RRVW train outside Davenport, North Dakota.

(Zlew42, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons)

RED RIVER VALLEY AND WESTERN RAILROAD

The Red River Valley and Western Railroad (reporting mark RRVW) is a regional railroad operating in the US states of North Dakota and Minnesota. It began operations in 1987 in an era of railroad restructuring.

Its 648 miles (1,043 km) of track, originally acquired from the Burlington Northern Railroad, included:

• Wahpeton, North Dakota to Oakes, North Dakota
• Breckenridge, Minnesota to Brushvale, Minnesota
• Wahpeton, North Dakota to Casselton, North Dakota
• Chaffee Junction, North Dakota to Chaffee, North Dakota
• Casselton, North Dakota to Marion, North Dakota
• Oakes, North Dakota to Jamestown, North Dakota
• Horace, North Dakota to Independence, North Dakota
• La Moure, North Dakota to Edgeley, North Dakota
• Jamestown, North Dakota to Minnewaukan, North Dakota
• Pingree, North Dakota to Regan, North Dakota
• Carrington, North Dakota to Turtle Lake, North Dakota
• Oberon, North Dakota to Esmond, North Dakota

Shortly after it began operations, the Red River Valley and Western Railroad acquired a 19-mile (31 km) rail line between Oakes, North Dakota and Hecla, South Dakota from the Dakota, Minnesota, and Eastern Railroad. It abandoned 18 miles (29 km) of this rail line, beginning just south of Oakes, North Dakota, on September 7, 2001.

Currently, the Red River Valley and Western Railroad owns and operates 490 miles (790 km) of trackage which includes:

• Breckenridge, Minnesota to Brushvale, Minnesota
• Wahpeton, North Dakota to Oakes, North Dakota
• Wahpeton, North Dakota to Casselton, North Dakota
• Chaffee Junction, North Dakota to Chaffee, North Dakota
• Oakes, North Dakota to Jamestown, North Dakota
• Horace, North Dakota to Independence, North Dakota
• La Moure, North Dakota to Edgeley, North Dakota
• Jamestown, North Dakota to Maddock, North Dakota
• Pingree, North Dakota to Woodworth, North Dakota
• Additional trackage rights on the BNSF Railway and the Canadian Pacific Railway from Ransom Junction, North Dakota to Lucca, North Dakota, from Casselton, North Dakota to Jamestown, North Dakota, and from Breckenridge, Minnesota to Geneseo Junction, North Dakota.

The Red River Valley and Western Railroad is affiliated with the Twin Cities and Western Railroad and the Minnesota Prairie Line. Andrew Thompson is the chief executive officer of all three railroads.