Minnesota Central (1994-2000)

Company History: The MCTA was established in 1994 to take over the 94 mile former Minneapolis & St. Louis line between Norwood and Hanley Falls, Minnesota from the previous operator MNVA Railroad. The track is owned by the Minnesota Valley Regional Railroad Authority. MCTA didn’t have much more luck with this route than MNVA did and in 2000 they withdrew as operator. The track sat idle for 2 years before a subsidiary of Twin Cities & Western took up the challenge.

Brief History: The U.S. is a country of 50 states covering a vast swath of North America, with Alaska in the northwest and Hawaii extending the nation’s presence into the Pacific Ocean. Major Atlantic Coast cities are New York, a global finance and culture center, and capital Washington, DC. Midwestern metropolis Chicago is known for influential architecture and on the west coast, Los Angeles' Hollywood is famed for filmmaking.