Back to the Future With Progressive Rail

This article describes how Progressive Rail, a Twin Cities-based short line, used the railroad not only to offer transportation to customers in an industrial park in suburban Lakeville, but also as an industrial development vehicle. In the past ten years, Progressive Rail’s rail traffic at Airlake, the industrial park, has grown from 600 cars a year to 7,000 and the selling price for industrial space at the park has skyrocketed from 80 cents per square foot to $350. Dave Fellon, a railroad contractor, is responsible for the success of the project, and since then Progressive has moved on to other projects including the Dan Patch Line, a nine-mile stretch near a busy Interstate intersection, which proved to be a great location for industry. The article describes in detail how Fellon’s vision became such a success.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/6163876
• Authors:
  • Glischinski, Steve
• Publication Date: 2007-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Maps; Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 44-49
• Serial:
  • Trains
  • Volume: 67
  • Issue Number: 6
  • Publisher: Kalmbach Publishing Company
  • ISSN: 0041-0934
  • Serial URL: http://trainsmag.com

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Economic development; Freight trains; History; Locomotives; Short line railroads
• Geographic Terms: Minnesota
• Subject Areas: Economics; Freight Transportation; History; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01050393
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: UC Berkeley Transportation Library
• Files: BTRIS, TRIS
• Created Date: May 31 2007 7:29AM