DULUTH'S PASSENGER TRAINS

OF THE PAST

Intercity passenger trains serving Duluth in 1942, 1956, and 1971 immediately prior to the creation of Amtrak.

THE STATIONS

The major stations serving Duluth, during the golden age of passenger trains.

Union Station
506 W. Michigan St.
Opened 1892

Number of station tracks: 7
Non interlocked switches

Soo Station
6th Ave. W and Superior St.

C&NW Station
200 S. 5th Ave. W

GREAT NORTHERN

(Union Station)

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 23  Badger Express        St. Paul        8:00        8:00
 19  Gopher                St. Paul        4:30        4:30  40    5:25 pm
 35  Grand Forks Exp.      Grand Forks     9:30 pm     7:30 am
Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 36  Duluth Night Express  Grand Forks     7:00        6:48 am
 24  Badger Express        St. Paul       11:58       11:58  53   11:30 am
 20  Gopher                St. Paul        8:00        7:45
Passenger service discontinued in 1971 with the creation of Amtrak.

In 1969, Great Northern began terminating trains in nearby Superior.

NORTHERN PACIFIC

(Union Station)

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 55  (Motor Train)         Staples         7:50        7:25
 61  Twin Ports Twin City  St. Paul        8:30        1:30
731  (mixed train)         Cloquet         8:30
 52  (Motor Train)         Ashland         2:20
 57  (Motor Train)         Staples         8:00        5:35
 65  Twin Ports Twin City  Minneapolis    11:30       11:30
Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 66  Twin Ports Twin City  Minneapolis     6:30        6:10
 58  (Motor Train)         Staples         8:00        7:30
 51  (Motor Train)         Ashland        11:45
 62  Twin Ports Twin City  Minneapolis     6:05       12:30
 56  (Motor Train)         Staples        11:00       11:50
734  (mixed train)         Cloquet        11:00
Passenger service discontinued in 1969.

DULUTH MISSABE & IRON RANGE

(Union Station)

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  1                        Hibbing         8:35 am
  5                        Winton          9:00 am     9:06 am
Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  2                        Hibbing         4:15 pm
  6                        Winton          5:50 pm     5:39 pm
Passenger service discontinued in 1961.

In 1953, Duluth Missabe & Iron Range began using a separate Endion Station, approximately two miles from Union Station.

SOO LINE

(Soo Station)

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 65                        Thief River F.  7:20 am     9:00 am
 17                        Chicago         8:10 am     8:15 am
 63                        Minneapolis     1:00 pm     1:15 pm
Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 64                        Thief River F.  4:20 pm     3:00 pm
 62                        Minneapolis     6:05 pm     5:30 pm
 18                        Chicago         6:15 pm     7:30 pm
Passenger service discontinued in 1965.

In 1961, Soo Line began terminating trains in nearby Superior.

DULUTH SOUTH SHORE & ATLANTIC

(Soo Station)

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  8                        Marquette       8:00 pm
Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  7                        Marquette       5:40 am
Passenger service discontinued in 1955.

CHICAGO & NORTH WESTERN

(C&NW Station)

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

512  Arrowhead Limited     Eau Claire      5:00        4:35 pm
510  Chicago Limited       Eau Claire      8:15        8:15 pm
Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

511  Duluth-Superior Ltd.  Chicago         7:30        8:00 am
513  Fast Mail             Eau Claire     11:55       12:15 pm
Passenger service discontinued in 1961.

DULUTH WINNIPEG & PACIFIC

(C&NW Station)

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  1                        Winnipeg        7:15   19   8:00 pm
Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  2                        Winnipeg        8:45   20   9:20 am
Passenger service discontinued in 1961.

Duluth Winnipeg & Pacific was a subsidiary of Canadian National, and used Canadian National trackage within Canada.

STATIONS TODAY

Duluth Union Station still stands. Amtrak served Duluth from 1977 until 1985.

Duluth Depot
Link to an official Web site, showing how Union Station has been preserved and transformed for other uses.

Twin Ports Railfan and Railroading Page
Fan Web site with information on the railroads of Duluth.

Most trains also served Superior. Superior Union Station, served by Great Northern and Northern Pacific, was located at Oakes Ave. and Broadway. The Soo Line station, also used by Duluth South Shore & Atlantic, was located at 1615 Winter St. And the Chicago & North Western station was located at 818 Ogden Ave. Trains of Duluth Missabe & Iron Range, and Duluth Winnipeg & Pacific, operated north and did not serve Superior.

MAPPING THE STATIONS AND RAILROADS

Links to locations of past and present stations and railroads, using Google Maps. Satellite views are also available.