthest to the right.  Also shown are two arrival/departure tracks next to mainline.

Downtown Minneapolis buildings.  Twin Cities Federal Bank on left.  Building with canopies over windows is Dayton's Department Store.

The Great Northern Station.  It co-shared facilities with several other railroads.

Two well known Minnesota industries include Honeywell on the left and Onan Generators on the right.

Folgers Coffee on the left and Old Dutch Potato Chips on the right

GN Engine House and Caboose Track

Esso Petroleum on the left and Minneapolis Brewing Company on the right.  Minneapolis Brewing is maker of "Grain Belt Premium" Beer

Super Value Foods Warehouse is a major supplier of food for Super Value Stores through the Midwest

Butler Tools is a major distributor of power tools, mowers, and snow blowers

On the left is Northern States Power which was a major supplier of electricity.  Coal trains from western coal mines are busy keeping a supply of coal to "NSP".  On the right is the Hormel Company.  The George A. Hormel plant was "relocated" to Minneapolis in honor my wife's father who worked for Hormel for 33 years in Austin, Minnesota.  There is a stock yard, large meat processing plant, and three sidings for shipping processed meats out by meat reefers.

Pillsbury Flour Mills is one of the main industries of Minneapolis located near the famous stone arch bridge