The Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway: A Photographic History [Paperback]

Don L. Hofsommer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 7, 2009

In this photographic history of the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway (M&StL), railroad historian Don L. Hofsommer revives the memory of a storied regional railroad.The Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway was created on May 26, 1870, by a group of Minnesota investors interested in establishing a railroad connection between Minneapolis and the agricultural regions to the south. While not flashy, the M&StL served Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, and Illinois over nine decades and was essential in opening new territory, providing freight as well as passenger carriage, and employing thousands of people. Rich in illustrations, this is not just a chronicle of a railroad but also a story and a record of a way of life in the rural upper Midwest. A must-have for readers that fondly remember the Tootin’ Louie as well as rail fans, history buffs, and model railroaders in general.

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

In this photographic history of the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway (M&StL), railroad historian Don L. Hofsommer revives the memory of a storied regional railroad.The Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway was created on May 26, 1870, by a group of Minnesota investors interested in establishing a railroad connection between Minneapolis and the agricultural regions to the south. While not flashy, the M&StL served Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, and Illinois over nine decades and was essential in opening new territory, providing freight as well as passenger carriage, and employing thousands of people. Rich in illustrations, this is not just a chronicle of a railroad but also a story and a record of a way of life in the rural upper Midwest. A must-have for readers that fondly remember the Tootin’ Louie as well as rail fans, history buffs, and model railroaders in general.

About the Author

Don Hofsommer is a professor of history at St. Cloud State University. He is the author of many books on railroad history, including The Tootin’ Louie: A History of the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway, The Great Northern Railway: A History, The Hook & Eye: A History of the Iowa Central Railway, and Minneapolis and the Age of Railways, all published by the University of Minnesota Press.

Product Details

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: Univ Of Minnesota Press (May 7, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0816651329
• ISBN-13: 978-0816651320
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,791,889 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars the rise and fall of a lesser-known railroad, June 2, 2010

By 

Bill Hough (San Jose) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway: A Photographic History (Hardcover)

University of Minnesota Press has just released the subject book, billed as "the ultimate pictorial history of the Midwestern railway M&StL" It follows up on the author's "Tootin' Louie: A History of The Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway", a book the reviewer is not familiar with, although its existence inspires confidence that Mr. Hofsommer knows his subject matter.

Since this reviewer is not very familiar with the M&StL's territory, he had to refer frequently to the maps on pages 50 and 52. Readers picking up the book for the first time might consider sticking a post-it on the appropriate pages to make referring to these maps easier.

Hofsommer divides the railroad's story into six chapters. Each chapter begins with a historical overview of the period in question. These are not more than four or five pages in length but explain what was taking place with the railroad during the era depicted.

This is a photo history, and each chapter's historical overview is followed by a collection of photos from that portion of the railroad's history. Obviously, as a photographic history, the illustrations make up most the book and as the years progress we see both the railroad and photography change. All photos are reproduced in black & white, usually one or two per page, however a small number of photos are spread across two pages, and are compromised by the "gutter effect." Unfortunately, this includes William D. Middleton's night shot of GE-31 and the photo on pages 254-255. Overall, however, the photo reproduction and layout are good.

The first chapter looks at the railroad's formative years: 1871-1899. This period saw the creation of M&StL, ending up with CRI&P taking control for a time. A subsequent bankruptcy led to a "group of New Yorkers" under Edwin Hawley taking control towards the end of the 19th Century.

The second chapter deals with the first two decades of the 20th Century, as Edwin Hawley's group acquires Iowa Central and ultimately merges it with N&Stl. After Hawley's 1912 death, Newman Erb took over, but government regulation, labor ascendency, motor vehicle competition and USRA mismanagement during World War 1 led to a return to bankruptcy in 1923.

The next section, "Receivership-and Dismemberment?" relates how M&StL went through some difficult times and was almost liquidated in the 1930s. Lucian Sprague took over as receiver and abandoned some trackage but kept the railroad from going out of business. Upon exit from bankruptcy, Sprague becomes president. The fourth chapter deals with Sprague's presidency, ending with a 1954 takeover by a group led by Ben W. Heineman. The new management team makes a go of it in the 1950s only to sell to C&NW in 1960.

In the early years, we see photos of construction. Also depicted are bridges, locomotives and stations, many with posing employees with photo quality ranging from good to not so good, understandable given the age. As can be expected with a railroad operating in the Upper Midwest, many photographs deal with snow fighting operations. Note the rotary photos on page 74, for example.

There is plenty of coverage of the trains themselves, with steam, diesel and some distinctive gas-electric cars M&StL picked up during the depression. As the diesels arrive, the quality of photography improves. For example, there is some excellent night work by William D. Middleton, including a cover photo of GE-31 at Saint Louis Park and some night views of Cedar Lake Yard.

For diesel enthusiasts, we learn about M&StL's unusual numbering scheme. At the dawn of the diesel age, the railroad numbered units by month and year, so that a locomotive delivered in February 1944 became unit 244. Needless to say, when new management arrived in 1954, that system was soon discarded.

The final chapter is rather bittersweet, as C&NW has taken over and begins to dismantle the railroad bit by bit. The last shots, on pages 276 and 277, have a depressing feel as service to Spencer Iowa ends in 1981.

If you're interested in Upper Midwest railroading, pick up a copy of "Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway: A Photographic History." You'll see the rise and fall of a lesser-known railroad that operated some interesting equipment. You'll get a look at how rail transportation changed over the decades with passenger trains fading out, freight trains becoming dominant and diesels replacing steam. This is a worthwhile book.