Railroad

20 photos · 2017–2025

20 photographs tagged Railroad, 2017–2025.

A "24th PED XING" street sign stands on a Metro Transit rail pole with Minneapolis skyline in the background. — A "24th PED XING" sign is positioned alongside the Metro Transit light rail tracks in South Minneapolis, with the city's downtown buildings silhouetted against the horizon.

Railroad tracks extend through autumn forest alongside a river in Hibbing, Minnesota's Iron Range. — Hibbing sits atop one of the richest iron ore deposits in the Mesabi Range, and rail lines like this one have long served the mining industry that built the town. The Hibbing Taconite Company operates nearby, processing taconite pellets for shipment to steel mills around the Great Lakes. Much of Hibbing itself was relocated in the 1920s to allow mining to expand beneath the original townsite. The surrounding wetlands and second-growth forest reflect decades of land reclamation following open-pit mining in the region.

Illuminated drumhead signs for historic trains like the Abraham Lincoln and 20th Century Limited at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin. — A collection of illuminated drumhead signs from various historic American passenger trains is displayed at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin. These signs, once mounted on the observation cars of luxury and express trains, served as both branding and navigational aids. Featured are signs for notable routes such as the New York Central's "20th Century Limited," the Pennsylvania Railroad's "Broadway Limited," and the Alton Railroad's "Abraham Lincoln" and "Blue Bird," which connected Chicago and St. Louis.

Burlington Railway Post Office Car at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin. — This Burlington Railway Post Office Car, preserved at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin, represents a vital piece of American postal history. These specialized railcars were essential for the efficient sorting and transportation of mail across the country during the late 19th and 20th centuries. Mail clerks would sort letters and packages en route, significantly speeding up delivery times compared to traditional methods. The "United States Mail Railway Post Office" lettering clearly indicates its former function. The car's presence at the museum highlights the critical role railroads played in connecting communities and facilitating commerce through the postal service.

British Railways Logo on Train at Green Bay Railroad Museum

Stacked concrete railroad crossing panels with metal reinforcement stored outdoors in Minneapolis. — Precast concrete panels like these form the running surface of a railroad grade crossing, fitting between and alongside the rails so vehicles can pass over the tracks without damaging their tires or suspensions.

Arcola High Bridge near Stillwater — Located near Stillwater, the Soo Line High Bridge was built in 1910 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Arcola High Bridge spanning forested valley with graffiti-covered steel structure and railing. — The Arcola High Bridge carries rail traffic across the St. Croix River near Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota. Built in 1911 by the Wisconsin Central Railway, the steel trestle rises about 185 feet above the river and runs roughly 2,682 feet across the valley. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 for its engineering significance. The line later passed to the Soo Line Railroad and remains part of the Canadian National Railway network today.

Queensboro Plaza elevated train station platform with steel trusswork, tracks, and Manhattan skyline visible beyond. — Queensboro Plaza elevated train station in Long Island City, Queens, New York City. The station features multiple tracks and platforms, with the distinctive green and steel structure of the elevated railway overhead. This station is a key transit hub, serving as a transfer point for the 7 train and formerly for the Long Island Rail Road. Its construction and ongoing operation are integral to the connectivity of Queens with Manhattan and the rest of the city's transit network.

Rail yard with illuminated tracks beneath a highway overpass at sunset in Minneapolis, Minnesota. — This rail yard sits along Minnesota Highway 280, a short freeway connecting Interstate 94 to Interstate 35W between St. Paul and Minneapolis. The tracks below a switching area for freight traffic moving through the Twin Cities, with intermodal containers stored trackside for transfer between rail and truck.

Cramer Tunnel entrance in Cramer, Minnesota, beneath a starry night sky. — Cramer Tunnel in Cramer, Minnesota, was an industrial railroad tunnel that operated from 1957 to 2001. It connected the LTV Steel taconite plant in Hoyt Lakes with the ore dock at Taconite Harbor.

Abandoned railroad bridge on Nicollet Island crosses the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. — The abandoned railroad bridge on Nicollet Island in Minneapolis crosses the Mississippi River on a former freight spur. Built to connect industrial facilities near the river, it now stands as a remnant of the city’s rail and milling era.

Workers install new rail tracks for the Metro Transit Green Line Extension in St. Louis Park. — Crews working the Southwest LRT line in St. Louis Park use a rail loader car, a flatbed-mounted machine that threads long steel rails off a train and positions them along the roadbed for installation. The Southwest LRT, known operationally as the Green Line Extension, is a Metropolitan Council project extending light rail service roughly 14.5 miles from Minneapolis through St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka, and Eden Prairie. The line runs largely along former freight corridors, requiring extensive new track construction rather than simple conversion of existing rail. Rail-loading equipment like this allows crews to deliver continuous welded rail sections directly to the grade, reducing the need for separate hauling and placement steps during construction.

BNSF Railway locomotive number 8005 passes Harrison Street crossing in Northeast Minneapolis at sunset. — A BNSF Railway locomotive passes the Harrison Street crossing in Northeast Minneapolis. The crossing is part of the rail corridor that runs through the neighborhood near the Mississippi River.

North Cedar Lake Trail, St. Louis Park, MN. — North Cedar Lake trail in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.

Freight rail sidings in Mason City, Iowa, between hopper cars and boxcars. — Freight rail sidings in Mason City, Iowa, run between lines of hopper cars and boxcars used for bulk cargo transport. The tracks lie in the city’s industrial rail corridor, where freight rail supports grain and material shipments.

Freight cars on rail tracks in Mason City, Iowa. — Freight cars stand on rail tracks in Mason City, Iowa. The rail yard sits on the city’s industrial edge and connects local freight traffic to regional agricultural and manufacturing shipments.

Northern Pacific BNSF Rail Bridge crosses the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. — Northern Pacific BNSF Rail Bridge spans the Mississippi River in Minneapolis between downtown and Northeast Minneapolis. Originally built in 1884 for the Northern Pacific Railway, it provided rail access to yards north of downtown. The bridge has been altered and repaired over time and remains part of BNSF Railway operations in the city.

Target Field Northttar Train Station in Minneapolis — Target Field Station and Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, are shown at night. The station serves as a transit hub for the Northstar Line and Metro Transit, connecting commuters and fans to downtown Minneapolis. Target Field, opened in 2010, is the home ballpark of the Minnesota Twins baseball team and is located in the city's North Loop neighborhood.

Faded "Diamond Iron Works, Inc." foundry signage on a brick building beside railroad tracks in North Minneapolis. — Diamond Iron Works, Inc. operated as a foundry in North Minneapolis, producing iron castings for the region's railroad and manufacturing trades. The faded lettering on the building's brick exterior still reads "Diamond Iron Works, Inc." and "Foundry," remnants of painted signage common to early 20th-century industrial buildings. The site sits near active railroad tracks, reflecting the historic ties between Minneapolis foundries and rail-based shipping and supply lines.

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