CP St. Paul-Portage line question

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

Was this line double track ABS in Milwakee Road days and later single tracked by Soo/CP ?

2

I am not certain about the line north of LaCrosse, but I think that part was double track ABS. I do clearly remember that the line from LaCrosse to Portage and beyond was double track except for the single track tunnel at Tunnel City. Signaling was generally ABS, except that the Milwaukee Road had ATS between Tomah and Watertown, WI with passenger track speed authorized at 99MPH.

The Soo did the single tracking.

3

Thanks [8D]

4

Yep, the line from La Crosse to Minneapolis used to be double-track all the way- I remember driving along it back in the 70’s while it still was.

I think Soo was the guilty party that removed most of it.

5

There was a patch of CTC in the Red Wing, MN area that was used to sort out the priority trains from the drag freights, it also allowed the passenger trains to overtake the freights.

6

The line was basically Double Track ABS. There was CTC between Tunnel City and Raymore, West Wye Switch and River Jct, Jackson St(Red Wing) and Duke, and Hastings and St Croix Twr. Between St Croix Twr and St Paul was joint trackage with the CB&Q(basically left hand running Double Track ABS). East of the Hastings river crossing, ACS were active through the late 60’s.

Jim