Progressive Rail, Inc.

Progressive Rail Inc. (reporting mark PGR) is a shortline railroad operating several separate branches including the Airlake Terminal Railway. The branches are listed as follows:

Progressive Rail train in Northfield, Minnesota
Progressive Rail, Inc.
Overview
HeadquartersLakeville, Minnesota
Reporting markPGR
LocaleMinnesota
Wisconsin
Missouri
Dates of operation1996–
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Other
WebsiteProgressive Rail, Inc.
Progressive Rail Specialized Logistics

Progressive Rail also acquired the Wisconsin Northern Division in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin and operates as a separately-named division. They also own the Central Midland Railway in Missouri, the Iowa Traction Railway in Iowa, the Crab Orchard and Egyptian Railroad in Illinois, and the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad in California. Progressive Rail is also known as the Cannon Valley Railroad (reporting mark CVRC).[2]

History

Headquartered in Lakeville, Minnesota (a southern suburb of Minneapolis-St. Paul), Progressive Rail, Inc. was established in 1996 to initially serve the Airlake Industrial Park. In 2001, they leased the former Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern Railway "High Line" in Bloomington and Richfield and started restoring trackage.[3] The company's philosophy has been to provide service that a large railway chooses not to provide. They have also focused on economic development, including finding new customers, and working on regaining former rail customers along their lines. This strategy has paid off in an increase in traffic, from 600 carloads in their first year of operation to more than 5000 carloads in 2003.[4]

Major commodities include:

  • resins
  • chemicals
  • fuels
  • lumber
  • gypsum board
  • cement
  • fly-ash
  • metals
  • paper
  • machinery
  • food and kindred products
  • scrap material
  • consumer products

Progressive Rail, Inc. also operates wholly owned subsidiary Progressive Rail Specialized Logistics, which provides rail logistics services for machinery and over-dimensional freight shippers.[5]

References
  1. https://www.progressiverail.com/maps/minnesota/JesseJamesLine.pdf
  2. https://www.up.com/customers/shortline/profiles_a-c/cvrc/index.htm
  3. Black, Sam (August 26, 2001). "Progressive Rail buys Southwest Line". Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  4. Weyer, Jake (March 23, 2003). "Short-rail line tracks growth". Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  5. "Progressive Rail Specialized Logistics official site". Archived from the original on 2006-07-14. Retrieved 2006-06-18.
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