THE DAN PATCH RAILROAD               
By Bob Reiss, From the Re-Echo, Fall 2003

In 1913, the Village received a request from the Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester, and Dubuque Electric Traction Railroad to build a railroad that would go through St. Louis Park on a north/south route. It would connect to the Twin City Rapid Transit lines and go south through St. Louis Park to the cities that were part of its name.

Railroads already ran long freight trains through the Park. Two had depots and made stops here. These and T.B. Walker’s streetcar were thought to provide adequate transportation to Minneapolis.

The railroad’s request was for a passenger line using gas electric cars. It specifically would not use steam locomotives or haul freight. On this basis, the franchise was granted, with the added provision that the fare was not to exceed 5 cents.

The president of the Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester, and Dubuque Electric Traction line was M.W. Savage. He was the owner of the famous trotting horse Dan Patch. His plan was to use the railroad to bring passengers to Savage so they could view his famous horse. The rail line became known as the Dan Patch line and was used as a promotion for the horse. Many people refer to the line as the Dan Patch to this day.

Originally the line was built to Savage, but later extended to Northfield. Tracks were never built to Rochester or Dubuque. Although the franchise was limited to light rail passengers, the line was originally built with 80 pounds-per-yard rails that were much more than needed.

Passenger service was established from Minneapolis to Savage through St. Louis Park. Two self-propelled cars provided the transportation. No formal stops were established, but the car could be flagged down to pick up or discharge passengers. A “train” went through St. Louis Park into Minneapolis every morning between 8:00 and 9:00 AM, and returned to Savage between 5:00 and 6:00 PM.

For M.W. Savage and Dan Patch threw were two private cars. Dan Patch traveled in a converted baggage car painted white with gold lettering. His grooms wore white uniforms and traveled with the horse. The second car was for Savage and his family.

In 1915, the railroad asked the Village of St. Louis Park for permission to use steam locomotives to haul freight. The request was turned down because of the added dirt and noise. At that time the railroad was asked to secure stops at Excelsior Blvd., Goodrich Ave., Minnetonka Blvd., Superior Blvd. (Highway 12), Cedar Lake Road, Lake Street, Broadway (Walker Street), and Brookside Ave. Although the request was turned down, the railroad continued the abuse until the Village served it with an injunction.

Both M.W. Savage and Dan Patch died in 1916. The railroad was then reorganized as the Minnesota, Northfield and Southern. In 1918, an organization called the Dan Patch Patrons Association asked the Village again for a repeal of the requirement at forbade steam locomotives, the 5 cent fare, and a limit of only five stops in St. Louis Park. Again they were refused and forced to adhere to the provisions of the charter.

The Village received a letter from the railroad saying that they proposed to ignore the no-steam provision. The Village then found that it had very little way to enforce its ordinance or make the railroad take up their tracks. The Village and the railroad reached an agreement and the railroad was allowed to haul freight with steam locomotives.

Although St. Louis Park already had several railroads and factories, the controversy over the addition of another steam railroad was a good indication that it was beginning to see itself as more of a residential community rather than a factory town.

Today the Minneapolis, Northfield, and Southern rails are part of the Canadian Pacific system. Freight and grain cars are brought from southern Minnesota to St. Louis Park. There is a switching yard in Skunk Hollow, behind Methodist Hospital, that allows the railroad to transfer the cars to the east-west tracks of the Twin City Western.



 

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This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.